The Wicker Man 1973

imdb-logo 7.5 / 10

The Wicker Man

Police sergeant Neil Howie is called to an island village in search of a missing girl whom the locals claim never existed. Stranger still, however, are the rituals that take place there.

Police sergeant Neil Howie is called to an island village in search of a missing girl whom the locals claim never existed. Stranger still, however, are the rituals that take place there.

Videos & Photos

All 3 Videos & 56 Photos

... Sergeant Neil Howie

... Lord Summerisle

... Willow MacGreagor

... Librarian

... Miss Rose

... Alder MacGreagor

User reviews

See All 2 Reviews

23 Jun 2021 by John Chard

I believe in the life eternal, as promised to us by our Lord, Jesus Christ. Mainland Sergeant Neil Howie (Edward Woodward) flies off to the remote Scottish island of Summerisle to investigate the disappearance of a 12 year old girl. What he finds is a culture steeped in Paganism, presided over by Lord Summerisle (Christopher Lee). Meeting static and indifference wherever he goes - and being driven to anger by the assault on his Christian beliefs - Howie is very much a man alone and most likely in grave danger? Directed by Robin Hardy and adapted to screen by Anthony Shaffer from David Pinner's novel, Ritual, The Wicker Man is very much a cult masterpiece. The back stories to it could make a film all by itself, be it censor baiting, studio cuts, body doubles or just plain offending religious groups, it's a film that is well worth looking into via the top range home format releases. From the moment Howie (a truly brilliant Woodward) lands at Summerisle everything seems off, there's a sinister atmosphere pervading the story. He is met by unnerving imagery wherever he goes, songs and rituals gnawing away at his senses, there's even eroticism deftly placed within the film's master plan. He doesn't know what's going on, and neither do we, this is a mystery right? There is after all a missing child to be found, right? But once Lord Summerisle (Lee also terrific) enters proceedings and ups his game, things unravel in edgy fashion, building up to the justifiably famous and harrowing finale. Some modern horror fans may baulk at the lack of bloody carnage et al, but this is classic horror. A horror film bulging with intelligence and pulsing away with literate smarts. 9/10

Genres:

Horror

Release Date:

Dec 06, 1973 (United Kingdom)

Run Time:

1hr 33`

MMPA Rating:

R

Original Language:

English

Production Countries:

United Kingdom

Status:

Released

Related Movies To

The Wicker Man

Write Review

Found 2 reviews in total

23 Jun 2021 by John Chard

I believe in the life eternal, as promised to us by our Lord, Jesus Christ. Mainland Sergeant Neil Howie (Edward Woodward) flies off to the remote Scottish island of Summerisle to investigate the disappearance of a 12 year old girl. What he finds is a culture steeped in Paganism, presided over by Lord Summerisle (Christopher Lee). Meeting static and indifference wherever he goes - and being driven to anger by the assault on his Christian beliefs - Howie is very much a man alone and most likely in grave danger? Directed by Robin Hardy and adapted to screen by Anthony Shaffer from David Pinner's novel, Ritual, The Wicker Man is very much a cult masterpiece. The back stories to it could make a film all by itself, be it censor baiting, studio cuts, body doubles or just plain offending religious groups, it's a film that is well worth looking into via the top range home format releases. From the moment Howie (a truly brilliant Woodward) lands at Summerisle everything seems off, there's a sinister atmosphere pervading the story. He is met by unnerving imagery wherever he goes, songs and rituals gnawing away at his senses, there's even eroticism deftly placed within the film's master plan. He doesn't know what's going on, and neither do we, this is a mystery right? There is after all a missing child to be found, right? But once Lord Summerisle (Lee also terrific) enters proceedings and ups his game, things unravel in edgy fashion, building up to the justifiably famous and harrowing finale. Some modern horror fans may baulk at the lack of bloody carnage et al, but this is classic horror. A horror film bulging with intelligence and pulsing away with literate smarts. 9/10

