The Wicker Man

The Wicker Man

Starring Edward Woodward, Christopher Lee, Britt Ekland, Diane Cilento

Directed by Robin Hardy

The Story:
Devout Christian Sergeant Howie (Edward Woodward) travels to the remote Hebridean island of Summerisle to investigate the disappearance of Rowan Morrison (Gerry Cowper) after receiving an anonymous letter.  Once he arrives on the island, he's greatly troubled by the pagan rituals the townspeople make, involving celebrating open sexual actions, including children as part of their May Day celebrations, teaching of phallic symbols to the children, and using the most strange methods of medicine to cure the most common ailments.

As he tries to conduct his investigation, it seems that the entire town doesn't want Rowan found, including her own mother, as most of them totally disavow even knowing the girl.  When he eventually discovers the girl's burial plot, he pleads with the island's leader, Lord Summerisle (Christopher Lee) to get permission to exhume the body.  Summerisle explains that his grandfather developed strains of fruit trees that would prosper despite the odd climate, and believed that old gods would bring prosperity to the land through their May Day celebrations.  Through his findings, Howie learns that they conduct a human sacrifice every May Day, and that the grave for Rowan doesn't have her in it.  He is now in a race against time to save Rowan before the townspeople sacrifice her to their pagan gods - or was Rowan the intended sacrifice at all?

The Synopsis:
In the annals of horror history, "The Wicker Man" falls under one of those rare gems that transcends its own genre and has become a cult classic in its own right, and is even included in several lists of films to see before you die.  It's no wonder why, because this movie is more than the sum of its parts, a deeply cerebral story with fantastic twists and turns and especially some of the best acting in any horror movie from the likes of Edward Woodward and Christopher Lee, both of whom claim this was their favorite film they've ever made in their stellar, long careers.

What is it about "The Wicker Man" that makes it such a cult classic?  It's a movie that doesn't rely on classic horror tropes to get its story across, but rather serves as a mystery that is not easily unraveled, a story that keeps the viewer just as frustrated as the protagonist, and does so in a way that doesn't seem cheap.  It's a thinking man's horror, a folk horror classic with unnerving songs, unforgettable scenes and an ending that's as powerful and profound as anything else set to screen.  It's been imitated often (we will not even give a notion to that Nicolas Cage abomination), and even though imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, it's the original that screams to be seen and appreciated.

The acting in the film is top notch, especially from the lead Edward Woodward, who is literally a fish out of water in the most depraved, pagan city he's ever seen.  As the only devout Christian, he witnesses the most animistic of human nature as he angrily tries to find a missing girl.  He's got much more patience than I do, for if I was on that island looking for a missing person everyone (including her mother) said either never existed or was fine, I would head back to the mainland and return with an army of people.  His aggravation and shock are palpable and highly believable to the viewer, and helps draw you intently to the story.

The other standout performance is of the great Christopher Lee, who appeared in several movies throughout his outstanding career (most notably as Dracula in several Dracula movies, and as Saruman in "The Lord of the Rings"), but he considers his role as the eccentric, oddball Lord Summerisle his most favorite role, so much so that he appeared in the film for free, and even did his own publicity for the film for free as well.  You can tell he absolutely relished his role, as he easily steals every scene he's in, and commands the screen.  It's truly his best performance in a decades-long film history.

Then there's that ending.  Not going into details, but it's easily the most profound, unnerving ending in any horror movie I can remember, grand in its scope and scale, and leaves you with the feeling that you really did just see a movie that's one of a kind, imitated but never duplicated.

The Summary:
In the grand expanse of cinema, there's a few movies out there that revolutionize their own genre and attain a cult classic status.  "The Wicker Man" is one of those films, one that is far before its time and one that stands the test of time thanks to a highly thoughtful story and tremendous acting.

The Score: A+