list http://www.spout.com/ Recent community activity around The Wicker Man on Spout Copyright 2005-9 Spout, LLC Spout RSS http://www.spout.com/images/SpoutLogoRSS.jpg http://www.spout.com/ 136 30 http://www.spout.com/films/The_Wicker_Man/38298/default.aspx Title: The Wicker Man
Year: 1974
Director: Robin Hardy
Plot: A righteous police officer investigating the disappearance of a young girl comes into conflict with the unusual residents of a secluded Scottish isle in this unsettling, intelligent chiller. Brought to the island of Summerisle by an anonymous letter, Edward Woodward's constable is surprised to discover that the island's population suspiciously denies the missing girl's very existence. Even more shocking, at least to the traditionally pious law office, the island is ruled by a libertarian society organized around pagan rituals. Repelled by the open acceptance of sexuality, nature worship, and even witchcraft, the officer takes an antagonistic attitude towards the people and their leader, an eccentric but charming English lord (Christopher Lee). The officer's unease intensifies as he continues his investigation, slowly coming to fear that the girl's disappearance may be linked in a particularly horrifying manner to an upcoming public festival. Anthony Shaffer's meticulously crafted screenplay creates a thoroughly convincing alternative society, building tension through slow discovery and indirect suggestion and making the terrifying climax all the more effective. Performances are also perfectly tuned, with Woodward suitably priggish as the investigator and horror icon Lee delivering one of his most accomplished performances as Lord Summerisle. Little noticed during its original theatrical run due to studio edits and a limited release, the film's intelligence and uncanny tone has since attracted a devoted cult following. ~ Judd Blaise, All Movie Guide
Times Tagged: 108
Number of Lists: 45
Number of blog posts: 9
Number of discussion threads: 3
SpoutRating: 3
]]>Mon, 13 Jul 2009 06:46:36 GMTThe Wicker Man1974Robin HardyA righteous police officer investigating the disappearance of a young girl comes into conflict with the unusual residents of a secluded Scottish isle in this unsettling, intelligent chiller. Brought to the island of Summerisle by an anonymous letter, <a href="/players/P____77463/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Edward Woodward</a>'s constable is surprised to discover that the island's population suspiciously denies the missing girl's very existence. Even more shocking, at least to the traditionally pious law office, the island is ruled by a libertarian society organized around pagan rituals. Repelled by the open acceptance of sexuality, nature worship, and even witchcraft, the officer takes an antagonistic attitude towards the people and their leader, an eccentric but charming English lord (<a href="/players/P____41362/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Christopher Lee</a>). The officer's unease intensifies as he continues his investigation, slowly coming to fear that the girl's disappearance may be linked in a particularly horrifying manner to an upcoming public festival. <a href="/players/P___110923/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Anthony Shaffer</a>'s meticulously crafted screenplay creates a thoroughly convincing alternative society, building tension through slow discovery and indirect suggestion and making the terrifying climax all the more effective. Performances are also perfectly tuned, with Woodward suitably priggish as the investigator and horror icon Lee delivering one of his most accomplished performances as Lord Summerisle. Little noticed during its original theatrical run due to studio edits and a limited release, the film's intelligence and uncanny tone has since attracted a devoted cult following. ~ Judd Blaise, All Movie Guide108Tag Target (>10)45933http://www.spout.com/ProductImages/t89375rjste.jpghttp://www.spout.com/films/The_Wicker_Man/38298/default.aspxFilm http://www.spout.com/groups/Weekly_Theme/Re_Weekly_Theme_for_February_16_Tropical_Getaways/625/40519/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: SkyPilot
Post To: Weekly Theme
Post Date: 2/18/2009 11:15:06 AM
Body: The islanders in Wicker Man make their otherwise dreary island rather exotic, but I wouldn't want to visit there. If we're talking any vacations that could actually be conceived of...(I'm channeling Ricky Gervais here)...then I'd like to visit the village of Wall in Stardust, and the Troll Market in Hellboy II. I'd go on vacation with the Griswolds in Vacation, if only to give Chevy Chase some counsel about the next thirty years of his career. Anyone want to hang out with the guys from Weekend at Bernie's and Weekend at Bernie's 2? Not me. Though when I saw the sequel when I was 12, I thought Troy Beyer was the most beautiful woman I'd ever seen: Later I dated a Peruvian who looked a lot like her. Coincidence?