23 Jul 2023 by CinemaSerf

Well the cinema was packed as we all sat though what seemed like an interminable preamble of interviews with those connected with the film - including Britt Ekland - before it all started. Was it worth it? Well, I didn't really think so. Policeman "Howie" (Edward Woodward) arrives on a remote Scottish island after reports that a girl has gone missing. He is perplexed by the seemingly indifferent attitude of the locals who claim that she never existed or her mother who claims that she is six feet under in the graveyard. He becomes even more bemused by the general attitude of the villagers - led by their laird "Lord Summerisle" (Christopher Lee) and taught by their not quite "Jean Brodie" schoolteacher "Miss Rose" (Diane Cilento) to life in cereal, and to his presence in particular. Soon, his investigation starts to lead him a merry dance as he begins to suspect something way more sinister is afoot - and boy, is he correct. Thing is, though, can he find and save the missing girl and get to the bottom of this mystery. To be fair, it does offer us a more sophisticated, almost mythological, approach to an horror movie loaded with mysticism and pagan ritual. Indeed, I don't know that it fits well into that genre at all - it's more of a psychological thriller populated by a decent cast of household names. The thing for me is the story. I just found it all a bit weak; it takes far, far too long to build up anything like an head of steam and is really rather over-scored with music that is left do too much of the heavy lifting when it comes to generating the sparing senses of peril this film elicits. Perhaps it isn't fair to look upon it critically forty years later, when so many of our sensitivities have been eroded away, but I really couldn't figure out quite what all the fuss was about. It's now a cult film - and maybe that says it all? Worth a watch, but a television leaves nothing missing, I'd say.

Cast & Crew of

The Wicker Man

Directors & Credit Writers

... Assistant Director

... Director

... Continuity

Cast

... Sergeant Neil Howie

... Lord Summerisle

... Willow MacGreagor

... Librarian

... Miss Rose

... Alder MacGreagor

... Old Gardener / Gravedigger

... Harbour Master (uncredited)

... May Morrison

... Broome

... Oak

... School Master (uncredited)

... McTaggert

... Woman with Baby (uncredited)

... Postman (uncredited)

... Doctor Ewan (uncredited)

... T.H. Lennox

... Minister (uncredited)

... Rowan Morrison

... Myrtle Morrison

Produced By

... Casting

... Production Secretary

... Location Manager

Related Movies To

The Wicker Man

Found 12 Movies in total

poster-The Cult
The Cult (2024)

0 /10

When a young woman relocates to a small town in Europe, she notices the place has something weird. As time goes by, she starts to fear for her life. Based on actual events and in the book the day she became plastic.

Run Time: 1hr 30` . MMPA: . Release: 01 Jun 2024

Director: Alexandre Alonso

Producer:

Stars:

poster-Bring Her Back
Bring Her Back (2025)

0 /10

Following the death of their father, a brother and sister are introduced to their new sibling by their foster mother, only to learn that she has a terrifying secret.

Run Time: 1hr 44` . MMPA: R . Release: 28 May 2025

Director: James Dubay , Danny Philippou , Rebecca King

Producer: Kelly Graham , Danny Philippou , Kristina Ceyton

Stars: Sally Hawkins , Billy Barratt , Jonah Wren Phillips , Sally-Anne Upton , Stephen Phillips , Sora Wong

poster-Final Destination Bloodlines
Final Destination Bloodlines (2025)

0 /10

Plagued by a violent recurring nightmare, college student Stefanie heads home to track down the one person who might be able to break the cycle and save her family from the grisly demise that inevitably awaits them all.

Run Time: 1hr 50` . MMPA: R . Release: 14 May 2025

Director: Timothy Paul Coderre , Mia Bolton , Adam B. Stein

Producer: Sheila Hanahan Taylor , Heather McGowan , David Siegel

Stars: Melissa Barrera , Tony Todd , Anna Lore , Renata Vaca , Mary Elizabeth Winstead , Teo Briones

poster-Santa Isn't Real
Santa Isn't Real (2023)

0 /10

After suffering a brutal attack on Christmas Eve, Nikki struggles to convince her friends that the assailant was none other than Ol' Kris Kringle. When Santa returns to terrorize the group in their remote cabin the next Christmas, Nikki and her friends must overcome disbelief as they fight to stay alive.

Run Time: 1hr 16` . MMPA: R . Release: 08 Dec 2023

Director: Zac Locke

Producer: Jordan Michaud-Scorza

Stars: Scarlett Sperduto , Kaya Coleman , Dana Millican , Cissy Ly , Michelle Damis , William Earl Ray

poster-The Ritual
The Ritual (2025)

0 /10

Two priests, one in crisis with his faith and the other confronting a turbulent past, must overcome their differences to perform a risky exorcism.

Run Time: 1hr 38` . MMPA: NR . Release: 18 Apr 2025

Director: Ruben Mazzoleni , Savannah Belcher , David Midell

Producer: Lee Broda , Jeff Holland , Nate Bolotin

Stars: Al Pacino , Dan Stevens , Ashley Greene , Abigail Cowen , Patricia Heaton , Patrick Fabian

poster-Crypto Legacy
Crypto Legacy (2020)

2.5 /10

Troy Morgan doesn't like his family's farm. The place creeps him out. After spotting some strange lights one evening, Troy and his little sister Carrie go to investigate the creepy barn.

