Bravo's 100 Scariest #45: The Wicker Man (1973)

Another post from '07, this time about #45 on Bravo's 100 Scariest Movie Moments list, The Wicker Man.

In case you haven't noticed, I'm on a bit of a classic horror kick. Today I watched The Wicker Man.

It's a British film about a police officer who goes to a small private island after receiving a letter about a missing girl. When he gets there, he finds a pleasant, but rather strange community. They seem to be a mix between a pagaen cult and a hippie commune. Song-singing, uninhibited sex, and acient rituals honoring the "old gods". Very upsetting for the straight-laced Sgt. Howie, who is a devout Christian and lives a chaste and lean life. Even more upsetting, is the fact that nobody seems to remember the girl, denying that she ever existed.

I won't give away the ending, but the movie is definately worth seeing. They manage to make you relate to the rather pompous Sgt. Howie, as you go along with his investigation. The people in the village seem fun and free spirited at first, but soon turn creepy and strange. My only complaint (and it's a small one) that some of the sexuality and songs seem a little forced, as if it were there to shock us, not necessarily to add to the story. Go rent this film and I think that you won't be dissappointed.

By the way, this is the original 1973 film with Edward Woodward, not the recent remake with Nicholas Cage. I haven't seen that one yet, but my mom said it was pretty good.