''The Wicker Man'' is a cult film 1973 in film United Kingdom film containing thriller and musical elements, directed by Robin Hardy, written by Anthony Shaffer and starring Edward Woodward, Christopher Lee, Diane Cilento, Ingrid Pitt and Britt Ekland. Cilento subsequently married Shaffer. Paul Giovanni composed The Wicker Man soundtrack -- a recording cited as a major influence on pagan folk and psych folk artists like Current 93. In 2000, the British heavy metal band Iron Maiden (band) recorded ''The Wicker Man'', which was based on this movie. In 2004 the magazine ''Total Film'' named ''The Wicker Man'' the 6th greatest British film of all time. ==Plot== Sergeant Neil Howie (Woodward), of the West Scottish Highlands Constabulary, is sent an anonymous letter recommending that he investigate the disappearance of a young girl, Rowan Morrison, on the remote Hebrides island of Summerisle. He flies out to the island and during his investigations discovers that the entire population follow a Neopaganism religion under the island's owner Lord Summerisle (Lee), worshipping the sun and engaging in other rituals. Howie, a devout Christianity who is also something of a prude, is increasingly shocked by the islanders' behaviour; he is also both attracted and repulsed by the alluring and overtly sexual Willow (Ekland), the landlord's daughter. He has no assistance in his search from the islanders, who even deny Morrison exists, but using his police authority he persists and uncovers evidence suggesting the girl was a victim of human sacrifice. Delving deeper into the island's culture, he disguises himself as Punch and Judy, the principal character of the May Day festival, in an attempt to learn the details of the sacrificial death. But the islanders are not fooled, and at the end of the festival it is revealed that the girl is alive and unhurt: the letter was part of a ploy to bring Howie to the island in order for ''him'' to be the sacrifice. As Howie is seized by the islanders, Lord Summerisle drolly notes that the sacrifice will be especially efficacious since the betrothal Howie is a virgin, and like Punch, is simultaneously wise and a fool (for 'solving' Morrison's disappearance and yet for his arrogance towards the islanders). Howie is forced into the belly of a large hollow wicker statue of a man, which is set on fire. In the final shot of the film, the islanders surround the burning wicker man and sing the ancient English folk-song ''Sumer Is Icumen In'' while the terrified Howie shouts out ''Psalm'' and implores divine vengeance on the island and its inhabitants. ==Problematic release== The film was produced at a time of crisis in the British film industry. The studio in charge of production, 'British Lion films' was in financial trouble and was bought out by millionaire businessman John Bentley. In order to convince the unions that he wasn't about to Asset stripping the company, Bentley needed to get a film into production quickly. This meant that ''The Wicker Man'', a film set during early summer, was actually filmed in October; in order to look convincing, artificial leaves and blossom had to be glued to trees in many scenes. Christopher Lee was extremely keen to get the film made; he and others worked on the production without pay. By the time of the film's completion the studio had been bought out by Michael Deeley. At a private screening, he described the film as one of the worst 10 films he'd ever seen. Cuts were made and a copy of the film was sent to American film producer Roger Corman in Hollywood to make a judgement of how to market the film in the USA. In Britain, the film was cut again and eventually released as part of a double bill. Despite Lee's claims that the cuts had butchered the film's continuity, the film met with critical acclaim and won first prize in the 1974 Festival of Fantastic Films in Paris. Sometime thereafter, the original negatives and the only print of the first cut of the film were 'lost'. The two-disc edition of the DVD includes two versions. The film as it was originally released is an 87-minute cut. A partially restored version (which contains scenes recovered from a videotape of the version sent to Roger Corman) runs 99 minutes. ==Filming locations== * Skye: Opening aerial shots * Plockton: Initial landing and walking along harbour front * Kirkcudbright: Most of the houses on Summerisle * Culzean Castle: Lord Summerisle's castle * Dumfries and Galloway: Most other location shots ==Reference== Brown, Allan (2000). ''Inside ''The Wicker Man'': The Morbid Ingenuities''. London: Macmillan. ISBN 0-283-06355-6. ==External Links== *[http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0070917 IMDb Entry] for The Wicker Man ===Related Films=== *[http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0307667/ The Wicker Man Enigma] directed by [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0974085/ David Gregory], 2001 in film. *[http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0387083/ Burnt Offering: The Cult of the Wicker Man] directed by [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0007930/ Andrew Abbott] and [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0505235/ Russell Leven], 2001 in film. Cast members gather to reminisce about their experience making ''The Wicker Man''. 1973 films British films Cult films
I put back in the bit about Howie being something of a prude...is there any doubt about that? User:Ellsworth 22:49, 16 Dec 2004 (UTC) == Burning Man myth == Dropped: :The burning of the wicker man at the end of the movie is cited to be a possible inspiration for the Burning Man festival based in Nevada. Burning Man's founder debunks this [http://www.burningman.com/press/myths.html here]. User:Ellsworth 16:45, 30 Apr 2005 (UTC) what exactly is a prude i may be somewhat misinformed what exactly is a prude i may be somewhat misinformed ==Remake== I've removed this section because it looks like this project has been shelved: "A remake is scheduled for released in 2006. The film will star Nicolas Cage and will be set in the USA."
