I watched The Exorcist in my early teens and was bitterly disappointed at my lack of chills. I watched The Wicker Man and was beyond disturbed and got chills aplenty.
The Exorcist is often called "the scariest movie of all time" which sets up unfair expectations. I love both films but personally prefer The Wicker Man.
Agree on no chills from the exorcist. Evil is supposed to be tempting and alluring. It is supposed to offer stuff you want. Christ in the desert was tempted with power and kingdoms. Even in the ending of the Witch, the girl is tempted by Satan who has a very seductive voice with good stuff that she never had. I just did not get what the Exorcist was supposed to do. The Wicker Man gave me that creepy feeling that something was going to go very, very wrong.
Wow the mainland missing scenes are interesting, but I think the Gentle Johnny and Christopher Lees monologue about the beauty of animals is the one originally missing scene that is really important for the film.
I agree that it's also a very pivotal scene, it's our introduction to the antagonist of the film. What a shame they left it off the theatrical release, it's a great Christopher Lee monologue for sure.
Good review! This is such a strangely beautiful yet genuinely unsettling film, one of my all time favourites. The Wicker Man has a body count of precisely one, has very little gore, has no cheesy jump-scares, and is no worse for any of that. There's nothing out there that evokes quite the same mix of feelings. The most recent attempt to do something thematically and aesthetically similar was Ari Aster's Midsommar, but despite having its moments, for me it didn't have close to the same impact, also being much longer and relatively uneconomical with its storytelling.
Thanks! It's one of my favorites as well, this review was sort of a passion project for me, there really isn't much like The Wicker Man, it's such a strange and compelling film. I agree Midsommar was a little too long and drawn out but still had an eerie beauty to it. Also Ari Aster's upcoming film definitely looks interesting to say the least.
@@nigelw7626 Those are definitely top tier horror films for sure. I love the style of late 60's and early 70's horror movies in particular, they're just very natural looking.
wont disagree with you, i must have watched the wicker man at least 30 times. also try if you havnt watched it ‘blood on satans claw’. made around the same time and classed as the wicker man a folk horror.
There’s a song in the movie that plays as a processional (I forget exactly when), and it’s an instrumental version of “Willy O’Winsbury”. If you are curious to hear the song with the lyrics and all, the best versions (in my opinion) are performed by the band Pentangle, and there are several of their recordings to be found here on UA-cam. The lyrics are fantastic, as is Jacqui McShee’s voice, and the videos of them performing it are excellent. They were recorded live to be featured on TV in the 1970s.
Brilliant review, check out "I am not a serial killer" and "My heart can't beat unless you tell it to" if you haven't already. Both very good newer films.
Thank you so much! I haven't seen either one but I'll have to check them out as I'm always on the lookout for new horror films. The recommendation is much appreciated!
I first saw Wicker Man in the 70's on Creature Features. Loved it. Around the same time Dark Secret of Harvest Home came out on TV. A family moves to a community that performs rituals and sacrifices for the corn crop. The novel was really good also. I need to read it again.
It is interesting to note that the hymn tune in the church scene ( omitted in some versions) is called 'Martyrdom'. I am a native of Wigtown and was involved in the film as a nine year old. Watch the Maypole dance/song - filmed up at Anwoth old kirk!
The fact that the name of the hymn fits in with the theme of the movie is quite interesting, thanks for bringing it to me attention! Also very cool that you were involved in one of my favorite movies!
You mentioned body double for the naked backside scene. I remember from trivia that the actress for the scene was pregnant. (Ekland)But I still wondered why a double if only from the back.
I always like The Wicker Man, but it was never a film I felt I needed to see all the versions of. The out of nowhere sequel proves to me that tWM was purely a lucky hand and not a product of great talent.
I know this may be a bit a random haha, but when you said Pagan and being in Scotland always makes me think of the Picts (along with the other least two tribes in Scotland the Gaels who spoke Gaelic/Gáidhlig where pláid is directly from and actually means cloth, the Scots who'd much later be the name given to the country it became after being called Caledonia by the Romans). The Picts were always Pagan is one thing historians are divided on is when they existed and where their land boundaries were I think was the northish west part of some at least of the Highlands, essentially their name meant Painted People. The Gaels (are some amazing songs still around and even new ones ua-cam.com/video/RI_rUzFoBMs/v-deo.html (is only partially Gaelic/Gáidhlig) ua-cam.com/video/SSAAXlgdWYg/v-deo.html (Latha Math meaning Good day actually means in the song its a great day on the isle, that being Léodhais (Isle of Lewis) pronounced Lowish, and some still speak Gaelic even now though its diminishing in Scotland), originally came from Ireland the tribe did in about 300AD some of them moved to whats now the Hebrides (western isles of scotland). Is essentially where (among others) Clan Donald or Mac/McDonald or in Gáidhlig (Scottish spelling of Gaelic) Clann Dhómhnáill/Dómhnáill pronounced domenall) The movie was filmed down mostly the mid part of the Solway Firth, including Gatehouse of Fleet I think Kirkudbright (where actually my mothers mothers family or a part of hers originated from), on the other side, the mother of my father was Clan Bruce
Thanks for the comment! There's a lot of historical information packed in there. I love it! Those are cool links too, I had never heard Skipinnish before but I'm definitely digging the traditional Scottish sound. I'm reading about Kirkcudbright now and based on the architecture of the houses I can definitely see how scenes from the film were shot there. It's a beautiful town and apparently a great place for artists too. Cheers!
