The Wicker Man – 40th Anniversary DVD Edition (3 disc) Review

30th Sep 2013

I don’t usually review standard def DVD these days if there’s a Blu-ray edition available, however, in this instance the standard def DVDs were sent through, and there was no time to rectify the situation and grab the Blu’s instead, before the review had to be completed. Shame, but there it is.

No matter, readers will just have to do without my usual long winded commentary on the hi-def restoration blah blah, and instead be content with a little note on the degree of restoration which is no doubt common to both SD and HD formats.…and everyone breathes a great sigh of relief!

So, here we have a very special DVD package put together to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the release of Robin Hardy’s seminal horror masterpiece The Wicker Man.

Starring everyone’s favourite three wood Equalizer, Mr. Edward Woodward, and featuring a career performance from Christopher Lee (lapping up every minute of finally playing a great character who doesn’t wear a cape and contact lenses all the time). The movie also stars a possibly teeny bit miscast Britt Ekland, plus a host of great supporting actors like Diane Cilento, Aubrey Morris, and the very very lovely Ingrid Pitt.

It is of course the story of Sgt. Howie (Woodward), a mainland police officer and devout christian, who’s earnest and sincere investigation into the disappearance of a young girl, brings him by request to a remote Hebridean island, and it’s eccentric inhabitants. He conducts his investigations with reluctant, and often obstructive ‘cooperation’ from said islanders. As it turns out, they are, to a person; pagan sun worshipers, led by the charismatic Lord SummerIsle (Lee). The deepening mystery of the young girl’s disappearance, and Howie’s open distaste and outrage towards the Islander’s Pagan beliefs and practices (in juxtaposition to his devout christian ones), add to his worsening fears of her fate. This leads slowly and marvellously to the film’s infamous, and incredibly memorable denouement, an appointment with the Wicker Man himself.

If you haven’t seen The Wicker Man, (and if you’ve only seen the almost comedically mangled, unrelated and terrible 2006 Nick Cage debacle, you haven’t); then you’re in for a rare treat. Forget everything you think you know about what horror films are supposed to be, and enjoy a magically original, unsettling, and subtle piece of filmmaking.

In my opinion; it’s a true masterpiece, and remains timeless in a way very few films of this vintage can manage.

So the fate of The Wicker Man in the years since it’s initial release, is almost as well documented that the film itself (if that makes any sense at all), and it’s one of those works that has been re-cut many times over, by different owners, for different reasons. It’s almost certain that we shall never see the movie in it’s original full length cut, as some of the footage in that version has become lost over time. However, this generous 3 disc DVD set does actually include 3 different significant versions: The Original UK Theatrical cut (84 minutes), The Director’s Cut (100 minutes), and the newly restored Final Cut (90 minutes).

It’s worth noting here (as I just mentioned it, and it seems pretty obvious when you think about it), only the new ‘Final Cut’ version of the film (with a reduced run time of 90 minutes), is a cleaned up, and restored presentation. The other two versions are noticeably grainier and feature that classic lack of colour separation and clarity, particularly in dark areas; that we associate with old degraded transfers. For reasons that should really be obvious i.e. the age and previous availability of the ‘Director’s Cut’ version; It is this cut of the movie (the longest one, at 100 minutes), which has an excellent audio commentary attached to it (details in the ‘Extras’ section). While this seems a little odd at first (in terms of the newer restored ‘primary’ cut not having a commentary, while an older, now ‘secondary’ one does); It actually doesn’t have an adverse effect on overall enjoyment.

I’m not going to bother getting too granular with the details regarding the differences between the three cuts, but suffice to say; most of the extra material in the 100 minute cut, takes place at or near the beginning of the movie. From the second act onward; all three cuts are quite close (with the original UK Theatrical being the shortest at 84 minutes).

From a personal point of view; I would be happy to consider the restored 90 minute ‘Final Cut’ as the overall ‘definitive’ version to now watch, however it is in no way an ‘absolute’ of course, and It is most agreeable to have the other cuts available within this presentation. By which I mean, that although some of the character set up included in the ‘Director’s Cut’ concerning Sgt. Howie’s Christian values, and celibacy, is worthwhile; it is ultimately unnecessary in terms of conveying how at odds with the islander’s beliefs Howie is. His interactions with them, constantly underline all these points (all of which become crucial to the plot later on).

No matter, whichever cut you watch (and I watched all three), the movie is as powerful, original, timeless, and wonderful as it ever was. At a time when British horror movies were often blood soaked, campy affairs, often lacking in nuance, and good writing; The Wicker Man is a study in unsettling understatement, great writing, and performances of a calibre rarely associated with the genre.

Of course, this is a DVD review, and not a full blown retrospective; so I am not here to extoll the virtues, and talk at length about the film much beyond that already written above.

More’s the pity.

I think that The Wicker Man is definitely up there in terms of amazing movies this author would definitely like to do the retro thing with, so who knows. Maybe it’ll happen. For now, here are some product details you should also be interested in.

Disc details:

Disc 1:

The Final Cut (the film) – 90 minutes – This is the primary cut of the movie, restored, cleaned and looking rather nice.

Extras:

Worshiping the Wicker Man – 22 minute documentary with interviews with notable industry fans of the film (like Eli Roth), as well as film critics and historians. It’s a little on the short side, but there’s more to come elsewhere in this DVD package.

The Music of the Wicker Man – 15 minutes, and an all too brief featurette on the absolutely wonderful soundtrack of the film. Again, informative, but a frustratingly short. This soundtrack is amazing, and forms an integral part of the film’s narrative, power and beauty. Note: Should a full blown retrospective be forthcoming from Filmewerk towers, discussion of Paul Giovanni, and Magnet’s soundtrack, and how crucial it is to the way The Wicker Man works, will be front and centre (it’s that good).

Interview with Robin Hardy – 16 minutes with the director, discussing the film.

Trailer

Disc 2:

Original UK Theatrical Cut (the film) – 84 minutes – The shortest cut offered here

Director’s Cut (the film) – 100 minutes – The longest cut offered here, and I believe the longest in current existence, although a supposed 104 minute cut can be found elsewhere (don’t quote me on it though).

Extras:

Audio Commentary with Robin Hardy, Edward Woodward and Christopher Lee. Mediated by Mark Kermode – A wonderful, if sometimes frustrating commentary. I like Mark Kermode, but no doubt in deference to his esteemed company, he occasionally fails to reign in these three somewhat elderly gents and keep them focussed and factual. He also makes one or two very key plot points that no-one picks up on and explains, which is a shame (as one of them is a question that I have always wanted Hardy or writer Anthony Shaffer to answer).

The Making of Audio Commentary – 15 minute video recording of the above audio commentary recording session. A little perfunctory perhaps, that’s OK.

Disc 3:

Burnt Offering: The Cult of the Wicker Man – 50 minute channel 4 documentary, written and hosted by Mark Kermode in 2001. This is the place to go directly for some brilliant ‘making of’ fodder. The program features all the of the principle cast and creators (including the late Ingrid Pitt), and it’s great to see it included within this DVD presentation.

Interview with Christopher Lee and Robin Hardy (1979) – 25 minute archive footage of Hardy and Lee on TV. It’s 4×3 and grainy as hell, but well worth inclusion.

Trailer

So, in conclusion I think this is a marvellous set, and well worth bagging if you’ve not seen the movie, or only seen it on TV etc. I would hope that the Blu-Ray edition is just as good and adds a nice extra layer of clarity to the ‘Final Cut’ version of the movie. I will certainly be buying myself a copy, come release day.

It’s an absolute British horror classic, and in some ways five stars just aren’t enough.