The Wicker Man film - now restored to full length
The Wicker Man - acknowledged as one of the classic British films of all time
You may have heard of the Wicker Man film, yet it is one that many have not seen. In an interview some years ago, Christopher Lee one of the lead actors commented that there was about 15 minutes missing from what had been filmed.
Christopher Lee (centre) in the lead role as Lord Summerisle
At the time of the film release he identified this fact but was told that the footage could not be located. It was some years before a good, original length film transfer came to light. The film has now been restored and issued in a 2 disc version, one disc is the 'as released' for cinema version and the other disc is the Director's cut, restored to the original, longer running time.
Edward Woodward as Sergeant Howie in the Wicker Man film
Identified as a cult film only after it was released in America, Wicker Man is more like a carnival than a true horror picture. Today's horror offerings really are more frightening and explicitly more violent, but the Wicker Man is more whimsical than you might be expecting. I think that this whimsicality gives the film something unique.
The Green Man Inn pub sign -
the Green Man, a symbol of the 'Pagan' style belief system,
a belief system based partly on this featured in the film
a belief system based partly on this featured in the film
The premise of the film is that Sergeant Howie (Edward Woodward) a policeman from the mainland, receives an anonymous letter reporting a missing child on the isle of Summerisle. Summerisle being a Scottish island overseen by Lord Summerisle (Christopher Lee). Summerisle is part of an archipelago of small and scattered islands off the Scottish coast.
Sergeant Howie is given the runaround by the locals from the outset
Upon arriving, Sgt Howie starts to make enquiries, only to find that he is mislead or in some cases, deliberately obstructed from finding out the answers he requires.
Summerisle is a 'closed community' situation, a place where there are no outsiders and outsiders when they do visit, stick out. Things work differently on Summerisle, it is a cross between a feudal society with a belief system run along a Pagan style of reverence. (it is not difficult to see how a series like the League of gentlemen may have been inspired by this type of situation?)
Britt Ekland was another of the main players in the film as the Landlord's daughter
Sgt Howie is a deeply religious man, of the Christian faith and he soon finds things that give him displeasure happening on the island. He finds temptation from the Landlord's daughter (played by Britt Ekland) directed towards him.
Howie Bursts in on Ingrid Pitt's character
Howie's prudishness seems old fashioned by today's standards, he does not pursue the obvious syrenical seduction coming from the landlord's daughter or is he distracted by the naked Librarian in her bath when he breaks into her house looking for the missing person.
The locals taunt Howie with the risqué folk song 'the landlord's daughter.'
But Howie refuses to yield and continues his investigation singlehanded, on an island with no vehicles, (an island that he reached by piloting a seaplane into the local harbour).
The May Day procession scene
Howie suspects that the missing person may still be alive and joins the May Day procession, hoping to locate the target of his enquiries. He knocks out the land lord and takes his Mr Punch costume, joining the procession in disguise, he believes without his true identity being known.
Howie is unmasked
Howie is correct in his presumption but is then overpowered - I won't spoil the ending but the film is an allegory of the closed society with its own way of things, in which the 20th century does not sit well in context, or is indeed welcome.
A local island, for local people -
echoed in shades of 'Royston Vasey' some years later?
It is remarkable that the film was made at all, British Lion films that started the project went out of business during the film and two other concerns took on the project. This led to the cutting of some footage which did not help the storyline.
Filmed late in the year, it was often touch and go when filming to be able to get the external location scenes filmed whilst the sun made a brief appearance! The rugged coastline and isolated unspoilt location gave the film a feeling of insularity.
Fantastic location settings really enhanced the film
The Wicker Man has gone on to become a cult film, in the same way that many other cult films have, by not being that successful on release - for Wicker Man it formed part of a double bill feature, which did it no real favours in the UK but in the US, with a bigger audience, it became well thought of.
The main actors in the film really stand out and even if the film was not a big earner for the in the first instance, it has no doubt helped them since with a revered film to put on their CV. A pity that with such a wealth of acting talent, that the film could not have been more involved. Perhaps the situation with the studio meant that the film had to be completed without delay.