@@LeoFromEarthZero Ah yeah is impressive, very close to there is Dumfries (the whole area is Dumfries and Galloway) where before he succeeded John Balliol, Robert Bruce stabbed John Comyn in the chest at the kirk in Dumfries. Is shown in the Outlaw King movie about after Wallace's execution and their first victory at Loudoun Hill. Is about where Clan Bruce land was as well, though prior to then was Gisborough as its spelt now, formerly Guisborough in now North Yorkshire where they first moved to from Normandy
The Hand of Glory appears in one of the Harry Potter novels (I think it is the Chamber of Secrets) where it is found in Borgin and Bourkes, a dark magic shop in Knockturn Alley.
I don't agree with some of your analysis. "Howie spends most of the film forcing his way into a small community and attacking their beliefs" - err, they're a murderous sex cult, not a bunch of monks in the himalayas. And he was lured there by them using a young girl as a bait and taking advantage of his role as a police officer. They elaborately planned the whole thing. I don't think you can compare Lord Summerisle and Howie as parallels 'both men trapped by their beliefs'. Howie isn't an extremist, though you can see his faith is very important to him as a devout Christian. Abstaining from sex before marriage is important to Christians even today - that's hardly the inability to enjoy life. It takes discipline as you're having to fight against your own primitive instincts. Also, in the book he is close to being engaged to marrying a woman which you fail to to mention. He was just a dutiful, innocent police officer who came to the island thinking that a young girl's life was in danger and ultimately the little bitch threw him in the fire herself.
The thing about great art is that we can interpret it differently. I found Howie as a character to be rigid and unreasonable and I found Lord Summerisle to be the same way. I did mention that Howie was engaged to be married in the film although the scene where it's explicitly stated that he's a virgin is cut out of the theatrical release. Also in the book the police officer character is the one murdering people around the island because he has a mental disorder so using the source material doesn't really help your argument there. I don't think this film is meant to have a pro Christian or pro Pagan message. Before the film's conclusion, the pagans are basically just a bunch of hippies playing music and having sex. I don't hold any judgements about those activities. The pagans do commit murder at the end so ultimately they're portrayed in a more negative light but I think Howie is also a very flawed and judgmental character. He believes his religion to be superior and can't accept that theirs is different. It's true that he is not as extreme as Lord Summerisle in his dogma but his attitude towards their religion is condescending and invasive which leads to his downfall. I do appreciate that you see this film differently than I do as I'm sure we're approaching it from very different perspectives. Thanks for checking out the review!
Howie absolutely does attack their beliefs, multiple times. This is well before anyone learns about them being murderers. He’s offended at the open sexuality and lack of Jesus, and attempts to shame them for this
Leo my god I thought you were the who played the villain Silva from karate kid 2 I think it was or could have been karate kid 3 the cobra kai dojo owner extremely intimidating
@@LeoFromEarthZero yes played by Ian Griffith you resemble just like him lol if you sent a photo for a screen test I'm 100 Percent positive they would have hired you to play him in the cobra kai flash backs I didn't like the sequel but part stands out because of this main character he oozes evil a demon personafied Hollywood should have used him in more action movies like a brother of Bruce Payne from passenger 57 , your review of this movie is excellent and informative have you seen Dustin Hoffman's Straw dogs or the Linda Hayden movie house on strawhill aka expose they are from the same period , your extremely to resemble Sutch a talented actor I on the other hand have been told I resemble Eli walach lol
@@Dinvadbhatmarathi98 I guess I missed my chance to break into Hollywood LOL. Eli Walach played a great bad guy too, I guess we both missed our chance! Thanks for watching the review, glad it was an informative one! Surprisingly, I've never seen Straw Dogs, I had a friend that was really into that movie back in high school but I never saw it somehow. I suppose I should probably get around to watching it. I hadn't heard of House on Strawhill but after looking it up, I see Udo Kier is in it and I really enjoy Blood for Dracula and Flesh for Frankenstein which he starred in. I'll have to check that one out too!
@@LeoFromEarthZero thank you for the reply if you live those movies then I suggest mark of the devil also starring udo kier and the great Herbert lom, think of Vincent prices movie Witch finder General and add more Gore to it was I think a video nasty in the United Kingdom and was either band or cut by the bbfc, , if I lived in the state's I'd definitely take a trip to the Amityville long Island and venture to Ocean ave , have you seen Amityville 2 the possession starring Burt young it's extremely frightening movie
@@Dinvadbhatmarathi98 Those are some great suggestions! I'll have to add Mark of the Devil to my list, I've never seen Amityville 2 either, only the first one which I do enjoy. There's something about the look of 70's horror that I really like, I've been focusing on new movies lately but would love to get around to talking about some more of the classics.
Thanks! I'm glad you enjoyed it. There's certainly a lot to talk about with the different versions in circulation. I still wonder if there's another cut out there that we're missing out on...
@@creativecatproductions Christopher Lee seemed to think it existed somewhere in some form but I couldn't find clips anywhere. It does add some mystery to the film's production that makes for an interesting story though.
I hear they used a body double for Britt ekland also I always wondered this question had he given himself to Willow would they have still considered him the right sacrifice? She was hot too so he made a big mistake on that lol
I've read a few comments on the internet where people consider the "1978 Magnum Entertainment VHS version" released in the USA is the "full" uncut version and may have the full apple talk, it appears that these owners have to treasure their VHS copy because nothing else has replaced it since! Very intriguiing as to how the distributer managed to get a hold of all that uncut footage back then! There is a good overview of the different variations on the IMDB site under "Wickerman Alternate Versions"
If there are VHS copies with the missing scenes, I really wish someone would just upload them to UA-cam for the sake of film preservation! Thank you for the information, the investigation continues...
From what I've read The Wicker Man was so low budget that Lee offered to appear in the movie for free because he loved the part and the idea of the film. He was coming off the Dracula films and apparently wasn't hurting for money. I'm not sure about the details of his contract or if he regretted this decision later but he didn't seem too upset in the interviews I've seen.
