The Wicker Man is intelligent entertainment that takes its subject seriously without resorting to gratuitous effects to make a point. It remains a fine example of occult horror that remains with the viewer well past its conclusion.
The Wicker Man
United Kingdom · 1973
Rated R · 1h 34m
Director Robin Hardy
Starring Edward Woodward, Christopher Lee, Britt Ekland, Ingrid Pitt
Genre Horror
Add to Watchlist
Please login to add films to your watchlist.
Police sergeant Neil Howie is called to an island village in search of a missing girl whom the locals claim never existed. Stranger still, however, are the rituals that take place there.
What are people saying?
What are critics saying?
The Wicker Man is, more than anything else, a film about what people can do in the name of religion or, more generally, belief. Its power comes not from appeals to the supernatural but from a deep understanding of our own undeniable nature. Horror doesn't get much closer to home than that.
Robin Hardy's 1973 cult horror film passed through several distributors, several versions, and several bankruptcies, picking up a powerful reputation along the way.
It remains a how-to model for making something that fancies itself a slow-burn thriller—until it isn’t slow-burning whatsoever.
ReelViews by James Berardinelli
A film that defies categorization, The Wicker Man can be considered to be a horror film, a psychological thriller, a musical, or a melodrama. In reality, since it includes elements of each of those types, it literally has something for just about everyone.
Los Angeles Times by Kenneth Turan
An odd, one-of-a-kind little film that features an involving plot by Anthony Shaffer and a performance by Christopher Lee that the iconic actor declares is his best. It also features paganism. Lots and lots of paganism.
The Guardian by Peter Bradshaw
There is genuine fear in its nightmarish tableaux: the breast-feeding woman holding an egg in the ruined churchyard is like a detail from Hieronymus Bosch. And that final sequence, with the eponymous Wicker Man, is inspired.
Users who liked this film also liked
Angel Heart
A Brooklyn private eye is hired to locate a missing pop singer.
- ✭ ✭ ✭
- United Kingdom, Canada, United States • 1987
- Director Alan Parker
- Cast Mickey Rourke, Robert De Niro, Lisa Bonet, Charlotte Rampling, Stocker Fontelieu, Brownie McGhee
- Genre Horror, Mystery
- Available on Hoopla, Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Vudu, Amazon Video, Microsoft Store, YouTube, Kanopy
Don't Look Now
A classic in the horror genre featuring a grieving family, a psychic sister, and an ominous warning…
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- United Kingdom, Italy • 1973
- Director Nicolas Roeg
- Cast Julie Christie, Donald Sutherland, Hilary Mason, Clelia Matania, Massimo Serato, Renato Scarpa
- Genre Drama, Horror, Thriller
- Available on Criterion Channel, Showtime Apple TV Channel, Paramount Plus Apple TV Channel , Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Vudu, Amazon Video, Microsoft Store, YouTube, AMC on Demand
The Story of O
(Histoire d'O)
"O" is the mistress of all mistresses.
- ✭ ✭ ✭
- France, West Germany, Canada • 1975
- Director Just Jaeckin
- Cast Corinne Cléry, Udo Kier, Alain Noury, Anthony Steel, Jean Gaven, Christiane Minazzoli
- Genre Drama
- Available on Pluto TV, Midnight Pulp, Shout! Factory TV
Before the Rain
(Пред дождот)
Three interconnected stories of love under the threat of civil war in Macedonia and London.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- United Kingdom, France, North Macedonia • 1994
- Director Milcho Manchevski
- Cast Katrin Cartlidge, Rade Šerbedžija, Grégoire Colin, Labina Mitevska, Phyllida Law, Silvija Stojanovska
- Genre Drama, War
- Available on Criterion Channel
Epidemic
Two screenwriters write a script about an epidemic, only to find themselves in a real epidemic developing around them.
- ✭ ✭ ✭
- Denmark • 1987
- Director Lars von Trier
- Cast Lars von Trier, Niels Vørsel, Claes Kastholm Hansen, Udo Kier, Svend Ali Hamann, Gitte Lind
- Genre Comedy, Drama, Horror
- Available on MUBI, MUBI Amazon Channel
Witchfinder General
He'll hang, burn, and mutilate you. He's the witchfinder general!
- ✭ ✭ ✭
- United Kingdom • 1968
- Director Michael Reeves
- Cast Vincent Price, Ian Ogilvy, Rupert Davies, Hilary Dwyer, Robert Russell, Nicky Henson
- Genre Drama, History, Horror
- Available on No streaming locations found.
The Thirst for Gold
(La Soif de l'or)
- ✭ ✭
- France • 1993
- Director Gérard Oury
- Cast Christian Clavier, Marine Delterme, Tsilla Chelton, Philippe Khorsand, Catherine Jacob
- Genre Comedy
- Available on No streaming locations found.
Cold Prey III
(Fritt vilt III)
- ✭ ✭ ✭
- Norway • 2010
- Director Mikkel Brænne Sandemose
- Cast Ida Marie Bakkerud, Julie Rusti, Kim S. Falck-Jørgensen, Pål Stokka, Arthur Berning, Sturla Rui
- Genre Horror
- Available on No streaming locations found.
Leviathan
The very waters that once inspired Moby Dick, this film captures the harsh, unforgiving world of fishermen in starkly haunting, yet beautiful detail.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- France, United Kingdom, United States • 2012
- Director Véréna Paravel
- Cast Declan Conneely, Johnny Gatcombe, Adrian Guillette, Brian Jannelle, Clyde Lee, Arthur Smith
- Genre Documentary
- Available on DocAlliance Films, Google Play Movies, Vudu, YouTube, Kanopy
Mamá
- ✭ ✭ ✭
- Spain • 2008
- Director Andy Muschietti
- Cast Victoria Harris, Berta Ros, Irma Monroig
- Genre Drama, Horror
- Available on No streaming locations found.
You and the Night
(Les rencontres d'après minuit)
- ✭ ✭ ✭
- France • 2013
- Director Yann Gonzalez
- Cast Kate Moran, Niels Schneider, Nicolas Maury, Eric Cantona, Fabienne Babe, Alain-Fabien Delon
- Genre Romance, Drama, Comedy, Fantasy
- Available on Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Amazon Video, YouTube, Kanopy
Rosalie Blum
Rosalie Blum is a mystery Vincent must solve.
- ✭ ✭ ✭
- France • 2016
- Director Julien Rappeneau
- Cast Noémie Lvovsky, Kyan Khojandi, Alice Isaaz, Anémone, Philippe Rebbot
- Genre Comedy
- Available on No streaming locations found.
The Last Family
(Ostatnia rodzina)
Contemporary artist Beksiński has a successful career but complicated family as he and his wife struggle with their troubled son.
- ✭ ✭ ✭
- Poland • 2016
- Director Jan P. Matuszyński
- Cast Andrzej Seweryn, Dawid Ogrodnik, Aleksandra Konieczna, Andrzej Chyra, Zofia Perczyńska
- Genre Drama
- Available on Film Movement Plus, Kanopy
Bad Day for the Cut
- United Kingdom • 2017
- Director Chris Baugh
- Cast Nigel O'Neill, Susan Lynch, Józef Pawłowski, Stuart Graham, Anna Próchniak, Ian McElhinney
- Genre Thriller, Drama, Crime
- Available on Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Vudu, Amazon Video, YouTube
This film was the inspiration for Midsommar, and I think this film is just scary in a way that Midsommar just doesn't quite achieve. This film is just so weirdly upsetting (in a good way!). You might see the ending coming, but the way it unfolds will definitely shock you. And the final image of the film... probably one of the most memorable and unsettling endings ever.