A classic film that not only endures but continues to inspire half a century later is a true marvel. Celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, The Wicker Man helped popularize the folk horror genre that continues to flourish with the likes of Midsommar, The Witch, and The Ritual. Its impact extends beyond cinema, from inspiring Radiohead (“Burn the Witch”) and Iron Maiden (“The Wicker Man”) songs to being included in the 2012 Summer Olympics opening ceremony.
In the film, Sergeant Neil Howie travels from the mainland to the Scottish island of Summerisle to investigate the disappearance of a young girl. The devout Christian is appalled to learn that the islanders practice a form of paganism characterized by blasphemous beliefs, degeneracy, doublespeak, and peculiar customs. Like The Bride of Frankenstein, the namesake doesn’t show up until the final moments of the film, but it leaves an indelible impression long after the credits roll.
In the film, Sergeant Neil Howie travels from the mainland to the Scottish island of Summerisle to investigate the disappearance of a young girl. The devout Christian is appalled to learn that the islanders practice a form of paganism characterized by blasphemous beliefs, degeneracy, doublespeak, and peculiar customs. Like The Bride of Frankenstein, the namesake doesn’t show up until the final moments of the film, but it leaves an indelible impression long after the credits roll.
- 11/3/2023
- by Alex DiVincenzo
- bloody-disgusting.com
To celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the folk-horror classic, The Wicker Man, we are giving away The Wicker Man Posters Signed by Britt Ekland to 3 lucky winners!
Studiocanal is delighted to release a glorious new 4K restoration of The Wicker Man. All three versions of the film; The Final Cut, The Director’s Cut and The Theatrical Cut, have been painstakingly restored and will be released in an exclusive 5-disc Collector’s Edition as well as a 4-isc Steelbook version. The Final Cut will also be available on Digital from September 25th.
It Is Time To Keep Your Appointment With The Wicker Man. In the 50 years since its original release, The Wicker Man has achieved true cult status as one of the most revered horror films in cinema history, despite a difficult production and heavily cut original theatrical release. The search for the fabled missing scenes has only added to...
Studiocanal is delighted to release a glorious new 4K restoration of The Wicker Man. All three versions of the film; The Final Cut, The Director’s Cut and The Theatrical Cut, have been painstakingly restored and will be released in an exclusive 5-disc Collector’s Edition as well as a 4-isc Steelbook version. The Final Cut will also be available on Digital from September 25th.
It Is Time To Keep Your Appointment With The Wicker Man. In the 50 years since its original release, The Wicker Man has achieved true cult status as one of the most revered horror films in cinema history, despite a difficult production and heavily cut original theatrical release. The search for the fabled missing scenes has only added to...
- 9/27/2023
- by Competitions
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
"It is time... to keep your appointment with The Wicker Man." StudioCanal has unveiled a brand new trailer and poster for the 50th anniversary re-release of this cult classic horror film The Wicker Man. Originally released in 1973 in the UK, the film gained more notoriety after the 2006 remake starring Nicolas Cage. Reborn in glorious 4K, The Wicker Man: The Final Cut will return to UK cinemas this Summer Solstice, June 21 with a series of one night only screenings. The 50th Anniversary Event took place at Picturehouse Central in London on May 1st and was a star-studded on-stage celebration of the film. Presented by Edith Bowman, the on-stage show included guest of honour, actress Britt Ekland, associate musical director from the film Gary Carpenter, family of director Robin Hardy, and others. In the film, a puritan Police Sergeant arrives in a Scottish island village in search of a missing girl, who...
- 5/3/2023
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
1968: The Doctors' Liz was on a ledge, and on the news.
1977: David Hasselhoff performed the Y&R theme song on Merv.
1995: Oltl's Viki had an emotional confrontation with Dorian.
2006: Gh's Port Charles faced an encephalitis outbreak."Whoever wishes to foresee the future must consult the past; for human events ever resemble those of preceding times. This arises from the fact that they are produced by men who ever have been, and ever shall be, animated by the same passions, and thus they necessarily have the same results."