He had a contract to be in the movie, and the contract said he was not to be paid that was up to him. He did not want to be paid for the movie because he loved the script so much so it had to be included in the contract.
Original Wicker Man: Naked Britt Eckland (and body double) singing seductive stuff and dancing around. Woo-hoo! Remake of Wicker Man: Nicholas Cage dressed in a bear costume punching a woman. D'oh!
My dad loved this movie ❤ used to watch it with him 😂 it’s more of a mystery than horror , the whole movie dedicated to tricks everyone gets except poor policemen lol
Really liked your review and it gives a lot of insight to a thought provoking film. This is a classic type of horror film as in no jump scares as you mentioned. It is about excessive beliefs and doing what is believed to be necessary. Great soundtrack, great acting. Also shows the pagan philosophy of doing what you want when you want with who you want. My negative statement is that there is a hole big enough for a T Rex to walk thru - the cop going alone made no sense. One piece of trivia I have read - the chase scene where the Sargent falls was not supposed to happen. He had been out with the lads the night before and partied hearty. So he gave in to some indulgence. Thanks.
@@JessicaMcGowan-bu4ls I’m glad you liked the review and I appreciate the comment! Yeah it doesn’t really make sense that the cop went without a partner but it doesn’t really take away from the movie for me either. Thanks for the trivia as well, there are a lot of fun facts with this one that I missed out on when I put this video together. Cheers!
@@LeoFromEarthZero I understand what you mean about something in a film that seems wrong but does not diminish the film. Yes, that has happened to me - I find myself asking why is that clown doing that? but then I still went along for the ride and enjoyed the film. Many times in film, as you know, the main character does something totally foolish but then if the smart thing had been done the movie would be over in like 8 minutes. Must write - saw your Andy Warhol pic on the wall. Saw the movie " I Shot Andy Warhol". I was surprised he was only shot by one person. Saw "Factory Girl" too - he could be a real creep. At least the Wicker man pagans believed in something. Warhol was a creep because he could be a creep. Would like your thoughts on this.
@@JessicaMcGowan-bu4ls When people criticize characters in a horror movie for making bad decisions, it’s like the movie wouldn’t happen unless they did. Watching them make the bad decisions is kind of the point. Sometimes it does break the illusion though. I’ve got the Warhol print because it’s the cover for The Velvet Underground’s album with Nico, one of my favorite bands and albums. Warhol managed the band but wasn’t a creative force behind it though he did have something to do with Nico’s inclusion on the first album. Andy Warhol himself is a bit of a blind spot for me. I’ve seen portrayals by David Bowie in the Basquiat movie and Crispin Glover in The Doors movie. I haven’t seen either of the ones you mentioned but I’d be interested to check them out. I didn’t know about any creepy behavior because I’ve never watched a doc on him but wouldn’t be surprised either. I knew he was eccentric, maybe neurodivergent IDK. In the HBO show Vinyl they painted Warhol as more of a victim. The main character attacked him because he was friends with the love interest. The show never got a second season. I’ve tried watching a few Warhol movies but could never make it through Chelsea Girls. It’s just watching drugged out people having conversations in rooms with bad audio and camerawork for three hours. The movies that Warhol produced directed by Paul Morrissey are better. Flesh for Frankenstein and Blood for Dracula.
@@LeoFromEarthZero About stupid decisions in film, yeah sometimes you just go along for the ride with it but then there are some that are totally abysmal. About Warhol: Lou Reed was a dedicated follower of Warhol (as you know Warhol supported his group) - I don't hold that against him, Reed that is. Actually went to see him in concert some years back. Lou Reed actually refused to allow his music to be played in films that made Warhol look bad. The ones I mentioned do just that.
Thanks! I'm glad you appreciate the interview clips, I think it gave the review more depth to include them. I remember working pretty hard on this video so I'm happy it's still picking up views!
Classic film, wouldn't mind looking up the original book. Great video though I don't know why the protagonist should be considered "misogynist" for punching women if they deserve it, LOL!
If you enjoy this movie as I do, need to check out two movies that were clearly influenced by it. Midsommar is the obvious one, but also Kill List from 2011. That last one is crazy under seen, and quite different from the other two. But surprisingly similar
Maybe you can still order the 102 minute version where Sgt Howie starts out on the mainland . That is the definitive version . I have read snippets of other dialogue including the one mentioned here but they actually don’t add anything and are verbose . The only scene that shouldn’t have been clipped is the scene with the argument between Sgt. Howie and Rowan’s mother.
The longest version I could find was 99 minutes. Most DVD copies I've found here in the US are the 88 minute version. Then there's the version that has both nights at the Green Man Inn which is about 93 minutes. The mainland scenes in the 99 minute version provide some important context but the film quality doesn't match the rest of the movie at all . They should at least be included as deleted scenes on all releases for historical purposes. I didn't know about a missing scene between Howie and Rowan's mother though, that's interesting to hear. (It might be in the 99 minute version and I failed to notice it.) I'm always in search of more missing footage but I haven't found any copies for sale that are listed as 102 minutes. That doesn't mean that it's not out there somewhere, perhaps I'll stumble across it one day... Thanks for the comment!
@@LeoFromEarthZero Well it is in the versions I have seen but it is severely edited . It is in the 3rd act and May Morrison and Sgt Howie have a debate . He says” My God what kind of mother are you ! “ She ends the scene with “ You simply will not understand the true nature of sacrifice “
@@dagnabbit6187 Ok I know the scene you're talking about where she's cutting up the cake. I was unaware that it was originally a longer scene but I'm not surprised with so many different versions in existence!