]]>Wed, 18 Feb 2009 16:15:06 GMTSkyPilotWeekly Theme2/18/2009 11:15:06 AMThe islanders in Wicker Man make their otherwise dreary island rather exotic, but I wouldn't want to visit there. If we're talking any vacations that could actually be conceived of...(I'm channeling Ricky Gervais here)...then I'd like to visit the village of Wall in Stardust, and the Troll Market in Hellboy II. I'd go on vacation with the Griswolds in Vacation, if only to give Chevy Chase some counsel about the next thirty years of his career. Anyone want to hang out with the guys from Weekend at Bernie's and Weekend at Bernie's 2? Not me. Though when I saw the sequel when I was 12, I thought Troy Beyer was the most beautiful woman I'd ever seen: Later I dated a Peruvian who looked a lot like her. Coincidence? http://www.spout.com/blogs/risselada/archive/2009/1/7/39207.aspx Post By: Risselada
Post To: Risselada Blog
Post Date: 1/7/2009 1:57:02 PM
Body: This blog entry is part of my "movie year countdown round #2". Read more about that here. The Wicker Man I had a lot of people recommend this movie to me. I was told not to read anything about it before seeing it. Of course I inadvertently ran across some information, but nothing that really "ruined" it. I do think it is kind of dangerous to hear such things about a movie before you see it. You are expecting to be really shocked by something, so instead of just watching the movie normally when the shock comes you have already prepared yourself for it. And actually usually the shock never measures up because you spend so much time inventing all kinds of strange conclusions as it rolls along that what ends up happening is never as strange as what you had the time to come up with in your head in the meanwhile. That was pretty much the case for me with this movie. Although I did not anticipate some of the specifics (and there are a few shocking images), I was ready for something beyond sinister, so I wasn't as affected as much as maybe I should have been. I won't list too many specifics here just in case you are still planning on seeing for the first time yourself, but here are some of my other reactions for those of you who have seen it. I was expecting to really be shocked and horrified. But really I was more aggravated and annoyed, towards all of the characters really. The main character made a lot of stupid mistakes. *possible spoiler* Why on earth did he come alone? And in such an unreliable little airplane?? Maybe the filmmakers actually did the most admirable job they could with the story they came up with. Neil LaBute tried remaking the movie recently and if you've seen it, or just seen some of the "best of" clips of it on youtube you can realize just how silly the story and premise can quickly become. I can't say I hated it, but I can't really pass on the recommendation. Sorry to those who recommended it to me. Rating: 6/10
]]>Wed, 07 Jan 2009 18:57:02 GMTRisseladaRisselada Blog1/7/2009 1:57:02 PMThis blog entry is part of my "movie year countdown round #2". Read more about that here. The Wicker Man I had a lot of people recommend this movie to me. I was told not to read anything about it before seeing it. Of course I inadvertently ran across some information, but nothing that really "ruined" it. I do think it is kind of dangerous to hear such things about a movie before you see it. You are expecting to be really shocked by something, so instead of just watching the movie normally when the shock comes you have already prepared yourself for it. And actually usually the shock never measures up because you spend so much time inventing all kinds of strange conclusions as it rolls along that what ends up happening is never as strange as what you had the time to come up with in your head in the meanwhile. That was pretty much the case for me with this movie. Although