The Wicker Man (1973)

In this article, we will be looking at 2019’s book “1001 Movies to See Before You Die” and going through each film in a random order that I have chosen. We will be looking at what constitutes this film to be on the list and whether I think this film deserves to be here at all. I want to make perfectly clear that I won’t be revealing details from this book such as analyses by film reporters who have written about the film in question, so if you want the book itself you’ll have to buy it. But I will be covering the book’s suggestions on which films should be your top priority. I wouldn’t doubt for a second that everyone reading this article has probably watched many of these movies anyway. But we are just here to have a bit of fun. We’re going to not just look at whether it should be on this list but we’re also going to look at why the film has such a legacy at all. Remember, this is the 2019 version of the book and so, films like “Joker” will not be featured in this book and any film that came out in 2020 (and if we get there, in 2021). So strap in and if you have your own suggestions then don’t hesitate to email me using the address in my bio. Let’s get on with it then.

The Wicker Man (1973) dir. by Robin Hardy

When the LA Times called "The Wicker Man" (1973):

"a witty work of the macabre with the splendid performances typical of British films."

I honestly thought that there was something really twisted about it. I don't know why I thought that after seeing the film but I was really looking for the 'British' type of the film apart from the main character. Then I found it. The reaction to difference is typically British. It's not discriminatory, but its investigatory to sometimes the point of crossing the line and thus, there is an underlying paranoia. I want to make it perfectly clear, the discrimination I am talking about is not racism. It's this macabre interest in things that are strange and twisted like serial killer dramas - there is a big thing about that in Britain and seriously, I can see why this movie has been heralded as the epitome of British Macabre.

In 1974, for the Festival of Sci-Fi and Fantasy, "The Wicker Man" (1973) would go on to win some awards and yet, the New York Times would still call it 'something of a howl'. I'm not going to lie to you, there is nothing 'howling' about it and if you cannot see the underlying messages in the film that really is not Robin Hardy's problem. Please give the film another chance, it is one of my favourite films to re-watch. It has so many twisted and terrifying messages even though it is made in an independent and often rough way.

However, on Rotten Tomatoes, "The Wicker Man" (1973) has held an 88% fresh holding and I can understand why. The film was mostly in obscurity during the 70s and 80s, even though there were commemorative stuff done in between, it was largely ignored. One magazine even called it 'the Citizen Kane of horror movies' and I understand, that is probably going a bit far. Just a bit.

When Christopher Lee considered his performance in "The Wicker Man" (1973) to be the best performance of his career, that created some uproar but then Empire Magazine went to include it on the "500 Greatest Films of All Time" whilst calling th remake with Nicolas Cage the worst horror film ever made (which I can say is appropriate, it was awful in comparison). Honestly, it was the final shot that everyone was praising, but the entire 1973 film in comparison to the remake was really amazing.

An example of 'folk horror' it went on to inspire many films including Ari Aster's "Midsommar" (2019) and in the BBC Horror Movie Documentary, it was called the epitome of folk horror, basically the best example of the genre. I can agree with this, there is no folk horror better and yet, more twisted than "The Wicker Man" (1973). The final scene with the fire has always got in my head and disturbed the shit out of me.

It will probably disturb you too if you studied it...