I'm in the beginning stages of writing my own video review for the Wicker Man (like... I've never shot video or have written a script before, *beginning-beginning* lol) but what a great review! I'm definitely going to read through those books you mentioned as well as seek out all the available versions of the film. ...Believe me, I'm not a film buff or anything - in fact I've only seen *half* of a movie belonging to the genre I'm about to mention, lol, so I'm speaking from a point of questioning rather than expertise - but do you think this could be an example of Giallo, like Suspiria (the only film of this genre I've seen) or Blood and Black Lace? (I've also seen Berberian Sound Studio b/c I love the band that scored it, but it's from 2011 and is more a meta "movie about a movie" type film commemorating the genre). Classic 70's European film, a lone protagonist ventures into a strange locale and gradually learns that everyone is hiding something, absurd imagery, psychological thriller, excessive nudity and sex, murder, occultism... I definitely need to watch more Giallo to understand this but from a cursory glance it seems to fit quite well. Would love to hear your thoughts. Great work!! Cheers.
I think the book Ritual that The Wicker Man was loosely based on contains a more direct Giallo storyline than the film but you're absolutely right about a lot of those Giallo tropes being at play here. I hesitate to spoil the book in any major way because the twist at the end is different there. I think writing about the Giallo angle should make for a very engaging analysis of the film. The Suspiria comparison makes sense with it's occult references but I actually haven't seen Blood and Black Lace yet. I did watch Mario Bava's the Girl Who Knew Too Much AKA Evil Eye when I reviewed Malignant because of the Giallo elements there. I had never heard of Berberian Sound Studio but I always appreciate recommendations! In The Wicker Man there actually isn't a mysterious killer going around picking off victims but the framework of the setup hits all the right marks. I'd recommend watching The Girl Who Knew Too Much because it's widely considered the first Giallo film and check out Dario Argento's first film The Bird with the Crystal Plumage too. That should be a good entry point to lead you into the weirder stuff. I myself am also a student of film and wouldn't consider myself an expert though I'm learning more every day. I started writing movie reviews about a year and a half ago and I feel like I'm just finding my voice so keep at it and you'll get there. Whether reading a script on or off camera, or talking loosely with notes, it takes a lot of practice to come across more natural doing it. If you've never done a video review, I recommend keeping all film clips under ten seconds or even 8 seconds to avoid content ID. If you're going to film yourself in front of the camera then invest in a small monitor so you can check your framing and lighting because my material in front of the camera started looking a lot better after I hooked up my camera to my computer and then mirrored it on my tv so I could check the footage while still in front of the camera. This might be obvious but I figured I'd share my experience. Take your time to make the best video you can and I'll be looking forward to it!
@@LeoFromEarthZero no it's not obvious or anything like that, thank you so much for the advice! The 8-10 second thing especially; I went back to the Suspiria vid on youtube and it was claimed -_- so ridiculous, but expected~ I definitely need all the help I can, and you've provided a lot of entry points both for material/analysis and technical production, so it *really* is appreciated. Idk if you'd appreciate their politics or not but I really, really like creators like Contrapoints and Atun-Shei films (also a film guy!) They do sets and costumes and mock-debates between themselves, it's super interesting. I especially like how Contrapoints incorporates musical performances into her vids; in fact I bought myself the Wicker Man songbook despite barely being able to play guitar/piano. So definitely a long term goal but hey without goals it's difficult to know what you're working towards. Will check out your channel and look forward to future uploads. peace!!
@@thebrushdescendsthelength I'm always willing to offer some advice based on my experience so far. Just let me know! I've actually been watching Atun-Shei films for a little while now. His videos are well researched and quite funny too. I've only recently become aware of Contrapoints because of some Twitter drama with the streamer Vaush but from what I've seen her videos are really in depth and incredibly well produced. I stray away from making political content myself because it can be so divisive and I'm just trying to bring people together to have fun talking about films however I do like to check out political discourse channels. It's good to hear you have a lot of goals in life. There are always new skills to learn as long as you stay motivated, which isn't always easy. I'm a musician myself and even after 2 decades of playing guitar I'm still learning new chord changes and improving my compositions. Thanks for the discussion and good luck with your journey ahead!
@@LeoFromEarthZero yeah lol, twitter can be really toxic! I know a little bit about that drama but stay away as much as possible; social media algorithms really bring out the worst in people. Anyway, best of luck with the channel (and learning new chord changes)!!
I watched The Exorcist in my early teens and was bitterly disappointed at my lack of chills. I watched The Wicker Man and was beyond disturbed and got chills aplenty.
The Exorcist is often called "the scariest movie of all time" which sets up unfair expectations. I love both films but personally prefer The Wicker Man.
Agree on no chills from the exorcist. Evil is supposed to be tempting and alluring. It is supposed to offer stuff you want. Christ in the desert was tempted with power and kingdoms. Even in the ending of the Witch, the girl is tempted by Satan who has a very seductive voice with good stuff that she never had. I just did not get what the Exorcist was supposed to do.
The Wicker Man gave me that creepy feeling that something was going to go very, very wrong.
I live a 5 minute walk to from where this was filmed
Wow the mainland missing scenes are interesting, but I think the Gentle Johnny and Christopher Lees monologue about the beauty of animals is the one originally missing scene that is really important for the film.
I agree that it's also a very pivotal scene, it's our introduction to the antagonist of the film. What a shame they left it off the theatrical release, it's a great Christopher Lee monologue for sure.
Good review! This is such a strangely beautiful yet genuinely unsettling film, one of my all time favourites. The Wicker Man has a body count of precisely one, has very little gore, has no cheesy jump-scares, and is no worse for any of that. There's nothing out there that evokes quite the same mix of feelings. The most recent attempt to do something thematically and aesthetically similar was Ari Aster's Midsommar, but despite having its moments, for me it didn't have close to the same impact, also being much longer and relatively uneconomical with its storytelling.