I did not anticipate some of the specifics (and there are a few shocking images), I was ready for something beyond sinister, so I wasn't as affected as much as maybe I should have been. I won't list too many specifics here just in case you are still planning on seeing for the first time yourself, but here are some of my other reactions for those of you who have seen it. I was expecting to really be shocked and horrified. But really I was more aggravated and annoyed, towards all of the characters really. The main character made a lot of stupid mistakes. *possible spoiler* Why on earth did he come alone? And in such an unreliable little airplane?? Maybe the filmmakers actually did the most admirable job they could with the story they came up with. Neil LaBute tried remaking the movie recently and if you've seen it, or just seen some of the "best of" clips of it on youtube you can realize just how silly the story and premise can quickly become. I can't say I hated it, but I can't really pass on the recommendation. Sorry to those who recommended it to me. Rating: 6/10 http://www.spout.com/blogs/risselada/archive/2008/12/25/38844.aspx Post By: Risselada
Post To: Risselada Blog
Post Date: 12/25/2008 6:31:01 PM
Body: Hot Fuzz Yes, it's Christmas and I'm writing a movie review. Why not. My friend Noah came to visit me for a while and brought a couple films with him, including Hot Fuzz. I liked it about as much as Shaun of the Dead made by the same group of filmmakers. Which is to say, it was enjoyable enough but otherwise fairly forgettable. These guys are praised for having seen so many movies that they know all the cliches and are able to make a good parody / homage. I guess I enjoy the parody part, but it's apparent the filmmakers actually have respect for movies like Point Break or even *shudder* Bad Boys II, both of which are blatantly referenced several times by characters in the film. [POSSIBLE SPOILER] One interesting coincidence is that in the same weekend that we watched this movie, we also watched The Wicker Man which this movie is obviously referencing with it's primary plot points and main plot twist. Rating: 6/10
]]>Thu, 25 Dec 2008 23:31:01 GMTRisseladaRisselada Blog12/25/2008 6:31:01 PMHot Fuzz Yes, it's Christmas and I'm writing a movie review. Why not. My friend Noah came to visit me for a while and brought a couple films with him, including Hot Fuzz. I liked it about as much as Shaun of the Dead made by the same group of filmmakers. Which is to say, it was enjoyable enough but otherwise fairly forgettable. These guys are praised for having seen so many movies that they know all the cliches and are able to make a good parody / homage. I guess I enjoy the parody part, but it's apparent the filmmakers actually have respect for movies like Point Break or even *shudder* Bad Boys II, both of which are blatantly referenced several times by characters in the film. [POSSIBLE SPOILER] One interesting coincidence is that in the same weekend that we watched this movie, we also watched The Wicker Man which this movie is obviously referencing with it's primary plot points and main plot twist. Rating: 6/10 http://www.spout.com/groups/Weekly_Theme/Re_Weekly_Theme_for_August_11_The_Secret_Society/625/33878/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: indieabby88
Post To: Weekly Theme
Post Date: 8/11/2008 7:46:55 PM
Body: Let's not forget one of the movies spoofed/tributed in "Hot Fuzz": "The Wicker Man." I guess that was more a cult than a secret society, but their motives sure were secret. And, speaking of Edgar Wright, I hear he's supposed to be directing a film version of Jon Ronson's fantastic book "Them." The book is all about conspiracy theorists and the Bilderberg Group, the supposed "secret rulers of the world." I really hope the movie gets made. It was a great read.
