ON THE TRAIL OF THE WICKER MAN (Robin Hardy)

[The Reaper Man@Cult Labs]

Deely's no longer here.
I placed him in a large Wicker statue to the sounds of Disco Inferno.....

[Aurora75]

Amazing film, was so blown away first time i saw it. Really enjoyed the dvd extra about the making of it with Christopher Lee being interviewed. Such a great story behind the whole thing, really suprised it ever got finished.

I saw about 4 minutes of the remake with nick cage and didn't know whether to laugh or cry.. i think both would have been appropriate..

[vincenzo]

Originally Posted by Aurora75

I saw about 4 minutes of the remake with nick cage and didn't know whether to laugh or cry.. i think both would have been appropriate..

This was my reaction.

[The Reaper Man@Cult Labs]

And this was mine.....:

[vincenzo]

The film was about as welcome as a turd in a spacesuit.

[42ndStreetFreak]

What's always surprised me is how many people side with the fanatic, murdering islanders but absolutely hate Howie simply because they see him as a Bible thumping prig (which he is) who's no fun at parties.

BUT...He's also a professional, caring, Policeman who has come to the island in all goodfaith to look for a missing child. One of their children.
In any other film he would be, rightly, seen as the hero.

It is true he is a preachy hard line puritan with an unwelcome zeal towards his religious beliefs.
But guess what? He's not so ****ing fanatical, extreme and utterly deluded in those beliefs he feels the need to murder anyone!
UNLIKE the damn islanders.

Howie's Russell Brand compared to this bloodthirsty lot.

People seem to be dragged in by the whole free living, free loving hedonism of the islanders beliefs and how they practice them and yet too often fail to see that the islanders have themselves completely twisted such ideals and attitudes by linking them into radical religious beliefs.
Just like Howie only far, far worse.

Organised religion is shown in the film, from both ends, to be the corrupting influence it is.
Whatever you may think...and yes on a basic level I relish such a lifestyle too damn it...of all the groovy nudity, erotic screwing, saucy folk ballads and snail stroking freedom of it all, this entire (otherwise welcoming) set-up is destroyed by the fanatic religious cancer (far worse than anything Howie believes in) that runs through even the most enthralling bit of sunny meadow love making.

Say what you want about Howie, but he has no desire to burn anyone alive!

There are only one set of villains in "The Wicker Man" and it's those not so gentle Johnnies with freakin' daisies in their hair.

[The Reaper Man@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by 42ndStreetFreak

People seem to be dragged in by the whole free living, free loving hedonism of the islanders beliefs and how they practice them and yet too often fail to see that the islanders have themselves completely twisted such ideals and attitudes by linking them into radical religious beliefs.

Which is testament to how well made the film is.

[vincenzo]

"Summer is a comin' in, loudly sing cuckoo"........

[Gojirosan]

Originally Posted by 42ndStreetFreak

What's always surprised me is how many people side with the fanatic, murdering islanders but absolutely hate Howie simply because they see him as a Bible thumping prig (which he is) who's no fun at parties.

BUT...He's also a professional, caring, Policeman who has come to the island in all goodfaith to look for a missing child. One of their children.
In any other film he would be, rightly, seen as the hero.

It is true he is a preachy hard line puritan with an unwelcome zeal towards his religious beliefs.
But guess what? He's not so ****ing fanatical, extreme and utterly deluded in those beliefs he feels the need to murder anyone!
UNLIKE the damn islanders.

Howie's Russell Brand compared to this bloodthirsty lot.

People seem to be dragged in by the whole free living, free loving hedonism of the islanders beliefs and how they practice them and yet too often fail to see that the islanders have themselves completely twisted such ideals and attitudes by linking them into radical religious beliefs.
Just like Howie only far, far worse.

Organised religion is shown in the film, from both ends, to be the corrupting influence it is.
Whatever you may think...and yes on a basic level I relish such a lifestyle too damn it...of all the groovy nudity, erotic screwing, saucy folk ballads and snail stroking freedom of it all, this entire (otherwise welcoming) set-up is destroyed by the fanatic religious cancer (far worse than anything Howie believes in) that runs through even the most enthralling bit of sunny meadow love making.

Say what you want about Howie, but he has no desire to burn anyone alive!

There are only one set of villains in "The Wicker Man" and it's those not so gentle Johnnies with freakin' daisies in their hair.

I think the lack of clear cut heroes and villains in The Wicker Man is one reason why it continues to amaze, delight and fascinate. It is a masterpiece and it is exactly that kind of unusual quirk of story that helps to make it so. An unpleasant man goes to the island and acts like a git for good reasons whilst the pleasant islanders do unpleasant things for their own good reasons...the difference in the perception of what is good or right or wrong is just glorious. The true monster in The Wicker Man is religion itself.

[The Reaper Man@Cult Labs]

Have a read at this... a recipe for disaster?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Wicker_Tree_%28Film%29