See other meanings of words starting from letter:
Words begining with The_Wicker_Man:
The_Wicker_Man
The_Wicker_Man
The_Wicker_Man_(soundtrack)
The_Wicker_Man_soundtrack
The Wicker Man
''The Wicker Man'' is a cult film 1973 in film United Kingdom film containing thriller and musical elements, directed by Robin Hardy, written by Anthony Shaffer and starring Edward Woodward, Christopher Lee, Diane Cilento, Ingrid Pitt and Britt Ekland. Cilento subsequently married Shaffer. Paul Giovanni composed The Wicker Man soundtrack -- a recording cited as a major influence on pagan folk and psych folk artists like Current 93. In 2000, the British heavy metal band Iron Maiden (band) recorded ''The Wicker Man'', which was based on this movie. In 2004 the magazine ''Total Film'' named ''The Wicker Man'' the 6th greatest British film of all time. ==Plot== Sergeant Neil Howie (Woodward), of the West Scottish Highlands Constabulary, is sent an anonymous letter recommending that he investigate the disappearance of a young girl, Rowan Morrison, on the remote Hebrides island of Summerisle. He flies out to the island and during his investigations discovers that the entire population follow a Neopaganism religion under the island's owner Lord Summerisle (Lee), worshipping the sun and engaging in other rituals. Howie, a devout Christianity who is also something of a prude, is increasingly shocked by the islanders' behaviour; he is also both attracted and repulsed by the alluring and overtly sexual Willow (Ekland), the landlord's daughter. He has no assistance in his search from the islanders, who even deny Morrison exists, but using his police authority he persists and uncovers evidence suggesting the girl was a victim of human sacrifice. Delving deeper into the island's culture, he disguises himself as Punch and Judy, the principal character of the May Day festival, in an attempt to learn the details of the sacrificial death. But the islanders are not fooled, and at the end of the festival it is revealed that the girl is alive and unhurt: the letter was part of a ploy to bring Howie to the island in order for ''him'' to be the sacrifice. As Howie is seized by the islanders, Lord Summerisle drolly notes that the sacrifice will be especially efficacious since the betrothal Howie is a virgin, and like Punch, is simultaneously wise and a fool (for 'solving' Morrison's disappearance and yet for his arrogance towards the islanders). Howie is forced into the belly of a large hollow wicker statue of a man, which is set on fire. In the final shot of the film, the islanders surround the burning wicker man and sing the ancient English folk-song ''Sumer Is Icumen In'' while the terrified Howie shouts out ''Psalm'' and implores divine vengeance on the island and its inhabitants. ==Problematic release== The film was produced at a time of crisis in the British film industry. The studio in charge of production, 'British Lion films' was in financial trouble and was bought out by millionaire businessman John Bentley. In order to convince the unions that he wasn't about to Asset stripping the company, Bentley needed to get a film into production quickly. This meant that ''The Wicker Man'', a film set during early summer, was actually filmed in October; in order to look convincing, artificial leaves and blossom had to be glued to trees in many scenes. Christopher Lee was extremely keen to get the film made; he and others worked on the production without pay. By the time of the film's completion the studio had been bought out by Michael Deeley. At a private screening, he described the film as one of the worst 10 films he'd ever seen. Cuts were made and a copy of the film was sent to American film producer Roger Corman in Hollywood to make a judgement of how to market the film in the USA. In Britain, the film was cut again and eventually released as part of a double bill. Despite Lee's claims that the cuts had butchered the film's continuity, the film met with critical acclaim and won first prize in the 1974 Festival of Fantastic Films in Paris. Sometime thereafter, the original negatives and the only print of the first cut of the film were 'lost'. The two-disc edition of the DVD includes two versions. The film as it was originally released is an 87-minute cut. A partially restored version (which contains scenes recovered from a videotape of the version sent to Roger Corman) runs 99 minutes. ==Filming locations== * Skye: Opening aerial shots * Plockton: Initial landing and walking along harbour front * Kirkcudbright: Most of the houses on Summerisle * Culzean Castle: Lord Summerisle's castle * Dumfries and Galloway: Most other location shots ==Reference== Brown, Allan (2000). ''Inside ''The Wicker Man'': The Morbid Ingenuities''. London: Macmillan. ISBN 0-283-06355-6. ==External Links== *[http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0070917 IMDb Entry] for The Wicker Man ===Related Films=== *[http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0307667/ The Wicker Man Enigma] directed by [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0974085/ David Gregory], 2001 in film. *[http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0387083/ Burnt Offering: The Cult of the Wicker Man] directed by [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0007930/ Andrew Abbott] and [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0505235/ Russell Leven], 2001 in film. Cast members gather to reminisce about their experience making ''The Wicker Man''. 1973 films British films Cult films
The Wicker Man
I put back in the bit about Howie being something of a prude...is there any doubt about that? User:Ellsworth 22:49, 16 Dec 2004 (UTC) == Burning Man myth == Dropped: :The burning of the wicker man at the end of the movie is cited to be a possible inspiration for the Burning Man festival based in Nevada. Burning Man's founder debunks this [http://www.burningman.com/press/myths.html here]. User:Ellsworth 16:45, 30 Apr 2005 (UTC) what exactly is a prude i may be somewhat misinformed what exactly is a prude i may be somewhat misinformed ==Remake== I've removed this section because it looks like this project has been shelved: "A remake is scheduled for released in 2006. The film will star Nicolas Cage and will be set in the USA."
See other meanings of words starting from letter:
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TA | TB | TC | TD | TE | TF | TG | TH | TI | TJ | TK | TL | TŁ | TM | TN | TO | TP | TR | TS | TU | TW | TX | TY | TZ |Words begining with The_Wicker_Man:
The_Wicker_Man
The_Wicker_Man
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