The Wicker Man
Summary
Robin Hardy’sThe Wicker Manis one of the most beloved cult repugnance films of the seventies . Although the moving picture was not a boxwood part success at the clip of its release , it grew in popularity through Son of mouth . As such , the plastic film currently holds an 89 % demonstrate freshRotten Tomatoesrating and remains one of the most dear horror movies ever made . While the movie remain on many near - of lists for horror movies over the years , there is a lot that fans of the movie might not cognize , including answer to where wasThe Wicker Manfilmed and how Hardy pluck out his astonishing hurl .
asterisk Edward Woodward , Sir Christopher Lee , and Britt Ekland , the report follows constabulary Sergeant Neil Howie , summon to Summerisle to look into the mysterious disappearance of a untried girl who the local townsfolk call does n’t exist . What he then walk into is a repugnance taradiddle that has no happy endings , but fill up viewers with horrific images and even scarier explanation for why the seemingly teachable people on this island would wipe out anyone to keep their dark secrets . There are manyWicker Mansecrets inthe upcoming Holy Scripture , The Wicker Man : The Official Story of the Film , with a flock of data for fans of the masterpiece .
The 2006 remaking of The Wicker Man seemingly end with the ritual being dispatch , but a detail regarding the island ’s bee says different .
10The Movie Was Inspired By A Historical Engraving
“The Wicker Image” By Aylett Sammes
The Wicker Manwas in part inspired by a 1676 etching promise " The Wicker Image " create by the artist Aylett Sammes . The simulacrum can be found in the volume of Britannia Antiqua Illustrata . According to screenwriter Anthony Shaffer ( in the book , The Wicker Man : Conversations with Robin Hardy , Anthony Shaffer & Edward Woodward ) , hisintent for the project was to make a more cerebral repulsion moviethat was less dependent on the kind of gratuitous gore that was pop at the prison term . When he take root on the concept of sacrifice , Shaffer knew he was headed in the right direction .
“ I do n’t think a serious film on the subject area had been done before . The subject reach the world of horror and terror , but also had an noetic content which gave us a chance to do something quite provocative . Then came the question that unsecured things , or the McGuffin , as Hitchcock would say : What makes the perfect sacrifice ? How do you opt that sacrifice that ’s going to lenify the gods , make the harvest uprise , or whatever the sacrifice is for ? ”
9There Were 25 Filming Locations
This Included Scotland & South Africa
The Wicker Manwas filmed in 25 unlike locations throughout Scotland in the fall of 1972 . Galloway , Scotland was among the position , which star Britt Ekland called " the bleakest position on Earth " before receive tons of flack for saying so . Since the film was shot in the autumn but put in the spring , several handmade trees with full blossom were trucked in for the output . However , the aery shots of Summerisle were frivol away in South Africa . Director Robin Hardy explained why they had to make this variety ( viaThe Guardian ) .
" Making the film was great fun . It was shoot in 25 different locations and , since it was set in spring , and we were shooting in November , we had to paste leaves and blossom on to the tree diagram wherever we were . The gap sequence , with aerial shot from the aeroplane arriving , was really take in South Africa , because we did n’t have the budget to gum blossom to that many Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree . "
8Edward Woodward Was Not The First Choice For Sergeant Howie
Michael York & Peter Cushing Were Both Considered
Before Edward Woodward was cast in the lead role of Sergeant Howie , Robin Hardy debate several other actor . Michael York was his first choice to toy the role , but he decline it . Once York overstep , Hardy approached David Hemmings for the purpose . after , starChristopher Lee offered the lead roleto his longtime Quaker and fellow British repulsion legend Peter Cushing , but he decline due to scheduling conflicts . In the end , it was producer Peter Snell and screenwriter Anthony Shaffer who suggested Woodward , who happened to be Snell ’s first choice all along .
7Christopher Lee Starred In The Movie For Free
Christopher Lee Even Spent His Own Money To Promote The Movie
Christopher Lee has namedThe Wicker Manas his ducky of his films and that his role as the cult drawing card Lord Summerisle is one of the greatest of his career . Lee also seem inThe Wicker Manfor detached , as did most of the actor , and even spent his own money on a promotional tour to assist market the flick . Lee attended every promotional stop , uncoerced to have him in the leash - up to the motion-picture show ’s spill . He pay for the total trip . As turn up byThe Wicker Man’slasting legacy and impact , his passion for the film paid off .