Run Time: 1hr 11` . MMPA: . Release: 01 Oct 2020

Director: Charles Townsend

Producer: Charles Townsend

Stars: Sheri Gill Dixon , Brian Kunz , Brandon Young , Nathaniel Barton , Linzi Gray , Thalia Reynolds

poster-The Mount 2
The Mount 2 (2023)

4 /10

A year after the incident at the Mount, the police are still investigating the murders of Philomena and Caroline. The Mount has been cordoned off by the police. However, on Halloween night, a group of teenagers break in. They plan on holding a wedding between friends, conducted by a rather odd character, however, little did they know some unexpected guests would show up to crash the party.

Run Time: 1hr 21` . MMPA: . Release: 12 May 2023

Director: Isaac Barrao , Ian Charles Serra

Producer:

Stars: Niall Serra , Esther Roiz , Mia Sen , Christina Linares , Sam Bush , Tony Loddo

poster-Remnant
Remnant (2024)

0 /10

Grace is a young woman whose life has been turned upside down by tragedy. When she returns home to the family farm to rebuild her shattered life, her world begins to unravel as a series of strange events haunt her, pushing Grace to the edge of madness. A mysterious figure lurks in the shadows and a ghostly woman appears in the darkness of night. Is Grace imagining these apparitions, or are they a warning of a nightmare still to come?

Run Time: 1hr 52` . MMPA: . Release: 30 Jun 2024

Director: Mike Horan

Producer:

Stars: Nicole Pritchard , Shaun Robert Foley , Tsu Shan Chambers , Remi Webster , Megan Bell , Martin Ashley Jones

poster-Sinners
Sinners (2025)

0 /10

Trying to leave their troubled lives behind, twin brothers return to their hometown to start again, only to discover that an even greater evil is waiting to welcome them back.

Run Time: 2hr 18` . MMPA: R . Release: 16 Apr 2025

Director: Gio Paredes-Utforskare , Steve Gehrke , Marvin Williams

Producer: Sev Ohanian , Pete Chiappetta , Ryan Coogler

Stars: Michael B. Jordan , Jack O'Connell , Delroy Lindo , Jayme Lawson , Wunmi Mosaku , Hailee Steinfeld

poster-Breathing In
Breathing In (2023)

0 /10

1901, South Africa. As the Second Anglo-Boer War rages on, a wounded General seeks refuge in the small home of a woman and her young daughter. As the hurt man settles in, he begins noticing that something is off about the two women, particularly the daughter, and before long, he’ll learn the real reason for why they’ve invited him and for how they’ve survived on their own for so long.

Run Time: 1hr 45` . MMPA: . Release: 18 Oct 2023

Director: Jaco Bouwer

Producer:

Stars: Michele Burgers , Sven Ruygrok , Jamie-Lee Money , Lionel Newton

poster-Baby Blue
Baby Blue (2023)

5 /10

A group of teens stumble across the story of now dead serial killer Baby Blue and decide he'd be the perfect subject of a true crime vodcast. But when they start digging, they quickly discover that his murder spree never stopped. Now they are being targeted from beyond the grave.

Run Time: 1hr 30` . MMPA: . Release: 16 Apr 2023

Director: Adam Mason

Producer: Bradley Pilz , Johannes Roberts

Stars: Dylan Sprayberry , Lia McHugh , Anthony Turpel , Aramis Knight , Alexia Ioannides , Oliver Cooper

poster-28 Years Later
28 Years Later (2025)

0 /10

Twenty-eight years since the rage virus escaped a biological weapons laboratory, now, still in a ruthlessly enforced quarantine, some have found ways to exist amidst the infected. One such group lives on a small island connected to the mainland by a single, heavily-defended causeway. When one member departs on a mission into the dark heart of the mainland, he discovers secrets, wonders, and horrors that have mutated not only the infected but other survivors as well.

Run Time: 1hr 55` . MMPA: R . Release: 18 Jun 2025

Director: Emily Perowne , Richard Styles , Sarah Mulberge

Producer: Peter Rice , Andrew Macdonald , Bryony Chaplin

Stars: Cillian Murphy , Jodie Comer , Aaron Taylor-Johnson , Charlie Hunnam , Ralph Fiennes , Jack O'Connell