One of the most intelligent and visually distinctive horror films of the '70s.
The Wicker Man (1973)
Tomatometer
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Reviews Counted:45
Fresh:41
Rotten:4
Average Rating:7.7/10
Consensus: This intelligent horror film is subtle in its thrills and chills, with an ending that is both shocking and truly memorable.
Runtime: 3 hrs 7 mins
Genre: Horror/Suspense
Synopsis: A notoriously troubled production notwithstanding, the controversial cult classic THE WICKER MAN is now regarded as a classic of British cinema. Edward Woodward stars as Sergeant Howie, a naive... A notoriously troubled production notwithstanding, the controversial cult classic THE WICKER MAN is now regarded as a classic of British cinema. Edward Woodward stars as Sergeant Howie, a naive young police officer sent to Summerisle, a secluded island off the coast of Scotland, to investigate the disappearance of a young girl named Rowan. When he arrives there, he finds a very tight-knit community that is mistrustful and hostile to outsiders. No one is willing to even acknowledge Rowan's disappearance. Soon, Howie begins to realize that the town might, in fact, be a strange pagan cult, one given to unbridled sexuality and possible human sacrifice. Seeking an audience with the oddly civilized Lord Summerisle (Christopher Lee), Howie hopes to get to the bottom of the mystery, but instead he finds something more shocking than he could have ever imagined. Written by Anthony Shaffer (SLEUTH, DEATH ON THE NILE), Robin Hardy's eerie film paints a disturbing portrait of an almost prehistoric, multi-deity worshipping society given to bizarre rituals and Bacchanalian excess. Though recognition may have been a long time coming, THE WICKER MAN stands as a strikingly original achievement that is equal parts horror, drama, comedy, and musical. [More]
Starring: Edward Woodward, Christopher Lee, Britt Ekland, Diane Cilento
Starring: Edward Woodward, Christopher Lee, Britt Ekland, Diane Cilento, Ingrid Pitt, Lindsay Kemp, Russell Waters, Aubrey Morris
Director: Robin Hardy
Director: Robin Hardy
Screenwriter: Anthony Shaffer
Producer: Peter Snell
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Reviews for The Wicker Man
Robin Hardy's and Anthony Shaffer's horror film recently made the BBC's list of the 100 greatest British films ever made.
Like many of the best horror/thrillers, The Wicker Man works because it surprises audiences, relying on carefully-nurtured suspense rather than cheap, theatrical shocks.
This unnerving chiller rises above genre conventions to deliver its own kinds of cool dread and surprises.
A British golden-oldie worthy to be placed alongside classics such as Ira Levin's The Stepford Wives or Rosemary's Baby.
Stick with this creepy 1973 masterpiece and you’ll be rewarded by a memorable, haunting ending that follows an almost unbearably tense build-up.
They deliberately cast horror icons to help them break the mold... if you keep in mind its original context, it can be a very interesting film.
The Wicker Man's genre-bending, thematic daring, and tortuous history have made it the U.K.'s definitive cult movie.
It envelops you in a time and space that is unfamiliar, fascinating, exotic, and frightening all at once.
Essentially, it’s an insane guilty pleasure, still enjoyable for its delightfully eccentric casting and for the funniest, creepiest pub scene in British movies outside of next week’s reissue, ‘Withnail & I’.
Robin Hardy's 1973 cult horror film passed through several distributors, several versions, and several bankruptcies, picking up a powerful reputation along the way.
Devised by its star Christopher Lee, director Robin Hardy and writer Anthony Shaffer as a meditation on the rise of New Age spiritualism, the movie is now, of course, gleefully camp and a tad reactionary.
You can't help smiling at the audacity of it all and shivering a little at the feelbad ending.
... a startling movie, bizarre and disturbing with some touches of macabre humor.
The Wicker Man has a few good ideas and a great last act, but everything that comes before it is essentially disposable.
The tension occasionally goes slack, but hardly anything surpasses that clifftop finale for freakish terror.
Latest News for The Wicker Man
April 08, 2008:
Wicker Man Sequel Scrapped
Turns out there is a sequel that can't get made. More...
December 27, 2007:
Clive Barker and Guillermo del Toro Are Being Born
Clive Barker and Guillermo del Toro are getting ready to explore the dark side of Claymation. More...
August 31, 2006:
Critical Consensus: "Crank" Is Well-Ranked; "Illusionist" Is Magic, "Crossover" Is An Air-Ball, "Wicker Man" Gets Burned
This week at the movies, we've got hoopsters with big dreams ("Crossover," starring Anthony Mackie), scary goings-on on remote islands ("The Wicker Man,"... More...
June 19, 2006:
Check Out the New "Wicker" Pics
Color me very curious regarding Neil LaBute's upcoming "The Wicker Man." Here we have an indie filmmaker venturing into a new genre, while also remaking one of the... More...
| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie |
|---|---|
| 36% 36% | Angels & Demons |
| 25% 25% | Four Christmases |
| 68% 68% | Funny People |
| 95% 95% | Star Trek |
| 14% 14% | The Ugly Truth |
| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie |
|---|---|
| 83% 83% | Harry Potter and the H… |
| 67% 67% | Public Enemies |
| 75% 75% | Julie & Julia |
| 95% 95% | The Cove |
| 85% 85% | World's Greatest Dad |
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