Thanks! It's one of my favorites as well, this review was sort of a passion project for me, there really isn't much like The Wicker Man, it's such a strange and compelling film. I agree Midsommar was a little too long and drawn out but still had an eerie beauty to it. Also Ari Aster's upcoming film definitely looks interesting to say the least.
To me Midsommar was boring, boring, boring. Wicker Man had me glued and feeling something was going to go really bad.
@@JessicaMcGowan-bu4ls Yes, Midsommar was a slog to get through. And for me, the Wicker Man is top 5, not just folk horror films but films in general.
@@MatthewShute Yep. Great acting, great soundtrack, good story that had you wondering and looking for clues. What more do you want?
One of the Greatest "horror" movies ever made
Love your review It’s the Greatest film of all time
Hey thanks, it really means a lot! It's definitely a top film for me too and I had been wanting to talk about it for a long time.
@@LeoFromEarthZero Its definitely a classic just subscribed I’ll be watching
If it is put into the bracket of a "horror" film then for me it is definitely top 3 alongside Rosemary's Baby and The Exorcist imo...
@@nigelw7626 Those are definitely top tier horror films for sure. I love the style of late 60's and early 70's horror movies in particular, they're just very natural looking.
wont disagree with you, i must have watched the wicker man at least 30 times. also try if you havnt watched it ‘blood on satans claw’. made around the same time and classed as the wicker man a folk horror.
This is a scary movie. Very unnerving
There’s a song in the movie that plays as a processional (I forget exactly when), and it’s an instrumental version of “Willy O’Winsbury”. If you are curious to hear the song with the lyrics and all, the best versions (in my opinion) are performed by the band Pentangle, and there are several of their recordings to be found here on UA-cam. The lyrics are fantastic, as is Jacqui McShee’s voice, and the videos of them performing it are excellent. They were recorded live to be featured on TV in the 1970s.
Excellent literature review of stunning seventies classic-in whichever version you see it in...
Brilliant review, check out "I am not a serial killer" and "My heart can't beat unless you tell it to" if you haven't already. Both very good newer films.
Thank you so much! I haven't seen either one but I'll have to check them out as I'm always on the lookout for new horror films. The recommendation is much appreciated!
Shoutout to Velvet Underground
They're one of my favorite bands for sure! There's a documentary out on Apple + which I haven't seen yet but I'm going to try and watch it soon.
I first saw Wicker Man in the 70's on Creature Features. Loved it. Around the same time Dark Secret of Harvest Home came out on TV. A family moves to a community that performs rituals and sacrifices for the corn crop. The novel was really good also. I need to read it again.
Tom Tryon's Harvest Home was really creepy also.
It is interesting to note that the hymn tune in the church scene ( omitted in some versions) is called 'Martyrdom'. I am a native of Wigtown and was involved in the film as a nine year old. Watch the Maypole dance/song - filmed up at Anwoth old kirk!
The fact that the name of the hymn fits in with the theme of the movie is quite interesting, thanks for bringing it to me attention! Also very cool that you were involved in one of my favorite movies!
You mentioned body double for the naked backside scene. I remember from trivia that the actress for the scene was pregnant. (Ekland)But I still wondered why a double if only from the back.
14:49 They found a pack of Magic: The Gathering cards on his seaplane...
Just j/k 😊
I always like The Wicker Man, but it was never a film I felt I needed to see all the versions of. The out of nowhere sequel proves to me that tWM was purely a lucky hand and not a product of great talent.
I know this may be a bit a random haha, but when you said Pagan and being in Scotland always makes me think of the Picts (along with the other least two tribes in Scotland the Gaels who spoke Gaelic/Gáidhlig where pláid is directly from and actually means cloth, the Scots who'd much later be the name given to the country it became after being called Caledonia by the Romans). The Picts were always Pagan is one thing historians are divided on is when they existed and where their land boundaries were I think was the northish west part of some at least of the Highlands, essentially their name meant Painted People.
The Gaels (are some amazing songs still around and even new ones ua-cam.com/video/RI_rUzFoBMs/v-deo.html (is only partially Gaelic/Gáidhlig) ua-cam.com/video/SSAAXlgdWYg/v-deo.html (Latha Math meaning Good day actually means in the song its a great day on the isle, that being Léodhais (Isle of Lewis) pronounced Lowish, and some still speak Gaelic even now though its diminishing in Scotland), originally came from Ireland the tribe did in about 300AD some of them moved to whats now the Hebrides (western isles of scotland). Is essentially where (among others) Clan Donald or Mac/McDonald or in Gáidhlig (Scottish spelling of Gaelic) Clann Dhómhnáill/Dómhnáill pronounced domenall)
The movie was filmed down mostly the mid part of the Solway Firth, including Gatehouse of Fleet I think Kirkudbright (where actually my mothers mothers family or a part of hers originated from), on the other side, the mother of my father was Clan Bruce
Thanks for the comment! There's a lot of historical information packed in there. I love it! Those are cool links too, I had never heard Skipinnish before but I'm definitely digging the traditional Scottish sound. I'm reading about Kirkcudbright now and based on the architecture of the houses I can definitely see how scenes from the film were shot there. It's a beautiful town and apparently a great place for artists too. Cheers!
@@LeoFromEarthZero Ah yeah is impressive, very close to there is Dumfries (the whole area is Dumfries and Galloway) where before he succeeded John Balliol, Robert Bruce stabbed John Comyn in the chest at the kirk in Dumfries. Is shown in the Outlaw King movie about after Wallace's execution and their first victory at Loudoun Hill.
