The Wicker Man
British Lion Film, 1973

starring: Edward Woodward, Christopher Lee, Ingrid Pitt and Britt Ekland
directed by: Robin Hardy

the plot: Sergeant Neil Howie (Woodward) is sent to the secluded hamlet of Summerisle, a tiny island off the coast of Scotland. He’s there to investigate the disappearance of Rowan Morrison, a smiling young girl whom the residents of Summerisle can’t seem to remember. As Howie traipses about the island, he’s tempted by the innkeeper’s voluptuous daughter (Ekland), confounded by the locals and appalled by the island’s official religion of paganism. Soon, the case begins to unravel and Howie discovers the town’s dark traditions, practices that lead all the way up to Lord Summerisle (Lee), the island’s mayor. As the folk of Summerisle prepare for their annual May Day festival, Howie finds that there’s more at stake than a missing girl.

why it’s good: The Wicker Man is a cult film that transcends genre and, even after three decades, still makes an impact. It is, by turns, a horror film, a police procedural and, occasionally, a musical. Hammer horror icon Lee trades in his usual vampire role for an understated, smart performance as the Machiavellian Summerisle. But it’s Woodward who carries the film, a stoic, upright police officer slowly crumbling as the island’s residents put him through his paces. Sure, the film’s depiction of pagans will offend sensitive New Age-enthusiasts, but that’s kind of the point of Anthony Shaffer’s screenplay, which is essentially a meditation on the emptiness of religion. Some stuff, like Paul Giovanni’s original songs, are pure camp, but Woodward’s mounting terror and the big reveal of the final act make up for the weak stuff. Wicker Man is due up for two remakes in 2006, one directed by Neil LaBute and starring Nic Cage and another “re-imagining” of the film directed by Hardy and starring Lee.

why you should own it: Anchor Bay’s special edition of Wicker Man contains the full uncut version of the film, along with The Wicker Man Enigma, a 35-minute documentary on the making of, and the troubles surrounding, the film.