Review of The Wicker Man (1973) by Kimberly V — 02 Sep 2009

In his excellent autobiography (Lord of Misrule, published after the release of Lord of the Rings, by the way), Christopher Lee mentioned that The Wicker Man is his favourite movie in his long and outstanding cinema career. And for good reason: this is a pure thinking manâ??s horror movie, provocative and deliciously thoughtful. Indeed, Anthony Shafferâ??s intelligent script is a fascinating voyage into the heart of paganism, Wicca, Scotland folklore and religious mind control.

Director Robin Hardy pervaded this thriller story (the heart of the script is the search of a mysteriously disappeared young girl) with folk music and beautiful images of Scotland; coupled with the fairly intriguing pagan subtext, you got one of the most original horror movie of all time.

The cast is stellar, particularly Edward Woodward in the skin of a deeply religious catholic detective whose convictions are highly put to test (especially by a certain Willow, played with sexual awareness by Brit Ekland in the role of one of the most fascinating temptress in cinema history: the Green Man Innâ??s room scene is pure bravura). Christopher Lee, in the role of Lord Summerisle, offer one of his best performance in his career: the character is nothing short of interesting (miles away from Dracula, the breakthrough role of Lee in the excellent Hammerâ??s Horror of Dracula) and the veteran actor clearly have the time of his life in playing the noble man.

Hardy once said that, with this project, they wanted to do an anti-horror horror movie! It was in reference to the declining quality of Hammerâ??s catalogue who were still doing the same thing than they did 15 years earlier yet with far less ability. The Wicker Man is a masterpiece, in its writing, in its acting, in the direction, in the soundtrack: that Hollywood ever felt that it was necessary to be remade is still a mystery to me. For this movie have aged very well and the climax have not lost an ounce of its evocative power. Those who think that horror is an empty artistic exercise and a lost of time obviously never saw The Wicker Man.