FILM

REVIEW: THE WICKERMAN (1973) DIR. ROBIN HARDY

Directed by Robin Hardy Produced by Peter Snell Written by Anthony Shaffer Starring Edward Woodward, Britt Ekland, Diane Cilento, Ingrid Pitt, Christopher Lee Music by Paul Giovanni Cinematography Harry Waxman SYNOPSIS The Wicker Man is a 1973 British film, combining thriller, horror and musical genres. The film is now considered a cult classic. Inspired by the basic scenario of David Pinner's 1967 novel The Ritual, the story centres on the visit of Police Sergeant Neil Howie to the isolated island of Summerisle in search of a missing girl the locals claim never existed. Howie is a devout Christian and is appalled by a religion loosely inspired by Celtic paganism practised by the inhabitants of the island. [Wikipedia]

BBC reviewer Jamie Russell (2001) points out that the film has a lot of content: there's a paedophile subplot, lots of occult rituals, sexual perversion, Christopher Lee in drag, and a resolutely downbeat finale that's as far removed from a happy ending as it's possible to get. And on top of all that, it's bloody scary.

And that is the Wickerman in a nutshell. But the film is more than that slow moving, the tension builds up without the pace quickening. As the end draws close the viewer is desperate to know what will happen and then feels sickened as the plot twists horribly at the end. Heath describes it as Intense in a muted and menacing fashion, sophisticated in its rhythmic structure and steadily building disquiet. Sargent Howie scrabbles to find purchase in what is, to him, a totally alien environment, and succeeds in alienating both the islanders and the audience. Mackintyre notes that Contrary to the usual trajectory of horror films, Howie is not blind to the potential danger of his position. A deeply spiritual man, he sees the perils posed by a godless society who adhere to the laws of a cruel and careless nature. Instead, ironically, it is we, the audience, who close our eyes, seeing the sergeant's intolerant attitude as an over-reaction; in effect, we become complicit with the islanders' crime.

Perhaps this complicity is why the end is so sickening. Howie looks over our shoulders as he sees the Wickerman, and the dread on his face is real. As the camera turns to face the Wickerman we realise for the first time the scale of the contraption, but right to the end we hope that he will escape, or that it will all be a big joke. It isnt.

REFERENCES Heath, Roderick (date unknown) online at http://www.ferdyonfilms.com/?p=50 [accessed on 20/12/11] Mackintyre, Elaine (date unknown) online at http://www.elainemacintyre.net/film_reviews/wicker_man.php [accessed on 20/12/11] Russell, J (2001) The Wicker Man online at http://www.bbc.co.uk/films/2001/12/17/the_wicker_man_1973_review.shtml [accessed on 20/12/11] ILLUSTRATIONS Fig 1 - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Wicker_Man_%281973_film%29 Fig 2-5 http://www.heyuguys.co.uk/2010/11/25/the-true-nature-of-sacrifice-a-look- back-at-the-wicker-man-part-two/