The Wicker Man: The disturbing cult British classic that can't be defined

The Wicker Man, a cult classic from 1973, defies easy categorisation. It's a blend of crime thriller, unsettling fantasy, and folk horror. Despite its initial reception, where the head of its own studio reportedly described it as one of the worst films they had ever seen, The Wicker Man has achieved significant acclaim. Fifty years after its limited release in the UK, it is now hailed as one of the most influential films of all time. British Film Institute (BFI) curator William Fowler even wrote a 2013 appreciation piece titled 'Why I Love The Wicker Man', stating that it changed music, art, and film.

The Wicker Man's soundtrack has had a profound cultural influence. It helped ignite a new musical genre, often referred to as psych folk, and has inspired tributes from numerous contemporary acts. These include Pulp's 2001 Wickerman, Sneaker Pimp's 1996 How Do (Willow's Song), and Radiohead's 2016 Burn The Witch. In 2021, Fire Leap by the innovative electronic music maker Gazelle Twin and NYX offered a drone choir riff on one memorable scene from the film.

The Wicker Man's origins can be traced back to a relatively unknown 1967 novel by British actor and author David Pinner, titled Ritual. The film rights were purchased in 1971 by legendary British horror film actor Christopher Lee, who also starred as Lord Summerisle in the film. He later proclaimed it the best film he'd ever made. With Lee on board, the production secured writer Anthony Shaffer, fresh off the films Sleuth and Frenzy, to provide a screenplay. The film was shot over a few weeks in 1972 by first-time director Robin Hardy in the stunning Scottish border region of Galloway. The Wicker Man tells the story of a devout Christian policeman, Sergeant Howie, who is sent to investigate the apparent disappearance of a young girl in the remote community of Summerisle.