The Wicker Man (1973)

Director:

Robin Hardy

Writer:

Anthony Shaffer (screenplay)
(more)

Release Date:

June 1975 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Horror | Mystery | Thriller

Tagline:

From the writer of 'Frenzy & Sleuth' Anthony Shaffer's incredible occult thriller

Plot:

A police sergeant is called to an island village in search of a missing girl whom the locals claim never existed. Stranger still, however, are the rituals that take place there.

Plot Keywords:

Island | Sergeant | Disappearance | Ritual | Scottish Island

Awards:

1 win & 5 nominations

Cast

Edward Woodward	...	Sergeant Howie
Christopher Lee	...	Lord Summerisle
Diane Cilento	...	Miss Rose
Britt Ekland	...	Willow
Ingrid Pitt	...	Librarian
Lindsay Kemp	...	Alder MacGreagor
Russell Waters	...	Harbour Master
Aubrey Morris	...	Old Gardener / Gravedigger
Irene Sunters	...	May Morrison (also as Irene Sunter)
Walter Carr	...	School Master
Ian Campbell	...	Oak
Leslie Blackater	...	Hairdresser
Roy Boyd	...	Broome
Peter Brewis	...	Musician
Barbara Rafferty	...	Woman with Baby (as Barbara Ann Brown)
Juliet Cadzow	...	Villager on Summerisle (as Juliette Cadzow)
Ross Campbell	...	Communicant
Penny Cluer	...	Gillie
Michael John Cole	...	Musician
Michael Cole	...	Musician
Kevin Collins	...	Old Fisherman
Gerry Cowper	...	Rowan Morrison (as Geraldine Cowper)
Ian Cutler	...	Musician
Donald Eccles	...	T.H. Lennox
Myra Forsyth	...	Mrs. Grimmond
John Hallam	...	P.C. McTaggert
Alison Hughes	...	Fiancée to Howie
Charles Kearney	...	Butcher
Fiona Kennedy	...	Holly
John MacGregor	...	Baker (as John Macgregor)
Jimmy MacKenzie	...	Briar (as Jimmy Mackenzie)
Lesley Mackie	...	Daisy (also as Leslie Mackie)
Jennifer Martin	...	Myrtle Morrison
Bernard Murray	...	Musician
Helen Norman	...	Villager on Summerisle
Lorraine Peters	...	Girl on Grave
Tony Roper	...	Postman
John Sharp	...	Doctor Ewan
Elizabeth Sinclair	...	Villager on Summerisle
Andrew Tompkins	...	Musician
Ian Wilson	...	Communicant
Richard Wren	...	Ash Buchanan
John Young	...	Fishmonger
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
S. Newton Anderson	...	Landers (uncredited)
Paul Giovanni	...	Musician (uncredited)
Robin Hardy	...	Minister (uncredited)

Directed by
Robin Hardy

Writing credits
Anthony Shaffer		(screenplay)
David Pinner		novel "Ritual" (uncredited)

Produced by
Peter Snell	....	producer

Original Music by
Paul Giovanni

Cinematography by
Harry Waxman		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Eric Boyd-Perkins

Casting by
Maggie Cartier

Art Direction by
Seamus Flannery

Costume Design by
Sue Yelland

Makeup Department
Jan Dorman	....	hair stylist
W.T. Partleton	....	makeup artist (as Billy Partleton)

Production Management
Mike Gowans	....	unit manager
Ted Morley	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Jake Wright	....	assistant director
Brian W. Cook	....	second assistant director (uncredited)
Vic Smith	....	third assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Richard Rambaut	....	assistant art director (uncredited)

Sound Department
Robin Gregory	....	sound
Bob Jones	....	sound
Vernon Messenger	....	sound editor

Camera and Electrical Department
Peter Allwork	....	photography: second unit
John Brown	....	still photographer
James Devis	....	camera operator (as Jimmy Devis)
Mike Drew	....	focus puller
Ken Worringham	....	camera operator (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Masada Wilmot	....	wardrobe supervisor

Editorial Department
Denis Whitehouse	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Gary Carpenter	....	associate musical director
Magnet	....	music performers

