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the wicker man

Fit to Print

About writing: I’ve just completed a 1,000-word review of Mr. D. Boyle’s 28 Days Later, for the next issue of Van Helsing’s Journal (no URL, as far as I’m aware). I’m currently working on a slightly longer piece on The Wicker Man for the issue after that, and I’ve agreed to do something on Italian horror that I haven’t started yet. (VHJ covers non-American horror/fantasy genre films.)
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The Wicker Man (1973)

My most recent DVD purchase was the director’s cut of The Wicker Man. It’s an almost-but-not-quite complete print that restores most of the footage hacked from the theatrical cut, which you also get on a second disk. This film has a reputation as being amongst the best British entries in the horror genre, along with Witchfinder General (one of Vincent Price’s finest moments). The packaging unsurprisingly emphasises the presence of Christopher Lee, in light of his recent Indian Summer.

Wicker Man Poster 1973

And it is a great performance by Lee, who should seem comical and ridiculous in his fright wig and kilt, but doesn’t. Casual menace defines his screen time. Okay, so seeing him at the end in a long wig and a dress is quite funny! Otherwise, he’s just plain creepy, in a weirdly seductive way.
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