Is about where Clan Bruce land was as well, though prior to then was Gisborough as its spelt now, formerly Guisborough in now North Yorkshire where they first moved to from Normandy
This is one of my favorite movies. I watch it as often as I can, and I saw it When it first came out God, how old am I?😅😅
The Hand of Glory appears in one of the Harry Potter novels (I think it is the Chamber of Secrets) where it is found in Borgin and Bourkes, a dark magic shop in Knockturn Alley.
😆 Din-gey
Love the directors cut and Final Cut and interesting in 4K
I don't agree with some of your analysis. "Howie spends most of the film forcing his way into a small community and attacking their beliefs" - err, they're a murderous sex cult, not a bunch of monks in the himalayas. And he was lured there by them using a young girl as a bait and taking advantage of his role as a police officer. They elaborately planned the whole thing. I don't think you can compare Lord Summerisle and Howie as parallels 'both men trapped by their beliefs'. Howie isn't an extremist, though you can see his faith is very important to him as a devout Christian. Abstaining from sex before marriage is important to Christians even today - that's hardly the inability to enjoy life. It takes discipline as you're having to fight against your own primitive instincts. Also, in the book he is close to being engaged to marrying a woman which you fail to to mention. He was just a dutiful, innocent police officer who came to the island thinking that a young girl's life was in danger and ultimately the little bitch threw him in the fire herself.
The thing about great art is that we can interpret it differently. I found Howie as a character to be rigid and unreasonable and I found Lord Summerisle to be the same way. I did mention that Howie was engaged to be married in the film although the scene where it's explicitly stated that he's a virgin is cut out of the theatrical release. Also in the book the police officer character is the one murdering people around the island because he has a mental disorder so using the source material doesn't really help your argument there. I don't think this film is meant to have a pro Christian or pro Pagan message. Before the film's conclusion, the pagans are basically just a bunch of hippies playing music and having sex. I don't hold any judgements about those activities. The pagans do commit murder at the end so ultimately they're portrayed in a more negative light but I think Howie is also a very flawed and judgmental character. He believes his religion to be superior and can't accept that theirs is different. It's true that he is not as extreme as Lord Summerisle in his dogma but his attitude towards their religion is condescending and invasive which leads to his downfall. I do appreciate that you see this film differently than I do as I'm sure we're approaching it from very different perspectives. Thanks for checking out the review!
Howie absolutely does attack their beliefs, multiple times. This is well before anyone learns about them being murderers. He’s offended at the open sexuality and lack of Jesus, and attempts to shame them for this
Good one Leo! I saw this film many years ago, and it just popped on tv, the sword scene was the most freaky. Good Review.
Leo my god I thought you were the who played the villain Silva from karate kid 2 I think it was or could have been karate kid 3 the cobra kai dojo owner extremely intimidating
LOL you must be thinking of Terry Silver, the over the top villain from Karate Kid 3 with the long hair! I only wish I could be that cool...
@@LeoFromEarthZero yes played by Ian Griffith you resemble just like him lol if you sent a photo for a screen test I'm 100 Percent positive they would have hired you to play him in the cobra kai flash backs I didn't like the sequel but part stands out because of this main character he oozes evil a demon personafied Hollywood should have used him in more action movies like a brother of Bruce Payne from passenger 57 , your review of this movie is excellent and informative have you seen Dustin Hoffman's Straw dogs or the Linda Hayden movie house on strawhill aka expose they are from the same period , your extremely to resemble Sutch a talented actor I on the other hand have been told I resemble Eli walach lol
@@Dinvadbhatmarathi98 I guess I missed my chance to break into Hollywood LOL. Eli Walach played a great bad guy too, I guess we both missed our chance! Thanks for watching the review, glad it was an informative one! Surprisingly, I've never seen Straw Dogs, I had a friend that was really into that movie back in high school but I never saw it somehow. I suppose I should probably get around to watching it. I hadn't heard of House on Strawhill but after looking it up, I see Udo Kier is in it and I really enjoy Blood for Dracula and Flesh for Frankenstein which he starred in. I'll have to check that one out too!
@@LeoFromEarthZero thank you for the reply if you live those movies then I suggest mark of the devil also starring udo kier and the great Herbert lom, think of Vincent prices movie Witch finder General and add more Gore to it was I think a video nasty in the United Kingdom and was either band or cut by the bbfc, , if I lived in the state's I'd definitely take a trip to the Amityville long Island and venture to Ocean ave , have you seen Amityville 2 the possession starring Burt young it's extremely frightening movie
@@Dinvadbhatmarathi98 Those are some great suggestions! I'll have to add Mark of the Devil to my list, I've never seen Amityville 2 either, only the first one which I do enjoy. There's something about the look of 70's horror that I really like, I've been focusing on new movies lately but would love to get around to talking about some more of the classics.
I enjoyed your discussion of all the different cuts of this movie
Thanks! I'm glad you enjoyed it. There's certainly a lot to talk about with the different versions in circulation. I still wonder if there's another cut out there that we're missing out on...
@@LeoFromEarthZero it would be cool to see that apple scene!
@@creativecatproductions Christopher Lee seemed to think it existed somewhere in some form but I couldn't find clips anywhere. It does add some mystery to the film's production that makes for an interesting story though.
I hear they used a body double for Britt ekland also I always wondered this question had he given himself to Willow would they have still considered him the right sacrifice? She was hot too so he made a big mistake on that lol
You don't ride the town bike
@@homelesshannah50 I do LOL
I've read a few comments on the internet where people consider the "1978 Magnum Entertainment VHS version" released in the USA is the "full" uncut version and may have the full apple talk, it appears that these owners have to treasure their VHS copy because nothing else has replaced it since! Very intriguiing as to how the distributer managed to get a hold of all that uncut footage back then! There is a good overview of the different variations on the IMDB site under "Wickerman Alternate Versions"
If there are VHS copies with the missing scenes, I really wish someone would just upload them to UA-cam for the sake of film preservation! Thank you for the information, the investigation continues...
