The Wicker Man (1973): Hauntingly iconic horror
Review Overview
Cast
10Chills
10Climax
10David Farnor | On 31, Oct 2023
Director: Robin Hardy
Cast: Edward Woodward, Britt Ekland, Christopher Lee
Certificate: 15
The Wicker Man has influenced culture ever since its controversial release back in 1973. An unsettling, unflinching folk horror, it’s surprising just how short it is – and how much it packs into those atmospheric, authentically acted 90 minutes.
When the devout Sergeant Howie (Edward Woodward) arrives at a remote island looking for a missing girl, his thick accent rolls her name, Rowan, off his tongue with an appropriate air of authority. Not that it does him much good – despite his insistence that he is a man of the law, the villagers merely reply that she never existed. Determined to see justice done, Sergeant Howie stays on the island, attempting to unearth the buried truth of this Pagan community.
His findings originally earned Robin Hardy’s film an X rating. Even today, what he witnesses is still unnerving. From phallic maypoles and explicit nudity to seemingly barbaric rituals, the village’s culture clashes heavily with that of the Catholic copper. Clinging to his religion throughout proceedings, he finds himself confronted by a sincere belief in the “old gods”. At the head of the creed is Lord Summerisle (Christopher Lee). In his all-too-brief role, Lee comfortably contradicts Woodward without compromise. From the moment Sergeant Howie sets foot on the isle, it’s quite clear: he’s not local.
From the stunning opening aerial shot, Hardy is in total control of what we’re witnessing, right down to the inspired decision to make sure the events take place almost entirely in daylight. Aided by a lulling and often upbeat series of songs, a soporific tone quickly sets in that adds to the eerie realism of the whole thing. By the time the climactic sunset emerges, this candid portrait of an isolated town pinches you wide awake. At once a provocative take on humankind’s ability to act upon their beliefs and a spine-tingling mystery, this is classic British horror that remains hauntingly iconic.