― Machiavelli
"Today in Soap Opera History" is a collection of the most memorable, interesting and influential events in the history of scripted, serialized programs. From birthdays and anniversaries to scandals and controversies, every day this column celebrates the soap opera in American culture.
On this date in...
1955: On The Road of Life, Sybil Overton (Barbara Becker) became upset...
1977: David Hasselhoff performed the Y&R theme song on Merv.
1995: Oltl's Viki had an emotional confrontation with Dorian.
2006: Gh's Port Charles faced an encephalitis outbreak."Whoever wishes to foresee the future must consult the past; for human events ever resemble those of preceding times. This arises from the fact that they are produced by men who ever have been, and ever shall be, animated by the same passions, and thus they necessarily have the same results."
― Machiavelli
"Today in Soap Opera History" is a collection of the most memorable, interesting and influential events in the history of scripted, serialized programs. From birthdays and anniversaries to scandals and controversies, every day this column celebrates the soap opera in American culture.
On this date in...
1955: On The Road of Life, Sybil Overton (Barbara Becker) became upset...
- 2/2/2018
- by Roger Newcomb
- We Love Soaps
Director Robin Hardy and musical director Gary Carpenter remember a descent into paganism that started in a Manhattan hotel room and ended up with the film company rubbishing their own work
Robin Hardy, director
I was making commercials in the Us and doing very well. Then a film company sent the writer Anthony Shaffer out to lure me back to the UK. When I opened my door in Manhattan, he said: "I am with the FBI and we are investigating you to see if you have communist sympathies." It was the first of many jokes.
We spent a weekend devising the plot, about a policeman called Howie who is lured to a Scottish island to investigate a missing girl; he is ultimately sacrificed by the pagan locals to save their apple crop. Paganism gave us lots of ideas, like the little girl being given a frog to put in her throat to stop it hurting.
Robin Hardy, director
I was making commercials in the Us and doing very well. Then a film company sent the writer Anthony Shaffer out to lure me back to the UK. When I opened my door in Manhattan, he said: "I am with the FBI and we are investigating you to see if you have communist sympathies." It was the first of many jokes.
We spent a weekend devising the plot, about a policeman called Howie who is lured to a Scottish island to investigate a missing girl; he is ultimately sacrificed by the pagan locals to save their apple crop. Paganism gave us lots of ideas, like the little girl being given a frog to put in her throat to stop it hurting.
- 9/24/2013
- by Dave Simpson
- The Guardian - Film News
We continue our look back at the classic horror film The Wicker Man, to read the first part of this feature please click here.
And so to the late, great Edward Woodward himself, who inspires great confidence as Sergeant Howie, a man whose unfettered dogged persistence defies all who stand before him in his pursuit of answers.
A key scene in understanding Howie comes when, upon visiting the school house, he is shocked to discover the school mistress (played by Diane Cilento, a former Mrs. Sean Connery and widow of screenwriter Anthony Schaffer) teaching her young class the phallic importance of the maypole. Approaching an empty desk he assumes to belong to Rowan Morrison (the missing girl at the centre of the mystery) he is surprised to discover a small beetle tied to a piece of string running endless circles around a small nail with no apparent meaning or purpose.
And so to the late, great Edward Woodward himself, who inspires great confidence as Sergeant Howie, a man whose unfettered dogged persistence defies all who stand before him in his pursuit of answers.
A key scene in understanding Howie comes when, upon visiting the school house, he is shocked to discover the school mistress (played by Diane Cilento, a former Mrs. Sean Connery and widow of screenwriter Anthony Schaffer) teaching her young class the phallic importance of the maypole. Approaching an empty desk he assumes to belong to Rowan Morrison (the missing girl at the centre of the mystery) he is surprised to discover a small beetle tied to a piece of string running endless circles around a small nail with no apparent meaning or purpose.
- 11/25/2010
- by Nick Turk
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
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