6Edward Woodward’s Reaction To The Wicker Man Was Real
Edward Woodward Wanted To be Surprised By The Effigy
To see to it the utmost authenticity , Edward Woodward repeatedly refused to chaffer the setwhere the Wicker Man image was domiciliate before filming the iconic finale . The first fourth dimension Woodward view the towering set part came when his fictitious character Howie was dragged over the hill against his will . As such , Howie ’s panicked response of " Oh God , Oh Jesus Christ " was Woodward ’s genuine chemical reaction . AsWoodward was being carried toward the effigy , he call for Hardy if he was go to be placed inside The Wicker Man structure . Hardy said yes .
5The Wicker Man Was Really Burned
Woodward Remembers It Was A Very Scary Moment
The movie ’s infamous finale features the sinister Summerisle topical anesthetic exhort over the sacrificial burn of Sergeant Howie . consider it or not , Edward Woodward was placed inside the Wicker Man construction while it was being burned for real . The actor has since exact that he ’s never been more scaredin his six - decade calling . As if the burning Wicker Man was n’t enough , one of the sacrificial goats that was placed in a pen above Woodward urinate on Woodward . Specifically , this happened when the fires start and the misfortunate goat was so panic-struck that it pissed on the actor below . Robin Hardy remembered the moment well ( viaFortean Times ) .
" He was there quite a while . We had an escape hatch at the back so that he could be got out of it exceedingly tight , and we had somebody at the back who could just pull in it open and draw in him out , and he went down on a kind of block attach to his belt ammunition . We had to be very deliberate because when we were sprout , and he was in there it was actually burning . There is n’t a society for the bar of harshness to player you know ! "
4Britt Ekland’s Boyfriend Tried To Get The Film Banned
Singer Rod Stewart Was Not Happy About Her Dance Scene
One of the most indelible moment ofThe Wicker Maninvolves Willow ’s ( Britt Ekland ) nude dance picture , which took 13 60 minutes to shoot . Although a stunt doubly was used for Ekland ’s small one-half , her then - boyfriend , Rod Stewart , lobbied to have the film blackball over the use of Ekland ’s nude body(viaIndependent ) . Because she was significant at the fourth dimension , Ekland demanded a consistency double from the shank down . Although Lorraine Peters is credited as her stand - in , brave claim he found a prostitute from Scotland to perform the dance . Ekland was displeased to take the naked duple scenes were filmed after she left the set .
3Some Deleted Scenes Were Restored For The DVD
One Of Christopher Lee’s Favorite Scenes Was Added Back In
Several shot were take that finally went unused in the theatrical cut ofThe Wicker Man . Some , if not all , the excise footage has beenrestored in the 102 - minute Special Edition Director ’s Cut , giving sports fan of the furore cinema a Modern experience . Among the more memorable excisions include footage portray Sergeant Howie as a preacher , a long version of Lord Summerisle ’s poem , several longer conversations between Howie and various local , and a scene where Howie visits Lord Summerisle ’s palace and take heed to him give a grand speech about orchard apple tree . Lee was particularly miffed that the latter scene was cut .
2The Original Negatives & Outtakes Were Destroyed
The Original Footage Was Destroyed By New Management
Long after production wrapped , the prescribed film negative and reel of outtakes were secured in a computer memory vault at Shepperton Studios in Surrey , England . Upon a modification in possession , thenew direction ask for everything in the vault to be destroyed . regrettably , the original film negative forThe Wicker Manwere returned from the lab and placed in the bank vault the right way before the contents were raze . This is why , as mentioned above , only a fraction of the many deleted scenes and outtake were restored , as many of the original were lost in the vault ’s wipeout .
1It Has A Crazy Action-Packed Sequel
It Is Available As An Online Audio Drama
In 1989,The Wicker Manscribe Anthony Shaffer penned a 30 - page intervention for a continuation entitledThe Loathsome Lambton Worm . Rather than another methodical sacrificial closed book , this follow - up would havebeen a bombastic FX - drive fancy - horror story . The sequel pick up right away after the original ended , with several cops rescuing Howie . As he typeset out to get revenge on Lord Summerisle and his disciple , Howie faces challenges from Pagan druids . This all culminate in a battle between Howie and a fervency - spit out dragon before Howie commits suicide by plunging off a cliff while slash two to jumbo eagle .
Hardy had no pursuit in filming this sequel , but its illustrated intervention is included in Alan Brown ’s bookInside The Wicker Man : How Not to Make a Cult Classic . For the curious , The Loathsome Lambton Wormhas an online sound drama , and Hardy and Lee made a spiritual sequel toThe Wicker Manin the 2011 filmThe Wicker Tree .
