Pagans, Pagans, Pagans

(Guest post from Dick Ivy. It's a review of the film "The Wicker Man" from 1973)

11-feb-2004: the wicker man (1973)

here's another film that is almost ruined just by being made in the early 70s. don't get me wrong, the film is great, but the music that is used is such hippie shit that it detracts completely from what is going on in the story, which is actually interesting. a scottish police officer investigating the disappearance of a small girl on a remote island discovers that there is more going on there than the inhabitants are willing to tell. pagans, pagans, pagans! the way that the islanders go about their daily lives just as we all do, but with weird creepy twists on everything, could probably be a bit upsetting to some, unless you know any of my friends. the depiction of the pagans is a bit more on the new-age 14 year old girl with a book on "wicca" side than it is on the side of actual ancient celtics, but it is still fairly creepy when it needs to be. the shitty 70s film stock and some of the masks used add an eerie element to the overall effect, as i am assuming that this was meant to be some kind of horror film, even though it doesn't quite seem to fit into that genre. the film does get its point across quite poignantly in terms of making you feel for the pagans as religious outcasts and separatists, and apparently this film was made to somewhat tear at the moral fiber of what most british/scottish believed at the time. for my own personal enjoyment, i think i may spend some time making an edit of this film with some less gay music, because i really do like it otherwise. the ending is great- you really don't expect what happens, and it makes you feel warm all over. stars christopher lee as... well... christopher lee.