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much, much more than a horror film
Stunning, an absolute must!! A great gift (unless the recipient is a member of the Free
Church of Scotland, that is)... Warning: some flashes of Ekland
and her stand-in nude - a
fabulous knock-out film. |
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The Wicker Man with Edward Woodward, Christopher Lee and
Britt Ekland |
It must be stressed that despite the fact that it was
produced in 1973 and stars both Christopher Lee and Britt Ekland, The
Wicker Man is not a Hammer Horror film. Edward
Woodward plays Sergeant Howie, a virginal, Christian policeman sent from
the Scottish mainland to investigate the disappearance of young girl on
the remote island of Summer Isle. The intelligent script by Anthony
Schaffer, who also wrote the detective mystery Sleuth (a film with
which The Wicker Man shares many traits), derives its horror from
the increasing isolation, confusion and humiliation experienced by the
naïve Howie as he encounters the island community's hostility and sexual
pagan rituals, manifested most immediately in the enthusiastic advances of
local landlord's daughter Willow (Britt Ekland). Brilliant performance from Britt Ekland
(one of the great beauties of her time). To scotch all the rumours, Britt Ekland
does not appear nude in this film (it was the body double, as Britt Ekland
was pregnant at the time of filming).
Howie's intriguing
search, made all the more authentic by the film's atmospheric locations
and folkish soundtrack, gradually takes us deeper and deeper into the
bizarre pagan community living under the guidance of the charming Laird of
Summer Isle (Lee, minus fangs) as the film builds to a terrifying climax
with a twist to rival that of The Sixth Sense or Fight Club.
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buy from Amazon:
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