***
Directed by Robin Hardy
Written by Anthony Shaffer
Cast: Edward Woodward, Christopher Lee, Britt Ekland, Ingrid Pitt

"Do sit down, Sergeant. Shocks are so much better absorbed with the knees bent."

Recently, a new version of this classic film was released. Run from it as if your life depended on it. No, seriously; avoid that film.

Instead, seek out the newly released and remastered original from Anchor Bay with the incredibly talented Edward Woodward as Sgt. Howie. He has made his way to the Scottish island of Summerisle to investigate the disappearance of a young girl.

Funny thing is, everyone on the island, including the girl's own mother (Irene Summers), claims that the girl never existed and as the dedicated Howie investigates further he discovers the truth of Summerisle.

"The Wicker Man" is an amazing film loaded with wonderful performances from many in the entertainment industry, but mostly for an exceptional if somewhat short bit of work from the legendary Christopher Lee as Lord Summerisle.

Lee almost stole the film with his relatively small part of Lord Summerisle. His normal, overshadowing presence onscreen is carried even further here and seems so powerful that the viewer will actually think he is onscreen longer and more often then he really is. That is acting.

If you include the beautiful Britt Ekland as Willow this film will explode on the small screen just from the talent involved. And if you watch the nude, most seductive dance in film until then (not that I did. Nope. Nah.) you find one of the most intensely erotic scenes in film and one that did a lot to further the realistic feel of the movie.

And watching her and Howie clash at times added to the humor of the film.

"The Wicker Man" as a movie is an excellent example of how to create an almost perfect horror/thriller. Made on a very small budget, the movie is today accepted as one of the best horror/thrillers of all time, even though it did not get the true recognition it deserved when it first came out.

Anthony Shaffer wrote a fantastic script, choosing to add clues as to what was actually going on in such a subtle way that it honestly takes repeated viewings to get most of them. And I still think I missed a few.

Shaffer had to of done some deep research into the pagan rituals to show them with such a freaky realist feeling in the film. It will leave your flesh with goose pimples more then once.

Robin Hardy, the director, at one point felt the movie would never be made as he was forced to work with a very small budget, a ridiculously short shooting schedule and forced to work with a studio that was declared bankrupt just after filming was completed.

But fortunately for fans of this genre, the film was made. And it is a delight to watch, and just as much fun to listen to. The soundtrack is exceptional, and is great to listen too with the lights off, and your eyes closed. It blends masterfully into the film.

Despite the dark feeling if the film, there is still an almost light-hearted attitude that comes from the music that makes it hard to even consider that something strange or even evil could ever happen.

Edward Woodward gives one of his finest performances as the bewildered Sgt. Howie, playing his character with such conviction that Howie's final understanding of just what is actually going on is shown so well that it adds even more of a realistic tone to the film.

His strong religious feelings don't mesh well with the free love paganistic society which will add both a small laugh and a bit of a squirmy feeling to the viewer at the same time. The somewhat obvious look at personal faith and differing attitudes is strong in the movie and should make all who watch it question their own feelings and source of faith.

The film is not just well made, it also has beautiful photography, a great cast but it reaches into a point in the viewer that so many other films with they could. It opens up your own belief system, making you question it.

Beyond a doubt "The Wicker Man" is a film that will stay in the mind of the viewer, long after the final credits have ended. And isn't that what a really good movie should do?

Rating: Not Rated
Runtime:187 Minutes
Label: Anchor Bay
Studio: Anchor Bay
Release Date: 2006-12-19
DVD Format: 2-Disc Keep Case, Widescreen Anamorphic, 1.85:1, Closed Captioned, Color
DVD Features: Audio Track 1: English, Dolby Digital 5.1, Audio Track 2: English, Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround, Audio Track 3: Commentary by Director Robin Hardy, Christopher Lee, Edward Woodward, Mark Kermode, Dolby Digital 2.0
The Wicker Man Enigma: Featuring interviews with Stars Edward Woodward, Christopher Lee and Ingrid Pitt, Director Robin Hardy, Producer Peter Snell, Writer Anthony Shaffer, Editor Eric Boyd-Perkins, Art Director Seamus Flannery, Assistant Director Jake Wright, U.S. Distributor John Simon, and Filmmaker Roger Corman
Theatrical Trailer
TV Spot
Radio Spots
Talent Bios

ASIN: B000JVT1U0
UPC: 013131507799