DVD The Wicker Man (Extended Edition)

Compelling and Chilling

Police Sergeant Neil Howie arrives on a small island off the coast of Scotland on a mission to follow up an anonymous tip he received about a missing girl. We learn right from the start that the police sergeant is a devout, no nonsense Christian, but even he isn't prepared for the weirdness running rampant through the byways of this community. Right from the start, things on Summerisle seem downright weird. The locals drinking in the pub where Howie procures lodgings are extremely strange folk, as is Willow, the daughter of the inn owner. That very night the police sergeant has an erotic encounter with Willow that is sure to test the faith of the most ardent Christian. Further eeriness rears its head when Howie sees strange goings on at the local school, some of the bizarre customs practiced on the island, and finally meets with the wild haired eccentric Lord Summerisle. It turns out that most people don't seem all that concerned about the missing girl Howie is looking for. Howie rapidly goes from a state of perplexity to one of utter repugnance as he gradually learns the true secrets of the this island: the people here, led by the zealous Lord Summerisle, are practicing pagans who emphatically reject the Christianity so adored by Howie. But as much as the police sergeant thinks he knows, he is in for a very rude awakening as the movie twists and turns to its grim conclusion.

"The Wicker Man" is a very colorful movie, with plenty of dancing, singing, and great costumes. The music is quite unique, at least for me, and plays a big part throughout the picture. What I liked best about this film was the cast. Britt Ekland turns up in the small role of Willow, the pagan temptress who tries to seduce Howie with a rather sultry dance in the beginning of the film. Christopher Lee is a bit of a question mark here. In an interview included on the disc, he claims that "The Wicker Man" was the best role he ever had in a movie. Moreover, he loved the film so much that he personally called film critics in order to help get the film some much needed publicity. Most of what Lee says about his part in this production is a bit of surprise because his character really doesn't appear in many scenes of the film, and when he does show up, he doesn't really do much. Apparently, some missing footage contained several lengthy scenes of Lee as Lord Summerisle, so perhaps this helps explain his limited screen time. The real prize in the film is Edward Woodward in the role of Neil Howie. Like most people, the only exposure I have had with this actor was his stint in the American television series "The Equalizer" a few years ago. In "The Wicker Man," Woodward shines as the hard-nosed Howie, a dedicated cop who adequately conveys the sort of outrage concerning the shenanigans on Summerisle one would expect from a deeply religious man. Even though I knew how the film ended, Howie's reactions to his fate still chilled me to the bone. Woodward alone provides the biggest reason you should watch this movie. What a fine actor.

The DVD version of the film boasts an impressive array of extras, specifically interviews with principals Edward Woodward, Christopher Lee, and some background about director Robin Hardy and screenwriter Anthony Schaffer. You even get some information about the conditions endured by cast and crew alike as they filmed the project (poor, poor Edward Woodward and that scared goat!). The controversy surrounding the distribution of the film, which the studio cut and sloppily marketed, is discussed in some detail. Christopher Lee still looks mad over the missing footage, which he claims is probably in someone's basement or attic waiting to be found. The official explanation is that a mistake made while cleaning out a film vault resulted in parts of this film being thrown in the back of a dump truck. Even if this enigmatic footage never surfaces, the film I saw was still massively entertaining. I cannot say that this is the best picture I have ever seen, but its reputation requires all cinema fans to give it a watch. It's definitely unique enough to stand out in the old memory banks well after the closing credits fade to black. Any film that can accomplish that feat is worthy of a five star rating, wouldn't you say

It's an unusual movie; part detective story; part drama; part horror; part folk musical; but all its elements fuse together perfectly.

Edward Woodward is a police constable on the mainland in Scotland, who recieves an anonymous message informing him that a child on Summer Isle has gone missing. He is a dutiful, and deeply Christian officer who goes off to the island in his light plane to investigate.

On arrival he finds a Pagan society (And thus, as a Christian, one that he finds disgusting.) and a whole bunch of people who are claiming that the missing girl never existed in the first place.

'The Wicker Man' is a marvellous film with an unforgettable climax.

You need the extended version. It is much better than the original theatrical one. The movie was cut by the distributors on the rather peculiar grounds that they believed it to be abject garbage. Critics were more favourable, but the additional footage the director intended to have in the original version had gone missing. It was many years later that a copy of the film as the director had intended it was found (Apparently Roger Corman had the material.) and the elements finally restored.

The film just makes more sense in its extended form. Howey (Woodward in a truly towering performance) now spends two nights on the island instead of one. Lord Summerisle (Christopher Lee) makes an appearance much earlier in the film, and there are scenes at the beginning of the movie that emphasise Howey's Christian beliefs - we see him in the ritual holy communion (Only seen in the theatre version in a brief, meaningless flashback), which was intended to be echoed in the final Pagan ritual at the end.

'The Wicker Man' is a strange, but intelligent hybrid of a movie, with some great performances (And, er, Britt Ekland was... um... pretty, at least.) and a good, thoroughly researched script.

Oh and give the folk songs a chance! By the third time you watch the movie (And you will want to watch it again and again) you'll be singing along.... "And on that tree there was a branch and on that branch there was a boy..."