THE WICKER MAN

Hello to you humans and others. I’m Dark Starr and I’m bringing you another Philm Phreaks movie review. The subject for this time is a literal cult classic film. It’s a movie that is legendary among horror fans, but outside of that group is largely forgotten. Personally, it’s one that I never saw before, although I have certainly heard about it. The movie is the folk horror “The Wicker Man” from 1973.

It’s a British film, and I have to admit that at times the accents gave me a little trouble with some of the dialog. The DVD I have does not have a captions option, so I was at the mercy of my ears. 

The story centers around a police detective who arrives on a secluded island to investigate the disappearance of a young girl. At first, things seem mostly routine, but that changes pretty quickly. He finds that the community on the island is very different from general society. For one thing, rather than the Christian society he represents, they are a pagan culture. He also finds out quickly that the community is lying to him and hiding secrets. 

Now, in a lot of ways this movie is a masterpiece. It is so immersive. If you pay attention, there are little details everywhere showing off the fact that this community is a big fertility ritual based cult. It is shown in songs that are sung. It is shown in all kinds of symbolism. It’s also shown in open display of nudity and sexual nature. 

I think part of the point of this film is the contrast between the rigid, Christian dominated society that had dominated Britain and the modern, freer hippie and mod movement that was a big part of the youth culture at the time. The detective really does a great job of symbolizing both Christianity and the rigid sense of order and law. 

Now, all that said, this is a horror movie. The sense of dread and menace starts very slowly and gradually rises as the film progresses. It very much has the effect of a snowball moving down a hill and picking up more and more mass as it does. I love that in movies. It’s like you get somewhere later in the film and everything is going pretty bonkers, and you have to wonder just how you got there because it wasn’t some clear change, it was just gradual. 

I’m not going to spoil anything else about the plot. I know, people are probably thinking, “the movie is 50 years old.” Yes, it is, but a lot of people haven’t seen it. I don’t want to deprive them of the experience. Let me say, though, that the ending is so powerful. It is really breathtaking. And, the fact that it holds up that well five decades later is really a testament to the power of this film. 

Another thing that I would like to point out about this thing is that a lot of horror takes place in dark, creepy places. It happens at night. The horror in this movie takes place in the daylight. It’s horror tied to a community that, on the surface, looks just like the average small village with perfectly normal people you might run into on the street. The horror happens amidst beautiful scenic landscapes. 

To me that really sets this movie apart. If you haven’t seen this movie, I highly recommend it. If you have, but it’s been a while, perhaps you should give it another try. It is well worth your time. (Dr. Mality here. I feel I must add how effective the cast here is. Edward Woodward is brilliant as the stiff but determined Det. Howie...he would later go on to play “The Equalizer”. Horror icon Chistopher Lee is Lord Summerisle, the de facto ruler of the island. Lee said this was his favorite role, which is saying a lot. And Britt Ekland is SMOKIN’ as a seductive female islander. Great work all around!)