Other crew
Beryl Harvey	....	production secretary
Stewart Hopps	....	choreographer
Frank Law	....	publicist
Susanna Merry	....	continuity (as Sue Merry)
Jilda Smith	....	location manager
Craig Miller	....	marketing consultant (uncredited)
Annie Ross	....	dubbing voice: Britt Ekland (uncredited)

Production Companies

• British Lion Film Corporation (presents) (as British Lion)

Distributors

• British Lion Film Corporation (1973) (UK) (theatrical)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (2001) (USA) (DVD)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (2006) (USA) (DVD)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (2008) (USA) (DVD)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (USA) (VHS)
• Channel 4 Television Corporation (2001) (UK) (TV) (directors cut)
• Kinowelt Home Entertainment (2009) (Germany) (DVD)
• Mainostelevisio (MTV3) (1986) (2003) (2005) (Finland) (TV)
• Media Home Entertainment (1978) (USA) (VHS)
• R-Video (1983) (Finland) (video)
• Studio Canal (2002) (UK) (video)
• SubTV (2005) (Finland) (TV)
• Universal Pictures Finland Oy (2006) (Finland) (DVD)
• VTI Home Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)
• Warner Bros. Pictures (1975) (USA)
• Warner Home Video
• Works Editora (2004) (Brazil) (DVD)

Also Known As:

Anthony Shaffer's The Wicker Man (UK) (complete title)
The Wickerman (Europe: English title) (alternative spelling)

Runtime:

88 min | 100 min (2001 director's cut) (25 fps)

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Iceland:16 | South Africa:(Banned) | Finland:K-18 (2006) (DVD) | Finland:K-16 (1983) (self applied) (video) | Germany:16 | Australia:M (DVD rating) | Australia:R (original rating) | Ireland:15 (re-rating) (2002) | Ireland:18 (original rating) | Norway:16 (1974) | South Korea:18 | Spain:18 | UK:15 (video re-rating) (2002) | UK:18 (video rating) (1990) | UK:X (original rating) | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Burrow Head, Isle of Whithorn, Dumfries & Galloway, Scotland, UK

Company:

British Lion Film Corporation

Trivia:

Until 2009 this film was never officially released in Germany. Only then it was released on DVD by Kinowelt (however, since it was not released before, without a German dub).

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: In the director's cut, there's a scene where the bar-owner is tied up to the bed. A few seconds before it cuts away, a crew-member's leg can be seen on the left hand side.

Quotes:

Willow: Some things in their natural state have the most VIVID colors.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Scream Greats, Vol. 2: Satanism and Witchcraft (1986)

Soundtrack:

Corn Rigs

Beware Shortened Versions

On an island off the Scottish coast is a very strange community that Sgt Howie (Edward Woodward) ventures to in search of a missing teenaged girl. On landing he is astonished to find that the crowd of old men has never heard of the girl. His quest will be stranger yet.

The island is "ruled" by Lord Summerisle (Christopher Lee) who is the descendant of a scientist who introduced exotic cultivars of fruits and re-introduced druidic or pagan beliefs. As the island prospered with its exported fruits the paganism became more deep rooted. The Sgt finds more and more mystery as he continues his quest for the girl.

Pitting Christianity against early pagan druidic rituals is just one of the intellectual pleasures of this cult film. As the local teacher (Diane Cilento) tells the Sgt, it's easier for a child's mind to understand reincarnation than resurrection. It gets them past all those rotting bodies.

Part mystery story, part horror, The Wicker Man blends several genres into one fascinating film. The May Day Festival is a throwback to pagan rites of a thousand years ago (a bit of which continues today in Morris dancing) and are a highlight of this film. The bizarre procession to the sea to offer sacrifices to the sea gods and sun god is historically accurate and sets up a surprise ending not to be forgotten.

Woodward is splendid as the pompous officer who clings to his religion. Lee is terrific as the eccentric lord. Cilento is a hoot as the teacher. Britt Ekland is the landlord's daughter Willow and Ingrid Pitt is the librarian. Blending folk and Enya-like music (by Paul Giovanni), director Robin Hardy creates a bawdy pagan world in the midst of the 20th century. The Celtic symbolism (Nuada the Sun God) is beautiful and helps set the tone.

A visual treat with great music, this film really gives the viewer something to think about. Highly recommended.