Justin here. In honor of my new favorite Wiccan politician and the fall equinox, tonight we will be taking a look at one of my very favorite movies, The Wicker Man.
The Wicker Man is one of the few movies that I can't recommend highly or often enough. It's completely different from every other horror movie ever made - truly one of the few movies in a class all of its own.
The movie opens with as a totally square uptight conservative Christian police inspector expertly played by the late Edward Woodward flies in to investigate a missing child on Summerisle. The island is privately owned by a mysterious lord played by Christopher Lee. The inspector soon finds out that the inhabitants of the island are all pagan. The children learn lessons about maypoles, the candy shop has a preoccupation with hares, and young women jump over open fires in the hopes that they will be magically impregnated.
The mystery deepens and unfolds as the inspector chases one red herring after another. His internal struggle between the temptations of the flesh and his own spiritual aspirations are palpable. The devotion of the people of Summerisle is equally strong. Their ultimate goal is to please the gods of the harvest. Before long, it becomes apparent that the inspector is the ultimate patsy in an elaborate ritual beyond his comprehension.
If you couldn't tell by my description, while this movie is a mystery at heart, it is also a horror film. But it's a different kind of horror. This movie is a Rorschach test depending on your own spiritual views. Woodward does such a good job playing his part that it's easy to imagine from his perspective that by the end he is confronted by the sort of Lovecraftian horror that your brain can barely comprehend what it is you are scared of. What an ending it is. Obviously you get some idea by the title of the movie and the cover art. Every time I watch this, I am as impressed as I was the first time.
But in addition to being a top rate horror-mystery, The Wicker Man is also a musical! What's more, the songs are actually quite good, most of them actually occurring diagetically – within the context of the movie. Usually I don't post videos in the middle of posts, but seriously, just hit play and listen to these and appreciate how wild these are:
The Wicker Man is a fantastic movie whether you're curious about pagan tradition or not. There's something here for everyone. I have forced dozens of people to watch The Wicker Man and there was not a single person who didn't find something to like. I haven't seen the remake with Nicholas Cage. As much as I love watching Cage do his thing, I have way too much respect for this movie. The Wicker Man is like the kid in high school who one day decides to let his freak flag fly and comes out looking cooler than the haters.
Magic Moment: the whole damned heathen thing.
Bonus link: Muppet Wicker Man