If Lee was paid nothing, how could he have had a contract?
From what I've read The Wicker Man was so low budget that Lee offered to appear in the movie for free because he loved the part and the idea of the film. He was coming off the Dracula films and apparently wasn't hurting for money. I'm not sure about the details of his contract or if he regretted this decision later but he didn't seem too upset in the interviews I've seen.
@@LeoFromEarthZero That certainly sounds very plausible. Perhaps he agreed to do it for expenses only.
Apparently Arnold did Maggie for free because he liked the script to much
He had a contract to be in the movie, and the contract said he was not to be paid that was up to him. He did not want to be paid for the movie because he loved the script so much so it had to be included in the contract.
Original Wicker Man: Naked Britt Eckland (and body double) singing seductive stuff and dancing around. Woo-hoo!
Remake of Wicker Man: Nicholas Cage dressed in a bear costume punching a woman. D'oh!
Always love a good Simpsons reference.
@@LeoFromEarthZero Dang, you're good. Subscribed.
@@SDChargersFreak Thank you very much!
well done, good review I enjoyed it.
Thanks for the comment and the sub. Glad you enjoyed the review!
My dad loved this movie ❤ used to watch it with him 😂 it’s more of a mystery than horror , the whole movie dedicated to tricks everyone gets except poor policemen lol
Really liked your review and it gives a lot of insight to a thought provoking film. This is a classic type of horror film as in no jump scares as you mentioned. It is about excessive beliefs and doing what is believed to be necessary. Great soundtrack, great acting. Also shows the pagan philosophy of doing what you want when you want with who you want.
My negative statement is that there is a hole big enough for a T Rex to walk thru - the cop going alone made no sense.
One piece of trivia I have read - the chase scene where the Sargent falls was not supposed to happen. He had been out with the lads the night before and partied hearty. So he gave in to some indulgence.
Thanks.
@@JessicaMcGowan-bu4ls I’m glad you liked the review and I appreciate the comment! Yeah it doesn’t really make sense that the cop went without a partner but it doesn’t really take away from the movie for me either. Thanks for the trivia as well, there are a lot of fun facts with this one that I missed out on when I put this video together. Cheers!
@@LeoFromEarthZero I understand what you mean about something in a film that seems wrong but does not diminish the film. Yes, that has happened to me - I find myself asking why is that clown doing that? but then I still went along for the ride and enjoyed the film. Many times in film, as you know, the main character does something totally foolish but then if the smart thing had been done the movie would be over in like 8 minutes.
Must write - saw your Andy Warhol pic on the wall. Saw the movie " I Shot Andy Warhol". I was surprised he was only shot by one person. Saw "Factory Girl" too - he could be a real creep. At least the Wicker man pagans believed in something. Warhol was a creep because he could be a creep. Would like your thoughts on this.
PS also forgot to add he ad libbed some of the final lines cause he was to hung over to remember them.
@@JessicaMcGowan-bu4ls When people criticize characters in a horror movie for making bad decisions, it’s like the movie wouldn’t happen unless they did. Watching them make the bad decisions is kind of the point. Sometimes it does break the illusion though. I’ve got the Warhol print because it’s the cover for The Velvet Underground’s album with Nico, one of my favorite bands and albums. Warhol managed the band but wasn’t a creative force behind it though he did have something to do with Nico’s inclusion on the first album. Andy Warhol himself is a bit of a blind spot for me. I’ve seen portrayals by David Bowie in the Basquiat movie and Crispin Glover in The Doors movie. I haven’t seen either of the ones you mentioned but I’d be interested to check them out. I didn’t know about any creepy behavior because I’ve never watched a doc on him but wouldn’t be surprised either. I knew he was eccentric, maybe neurodivergent IDK. In the HBO show Vinyl they painted Warhol as more of a victim. The main character attacked him because he was friends with the love interest. The show never got a second season. I’ve tried watching a few Warhol movies but could never make it through Chelsea Girls. It’s just watching drugged out people having conversations in rooms with bad audio and camerawork for three hours. The movies that Warhol produced directed by Paul Morrissey are better. Flesh for Frankenstein and Blood for Dracula.
@@LeoFromEarthZero About stupid decisions in film, yeah sometimes you just go along for the ride with it but then there are some that are totally abysmal. About Warhol: Lou Reed was a dedicated follower of Warhol (as you know Warhol supported his group) - I don't hold that against him, Reed that is. Actually went to see him in concert some years back. Lou Reed actually refused to allow his music to be played in films that made Warhol look bad. The ones I mentioned do just that.
Great analysis. Especially love the interview clips from the people who worked in the film. Gives a great insight
Thanks! I'm glad you appreciate the interview clips, I think it gave the review more depth to include them. I remember working pretty hard on this video so I'm happy it's still picking up views!
Classic film, wouldn't mind looking up the original book. Great video though I don't know why the protagonist should be considered "misogynist" for punching women if they deserve it, LOL!
One of the better reviews I've watched of this film.
Thanks!
If you enjoy this movie as I do, need to check out two movies that were clearly influenced by it. Midsommar is the obvious one, but also Kill List from 2011. That last one is crazy under seen, and quite different from the other two. But surprisingly similar
I really enjoyed Midsommar but I'll have to check out Kill List. I like to find out about under appreciated movies. Thanks for the recommendation!
@@LeoFromEarthZero No problem! Curious to see what you think of it. Just know this…it won’t be like you think, so don’t have any expectations going in
Sweet breakdown mate.
