The Wicker Man - Theatrical Version (1973)

I requested this original version after seeing 'The Wicker Man' 2006 with Nicholas Cage and this is just so much better than the later version. The storyline is 'similar' in the most part but this one holds your attention and the characters are more mysterious some how! ! ! Much prefer the Scottish Highland setting and all round much better than the remark.

Love everything about this movie; from Edward Woodward's Innocent police officer, Britt Ekland's Scottish accent (considering English isn't even her first language!) & her attempt to seduce Woodward from the other side of his bedroom wall! to Christopher Lee's Superb portrayal of a religious cult leader. The scenery, the costumes, the plot twist & the Joy on the faces of the cult members as they sing at the end. Masterpiece!

What a bizarre movie, not at all what I expected. A lot older than I thought, but also just so engaging. This would never work as a remake, but it has a very spooky air about it, and a fantastic build-up. A great psychological thriller all round!

Well, what a different story this is to the remake! It is a lot more believable (from a 1960's point of view), than the lacklustre remake with Nicolas Cage (all the sexual references are gone in the new one!!) Freaky scary story, which has aged well! Well worth watching

Spooky, suspense drama pitting rationalist, cold world realities against mystical pagan rites. Britt Ekland plays the local fertility goddess; her siren call dance is something to behold. The print was very patchy which was pretty annoying.

I loved this movie!!! After all those same, same movies that we watch, to see something out of left field that is this good is brilliant!! The ending still haunts me 12 months later.

Although this cult movie has an interesting premise, I believe its execution is quite poor. What should be suspenseful and shocking comes across as largely silly. The most terrifying thing is Christopher Lee's hairdo!

Bizarre (“amusingly or grotesquely strange or unusual”) is a term that could well serve as a new genre name for some films (like this one) difficult to classify. WM doesn’t fit well as a horror (not scary), supernatural, or musical movie, but embraces elements of all three. This sometimes bawdy and often disturbing thriller pits Christianity against Paganism and neither comes off well in the memorable chilling climax. Edward Woodward as Sgt. Howie is a sexually repressed Christian policeman trying to solve the mystery of a child’s disappearance on Summerisle. What he discovers are fertility rites, Celtic deities, and townspeople garbed in costume and masks merrily singing and dancing their way to a May Day human sacrifice. Maybe “cult film” is indeed the best description.

A powerful movie. One that actually depicts a strong Christian character and keeps him that way right to the end. Great acting by Woodward of course. Has an intersting twist at the end.

Classis warped cult thriller

This is a remarkable film, so well done, so intelligent. Following the receipt of a letter, a christian copper goes out to an island to investigate the disappearance of a young girl. When he arrives he finds the island folk very unhelpful, upon further investigation he discovers that the island folk follow a pagan religion completely at odds with his own beliefs. A very young Edward Woodward plays the copper and Christopher Lee plays Lord Summerisle the head of the pagans. This is both a whodunit and a horror film, the christian copper is hamstrung by his beliefs and unwittingly walks into his own doom. I had heard a lot about this film and i wasn't disappointed, it is a brilliant study of the inability of religion, pagan, christian or any other to recognise another way. The final scene will make you weep.

Wow....What a great film. I have heard so many people talk about this film and its cult status, and decided to rent it so i could see the original before the new version comes out this year. This is pure Brittish cult trippy 70's movie making at its best. Give it ago