]]>Mon, 11 Aug 2008 23:46:55 GMTindieabby88Weekly Theme8/11/2008 7:46:55 PMLet's not forget one of the movies spoofed/tributed in "Hot Fuzz": "The Wicker Man." I guess that was more a cult than a secret society, but their motives sure were secret. And, speaking of Edgar Wright, I hear he's supposed to be directing a film version of Jon Ronson's fantastic book "Them." The book is all about conspiracy theorists and the Bilderberg Group, the supposed "secret rulers of the world." I really hope the movie gets made. It was a great read. http://www.spout.com/blogs/cinemarian/archive/2008/5/13/28975.aspx Post By: CinemaRian
Post To: CinemaRian Blog
Post Date: 5/13/2008 7:53:29 PM
Body: When I first saw the extended edition of The Wicker Man three years ago, I found it to be flawed, but parts of the film, particularly its incredible ending, stayed with me. I decided to see it again before the Neil LaBute remake comes out in the fall, and this time saw the theatrical cut. The movie is indeed very impressive, and its easy to see why this completely atypical film attracted a cult following- its atmosphere stays with you. It says something that Christopher Lee considers it the best film ever appeared in, and was so taken with the script that he worked for free. Part of the uniqueness of The Wicker Man is that it doesnt belong to a specific genre- despite the presence of Lee, its not really horror, and has elements of straight drama, thrillers and even musicals (yup, you do get hear Lee sing, and hes good- he wanted to be opera star before he became an actor). You shouldnt know too much of the story before you see the film, but the plot revolves around the conservative Christian Sergeant Howie (Edward Woodwood), a Scottish detective who gets a tip that a young girl has gone missing on the isolated island of Summerisle. When Howie arrives, no one, even the girls mother, admits to knowing her, and he is disturbed the inhabitants behavior. People have sex out in the open, sing songs about having sex and sometimes go about naked. He soon finds out why- the old Pagan gods still lives on Summerisle and the deeply religious inhabitants practice old Celtic rituals. The Christian Howie is deeply offended by this, and something else just doesnt add up. A lot of the movie appeal comes from the fact the movie presents a conflict between the Christian and Pagan faiths and doesnt take sides. Pagans can point to Howies stiffness as support to their cause, Christians can point to his morality to support theirs, and I once read an atheist interpretation of the film arguing that its about the pointlessness of religion- if there are no God or gods of any kind, the whole religious conflict the film presents is wasteful. The performances are all great (its not Lees best but hes still great), although the real standout is Woodwood, who takes a character that could become annoying (and, indeed, is in the extended cut) and makes him likable and three dimensional. I was tempted to give the film four stars, but excellent as it is, it still seems it could have been better. I think the problem may be that its not quiet as poetic as it should be- Hardy is good at establishing an atmosphere, but an even better filmmaker (Roger Corman?) could have made it far stronger. The movie is better written than its directed, with a very strong script by Anthony Schaffer. Although it is not as good as it should be, this is a movie that is still exceptional and a real conversation starter, with some very strong moments (the ending packs a real punch). Eventually, most cineastes interested in religious subject matter should check this out, as it is possibly that only film that takes Paganism seriously. Note: the theatrical cut is better than the extended edition. None of the deleted scenes are necessary and only serve to slow down the story, especially the extended and unnecessary prologue, entirely deleted in the final cut. The Wicker Man (1974)
]]>Tue, 13 May 2008 23:53:29 GMTCinemaRianCinemaRian Blog5/13/2008 7:53:29 PMWhen I first saw the extended edition of The Wicker Man three years ago, I found it to be flawed, but parts of the film, particularly its incredible ending, stayed with me. I decided to see it again before the Neil LaBute remake comes out in the fall, and this time saw the theatrical cut. The movie is indeed very impressive, and its easy to see why this completely atypical film attracted a cult following- its atmosphere stays with you. It says something that Christopher Lee considers it the best film ever appeared in, and was so taken with the script that he worked for free. Part of the uniqueness of The Wicker Man is that it doesnt belong to a specific genre- despite the presence of Lee, its not really horror, and has elements of straight drama, thrillers and even musicals (yup, you do get hear Lee sing, and hes good- he wanted to be opera star before he became an actor). You shouldnt know too much of the story before you see the film, but the plot revolves around