Excellent review
Maybe you can still order the 102 minute version where Sgt Howie starts out on the mainland . That is the definitive version . I have read snippets of other dialogue including the one mentioned here but they actually don’t add anything and are verbose . The only scene that shouldn’t have been clipped is the scene with the argument between Sgt. Howie and Rowan’s mother.
The longest version I could find was 99 minutes. Most DVD copies I've found here in the US are the 88 minute version. Then there's the version that has both nights at the Green Man Inn which is about 93 minutes. The mainland scenes in the 99 minute version provide some important context but the film quality doesn't match the rest of the movie at all . They should at least be included as deleted scenes on all releases for historical purposes. I didn't know about a missing scene between Howie and Rowan's mother though, that's interesting to hear. (It might be in the 99 minute version and I failed to notice it.) I'm always in search of more missing footage but I haven't found any copies for sale that are listed as 102 minutes. That doesn't mean that it's not out there somewhere, perhaps I'll stumble across it one day... Thanks for the comment!
@@LeoFromEarthZero Well it is in the versions I have seen but it is severely edited . It is in the 3rd act and May Morrison and Sgt Howie have a debate . He says” My God what kind of mother are you ! “ She ends the scene with “ You simply will not understand the true nature of sacrifice “
@@dagnabbit6187 Ok I know the scene you're talking about where she's cutting up the cake. I was unaware that it was originally a longer scene but I'm not surprised with so many different versions in existence!
I'm in the beginning stages of writing my own video review for the Wicker Man (like... I've never shot video or have written a script before, *beginning-beginning* lol) but what a great review! I'm definitely going to read through those books you mentioned as well as seek out all the available versions of the film.
...Believe me, I'm not a film buff or anything - in fact I've only seen *half* of a movie belonging to the genre I'm about to mention, lol, so I'm speaking from a point of questioning rather than expertise - but do you think this could be an example of Giallo, like Suspiria (the only film of this genre I've seen) or Blood and Black Lace? (I've also seen Berberian Sound Studio b/c I love the band that scored it, but it's from 2011 and is more a meta "movie about a movie" type film commemorating the genre).
Classic 70's European film, a lone protagonist ventures into a strange locale and gradually learns that everyone is hiding something, absurd imagery, psychological thriller, excessive nudity and sex, murder, occultism... I definitely need to watch more Giallo to understand this but from a cursory glance it seems to fit quite well. Would love to hear your thoughts.
Great work!! Cheers.
I think the book Ritual that The Wicker Man was loosely based on contains a more direct Giallo storyline than the film but you're absolutely right about a lot of those Giallo tropes being at play here. I hesitate to spoil the book in any major way because the twist at the end is different there. I think writing about the Giallo angle should make for a very engaging analysis of the film. The Suspiria comparison makes sense with it's occult references but I actually haven't seen Blood and Black Lace yet. I did watch Mario Bava's the Girl Who Knew Too Much AKA Evil Eye when I reviewed Malignant because of the Giallo elements there. I had never heard of Berberian Sound Studio but I always appreciate recommendations! In The Wicker Man there actually isn't a mysterious killer going around picking off victims but the framework of the setup hits all the right marks. I'd recommend watching The Girl Who Knew Too Much because it's widely considered the first Giallo film and check out Dario Argento's first film The Bird with the Crystal Plumage too. That should be a good entry point to lead you into the weirder stuff.
I myself am also a student of film and wouldn't consider myself an expert though I'm learning more every day. I started writing movie reviews about a year and a half ago and I feel like I'm just finding my voice so keep at it and you'll get there. Whether reading a script on or off camera, or talking loosely with notes, it takes a lot of practice to come across more natural doing it.
If you've never done a video review, I recommend keeping all film clips under ten seconds or even 8 seconds to avoid content ID. If you're going to film yourself in front of the camera then invest in a small monitor so you can check your framing and lighting because my material in front of the camera started looking a lot better after I hooked up my camera to my computer and then mirrored it on my tv so I could check the footage while still in front of the camera. This might be obvious but I figured I'd share my experience. Take your time to make the best video you can and I'll be looking forward to it!
@@LeoFromEarthZero no it's not obvious or anything like that, thank you so much for the advice! The 8-10 second thing especially; I went back to the Suspiria vid on youtube and it was claimed -_- so ridiculous, but expected~
I definitely need all the help I can, and you've provided a lot of entry points both for material/analysis and technical production, so it *really* is appreciated.
Idk if you'd appreciate their politics or not but I really, really like creators like Contrapoints and Atun-Shei films (also a film guy!) They do sets and costumes and mock-debates between themselves, it's super interesting. I especially like how Contrapoints incorporates musical performances into her vids; in fact I bought myself the Wicker Man songbook despite barely being able to play guitar/piano. So definitely a long term goal but hey without goals it's difficult to know what you're working towards. Will check out your channel and look forward to future uploads. peace!!
@@thebrushdescendsthelength I'm always willing to offer some advice based on my experience so far. Just let me know! I've actually been watching Atun-Shei films for a little while now. His videos are well researched and quite funny too. I've only recently become aware of Contrapoints because of some Twitter drama with the streamer Vaush but from what I've seen her videos are really in depth and incredibly well produced. I stray away from making political content myself because it can be so divisive and I'm just trying to bring people together to have fun talking about films however I do like to check out political discourse channels.
It's good to hear you have a lot of goals in life. There are always new skills to learn as long as you stay motivated, which isn't always easy. I'm a musician myself and even after 2 decades of playing guitar I'm still learning new chord changes and improving my compositions. Thanks for the discussion and good luck with your journey ahead!
@@LeoFromEarthZero yeah lol, twitter can be really toxic! I know a little bit about that drama but stay away as much as possible; social media algorithms really bring out the worst in people.
Anyway, best of luck with the channel (and learning new chord changes)!!