Despite these interludes, the pacing is snappy. There is some traditional score composed by Paul Giovanni, but more prevalent are narrative-driven folk songs - somewhere between shanties and hymns - sung by the villagers. Hardy and director-of-photography Harry Waxman ( The Pink Panther Strikes Again) embrace natural sunlight and harsh shadows to aid the atmosphere. While horror movies customarily take place under cover of night, The Wicker Man occurs in broad daylight. David Bowie mentor Lindsay Kemp and Aubrey Morris ( A Clockwork Orange) can also be spotted among the townspeople as a landlord and gravedigger, respectively. Both characters have the same conviction in their respective faiths, but their resolve manifests in opposing ways.īritt Ekland ( The Man with the Golden Gun) plays the lascivious daughter of the innkeeper where Howie stays, and British horror staple Ingrid Pitt ( The Vampire Lovers) appears as the village’s librarian. Broadening his horizons with a more nuanced character following his Hammer Horror run, his Summerisle proves to be the perfect counterpart to Woodward’s Howie. Having made a career out of bringing his signature gravitas to everything from Dracula and James Bond to Lord of the Rings and Star Wars, the more obvious choice may have been to cast him as Howie. Blood sacrifices notwithstanding, the free-spirited islanders often come across as more sympathetic than the close-minded Howie.Ĭhristopher Lee co-stars as cult leader Lord Summerisle. Howie is immediately ostracized as an outsider and the divide widens as the film progresses, but the us-vs.-them mentality goes both ways. 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.ĭirector Robin Hardy and writer Anthony Shaffer ( Frenzy) waste little time trying to fool the viewer into believing that nothing is amiss in the remote community, instead utilizing the time to build tension and intrigue.

The devout Christian is appalled to learn that the islanders practice a form of paganism characterized by blasphemous beliefs, degeneracy, doublespeak, and peculiar customs. In the film, Sergeant Neil Howie ( Edward Woodward, Hot Fuzz) travels from the mainland to the Scottish island of Summerisle to investigate the disappearance of a young girl. 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. 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. A classic film that not only endures but continues to inspire half a century later is a true marvel.

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