The Wicker Man

Eine abgelegene schottische Insel mit dramatischen Felsen und einem Grün, durch welches der Wind jagt… Die Atmosphäre und die Darstellung der Sekten-Mentalität der Bewohner machen daraus einen originellen Film, wenn man bedenkt, dass es sich eigentlich um ein Debüt zweiter Klasse von einem Regisseur handelt, der dann die Filmbranche verließ. Die Unklarheit, ein verführerischer sexueller Unterton, der ratlose Kommissar, den niemand respektiert und die Ausarbeitung des verrückten Glaubens und seines Ursprungs nehmen die Zuschauer*innen bei diesem Knüller gefangen. (14.04.2020)

A small cinematic delicacy that was completely overlooked at the time of its release and was not discovered and praised by film critics until much later. The story of a policeman who travels to an island near England in search of a missing girl and is confronted with the pagan customs of the local folk engulfs the viewer with a unique atmosphere and impressive music. It plays a really big role here and the whole film is interspersed with musical and dance interludes that do not slow down the plot, but on the contrary add to its impact. Genre-wise, the film is classified as horror (some critics even call it the Citizen Kane of horror films), but it feels more like a detective story and the horror classification is fulfilled only by the slightly shocking ending, which puts it in the same line as Shyamalan's films in terms of surprise. We can only regret that the director was not very diligent creatively in later years. (17.10.2004)

This is one of those films that always convince me (when I’m in doubt) that my efforts to fill my horror film education are not pointless. It is permeated by an incredible atmosphere, though not a scary or horror one – The Wicker Man is only marginally horror – but the very particular atmosphere of countryside, fields, sun, etc. I didn’t mind at all the music score (though it’s not something I like much elsewhere) because it helps the film a lot; it’s really good. The film has a great twist, which today wouldn’t be as shocking as thirty years ago, but it still adds points. For me, this a gem that should captivate everyone (provided they are in the right mood, like I was), even if there are a few things that deserve criticism. I haven’t watched the recent remake with Cage and I don’t want to. (26.06.2008)

This very unconventional detective story (mistakenly called a horror) is based mainly on the strange mysterious atmosphere of a small British island ruled by pagan customs instead of Christianity. The confrontation between the bigoted policeman and the local natives, who acknowledge an ancient deity, escalates into an exquisite ending, where it is up to each viewer to decide whether they prefer the human sacrifice to the goddess of the earth or the words "The Lord is my shepherd." Edward Woodward excels in the lead role of the strongly religious detective, and like Christopher Lee opposite him, his charisma is evident in every frame. The powerful experience is further enhanced by the strange folk music and dance rituals, which surprisingly do not disturb (and yet this is no musical), but simply belong to the film like everything else. The last ritual gives unpleasant chills. (05.07.2006)

Bunte fiktive Folklore, ein bisschen Hippie-Poetik über den Apfelanbau und Gelegenheitssex, ein bisschen wie eine langweilige Detektivgeschichte, die erst mit der letzten Wendung in Fahrt kommt. Nu ja, an Atmosphäre fehlt es dem Film nicht, klanglich stark kann das ganze eben wie Christopher Lees Timbre sein - besonders im epischen Schlussteil. Jedoch die filmemacherische Ausführung ist in der Tat eben durchschnittlich, voller Naivität und beinhaltet in der erweiterten Version auch ziemlich störenden visuellen Aspekte. Kurz gesagt, der Film hat mich bei weitem nicht so gut gepackt, wie man es bei ähnlich gestimmten Verrücktheiten, die ich als meine Herzensangelegenheit erachte, hätte erwarten können. Ach brennt mich doch nieder, eine super Idee, ein leicht überdurchschnittlicher Film. (11.02.2011)

I had the same feeling from The Wicker Man that I usually experience when reading reviews written in Swahili; these feelings are identical to when Howie enters Summerisle pub. What more do you need to know about the investigations of a shy fanatic and his battle against pagan windmills which is hard to determine the genre (s) of and even those of us with the confidence of Donald Trump wouldn’t dare to try. Just don’t worry about that and let yourself be sucked in by THAT atmosphere, the actors, the songs, the Vermin Man by the maypole, Lee’s flowing locks, phallic symbols and... And one of the most unusual (and one of the best) movie experiences ever. Shirley Jackson would have loved this. (21.06.2012)

Horror productions often resemble a merry-go-round, where a successful film is usually the starting point for a whole series of inferior sequels and the genre actually recycles a few successful models. The Wicker Man stands out from the genre's compartments and plays with its viewers, just like it does with its protagonist. Policeman Howie comes to the island to solve the disappearance of a local girl, but from the very beginning, he faces strange reactions from the local population. Common conventions, rules, and laws recognized on the mainland do not apply in this place. A sinister premonition turns into certainty that a terrible crime is imminent, and that turns into a determination to save the victim's endangered life at all costs. The film uses motifs from the horror and thriller genres, but it disregards their traditional props and, in the end, it is closer to a very dark comedy. It overturns traditional Christian morality (from which the gothic novel emerges as a predecessor of modern horror), ridicules it, and gradually leads its principled protagonist into a fateful trap. The Wicker Man is not particularly profound or complicated, but it is surprisingly functional and above all entertaining. Overall impression: 75%. (19.03.2015)

Eine stimmungsvolle Delikatesse, die man nur schwer kommentieren kann. The Wicker Man ist jedenfalls ein durch und durch origineller Film und der wahrscheinlich seltsamste und gleichzeitig poetischste "Krimi“, den ich je gesehen habe. Mit dem besten Soundtrack. Das Genre? Egal! Christopher Lee hat mich wieder um den Finger gewickelt. (24.04.2013)

In terms of execution, it's nothing great – often shoddy editing and dull staging of potentially impressive scenes that could have been among the gems of cinema. But maybe that's why Wicker Man impressed me so much. The nagging feeling that I was watching something unconventional, original and distinctive, persisted in me the whole time, culminating in the surprising ending in exactly my favourite cinephilic way. The script is very clever and manages to keep the viewer's curiosity and slight tension, the actors give convincing performances and the Scottish music completes the immersive formal setting. It makes me think that if Kubrick had made something like this, I wouldn’t be able to sleep for a week out of sheer excitement. 75% (03.09.2018)