“You’ll simply never understand the true nature of sacrifice.” – The Wicker Man, 1973
Murderous cults, shocking sacrifices and horrifying rituals have long since been the stuff of nightmares. It’s no surprise then, that the horror genre is teeming with blood-curding paganistic imagery. With the upcoming release of Anchor Bay’s The Wicker Tree Blu-Ray, a blackly comic and terrifying sequel to the British classic The Wicker Man, what better time than now to have a run down of cinema’s greatest Pagan-themed horror films. So, cover yourself in goats blood and prepare for a list of unspeakable horror…
1) The Wicker Man (Robin Hardy, 1973) – An undeniable classic horror film, Robin Hardy’s The Wicker Man is the ultimate in Pagan Horror. Inspired loosely by David Pinner’s novel, Rituals, The Wicker Man has been descriped by Cinefantastique as “The Citizen Kane of Horror Movies” and has since been a key part of any horror fan’s Top 10 list. Staring the incredibly talented Edward Woodward and the true king of horror, Sir. Christopher Lee, The Wicker Man, proves to be a truly unique horror film that will draw you in like a moth to a burning wooden man through it’s edge-of-your-seat tension and chilling climax.
2) The Wicker Tree (Robin Hardy, 2010) – Over 30 years since the original masterpiece left it’s imprint in horror cinema, Robin Hardy has made the perfect companion piece in the form of The Wicker Tree. Neither a sequel nor a remake, think of this film as the Evil Dead II eqivilant of The Wicker Man. With a much more prominent black-as-night comedy streak running through it, the second film is a soon-to-be Wicker trilogy is bound to satisfy the hunger of any horror fans.
Take a look at an exclusive clip from The Wicker Tree below for a taster of the ritulistic mayhem…
3) Blood On Satan’s Claw -(Piers Haggard, 1971)- From the British studio that brought us the ever terrifying Witchfinder General, Tigon gives us one of cinema’s great cult horrors in the form of The Blood On Satan’s Claw. Whilst Hammer was known for its focus upon gothic horror and a certain famed fanged creature of the night, Tigon created a truly shocking cinema experience full of kiddy-killers, sacrifice and most disturbing of all, unsightly hair. A true gem of British horror and a must see!
4) To The Devil A Daughter (Peter Sykes, 1976) – Another Christopher Lee film, To The Devil A Daughter was one of Hammer’s last greats before their recent revival. The film proved to be a controversial release, with it’s depiction of a naked young Nastassja Kinsk and it’s unforgettable tagline ‘…and suddenly the screams of a baby born in Hell!’. If you like The Devil Rides Out, you’ll love this!
5) Satan’s Slave (Norman J. Warren, 1976) – From the twisted mind that created ’78′s Terror and Inseminoid, Norman J. Warren does it again with the contemporary devil-fearing British movie that couldn’t be any more different from the period films of Hammer Studios. Staring Michael Gough, best known for his role of Alfred Pennyworth in many of the Batman films, this film is gritty, gnarly, gory and gruesome. Like each of these films, Satan’s Slave still packs a punch that will leave you with nightmares for days to come.
But what is your favourite pagan/ritualistic cult film? Let us know your thoughts here!
Anchor Bay’s The Wicker Tree is out on DVD and Blu-Ray on 30th April. Pre-order yours here (DVD) or (Blu-Ray)
