I have never seen The Wicker Man until very recently. Before deciding to watch any popular, cult, or well-known film released years before, a film fan must take into account their own knowledge of it. Chances are if you are one of the few who has not already seen The Wicker Man, you’ll be aware of its premise and even some of the iconic scenes. This can be a bit off-putting, you already know you’re not really going to get the same experience or have the same reaction as those who saw the film in 1973.
Although the film is so prevalent in pop culture and certain scenes are instantly recognisable to most film fans, The Wicker Man is still able to unsettle new viewers. There is a growing sense of dread and confusion as Sergeant Howie (Edward Woodward) tries to figure out what happened to a girl missing from the island. He is suspicious of almost everyone on the island within a day as he notices the residents of Summerisle do not live by the same moral rules of decency as they do in Britain. A devout Christian himself, the Sergeant cannot even begin to understand this island’s culture and is horrified by the people’s openness when it comes to issues such as sexuality.
The ominous atmosphere in The Wicker Man would not work if all of the main actors were not so talented. The late Sir Christopher Lee is especially effective here and gives a performance unlike any other. The ending is so iconic because it is so unusual, we do not get to see the object the film is named after until the very end. The well-known ending is now no longer as effective as it would have been 40 years ago, but if you watch the entire film and you begin to like Sergeant Howie and hope he succeeds, the ending is still as downbeat and horrifying as intended.
Overall, The Wicker Man is an understandable classic. All of the performances are great and really add to the overall effect that the film has on you. It is a very unique and ultimately strange movie, which you will love if you give it a chance. If you have not seen The Wicker Man and are put off by the fact that you have seen so many clips of it or know the ending, you should still give it a try. The well-known scenes you have seen will be even more effective once you have seen the build up!