the conservative Christian Sergeant Howie (Edward Woodwood), a Scottish detective who gets a tip that a young girl has gone missing on the isolated island of Summerisle. When Howie arrives, no one, even the girls mother, admits to knowing her, and he is disturbed the inhabitants behavior. People have sex out in the open, sing songs about having sex and sometimes go about naked. He soon finds out why- the old Pagan gods still lives on Summerisle and the deeply religious inhabitants practice old Celtic rituals. The Christian Howie is deeply offended by this, and something else just doesnt add up. A lot of the movie appeal comes from the fact the movie presents a conflict between the Christian and Pagan faiths and doesnt take sides. Pagans can point to Howies stiffness as support to their cause, Christians can point to his morality to support theirs, and I once read an atheist interpretation of the film arguing that its about the pointlessness of religion- if there are no God or gods of any kind, the whole religious conflict the film presents is wasteful. The performances are all great (its not Lees best but hes still great), although the real standout is Woodwood, who takes a character that could become annoying (and, indeed, is in the extended cut) and makes him likable and three dimensional. I was tempted to give the film four stars, but excellent as it is, it still seems it could have been better. I think the problem may be that its not quiet as poetic as it should be- Hardy is good at establishing an atmosphere, but an even better filmmaker (Roger Corman?) could have made it far stronger. The movie is better written than its directed, with a very strong script by Anthony Schaffer. Although it is not as good as it should be, this is a movie that is still exceptional and a real conversation starter, with some very strong moments (the ending packs a real punch). Eventually, most cineastes interested in religious subject matter should check this out, as it is possibly that only film that takes Paganism seriously. Note: the theatrical cut is better than the extended edition. None of the deleted scenes are necessary and only serve to slow down the story, especially the extended and unnecessary prologue, entirely deleted in the final cut. The Wicker Man (1974) http://www.spout.com/blogs/risselada/archive/2007/11/19/21772.aspx Post By: Risselada
Post To: Risselada Blog
Post Date: 11/19/2007 11:10:22 AM
Body: This is a list for Round 2 of my movie year countdown viewing project as first described here. If by any strange chance whoever is reading this is actually following along you may notice that I'm still less than two thirds of the way through my original one. Well I'm starting this new one because as much as I love old movies it can get a little tedious watching just older movies. So I'm going to be blending my watching of the two lists together. Still focusing on the original one, but every once in a while sliding in the next entry from this new list.Again these new movies are limited to full length movies that are available on Netflix. And for this new round instead of picking a movie from every year, I will be picking a movie from every two years. For example the first movie must have come out during 2006 or 2007. The second movie must have come out in 2004 or 2005. The next in 2002 or 2003. You see.The list is not finished yet, but here is what I have decided so far. I will update this post later with the new flicks.-------------------------------------------------------------------------------1. Children of Men (2006)2. The New World (2005)3. Mou gaan dou (Infernal Affairs) (2002)4. Riri Shushu no subete (All About Lily Chou-Chou) (2001)5. Party Monster (1998)6. Hard Eight (1996)7. Smoke (1995)8. Jennifer Eight (1992)9. The Fisher King (1991)10. Tetsuo (Tetsuo, the Iron Man) (1989)11. Angel Heart (1987)12. Runaway Train (1985)13. Burden of Dreams (1982)14. The Big Red One (1980)15. Stalker (1979)16. Network (1976)17. Angst essen Seele auf (Ali: Fear Eats the Soul) (1974)18. The Wicker Man (1973)19. Land des Schweigens und der Dunkelheit (Land of Silence and Darkness) (1971)20. Z (1969)21. In Cold Blood (1967)22. Suna no onna (Woman in the Dunes) (1964)23. The Intruder (1962)24. Jungfrukällan (The Virgin Spring) (1960)25. Pickpocket (1959)26. Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956)27. Kiss Me Deadly (1955)28. Shane (1953)29. Winchester '73 (1950)30. The Big Clock (1948)31. The Postman Always Rings Twice (1946)32. The Chronicle History of King Henry the Fift with His Battell Fought at Agincourt in France (1944)33. Hi Diddle Diddle (1943)34. The Philadelphia Story (1940)35. Angels with Dirty Faces (1938)36. Mr. Deeds Goes to Town (1936)37. Man on the Flying Trapeze (1935)38. I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang (1932)39. Zemlya (Earth) (1930)40. Die Büchse der Pandora (Pandora's Box) (1929)41. The Unknown (1927)42. Seven Chances (1925)43. Dr. Mabuse, der Spieler - Ein Bild der Zeit (Dr. Mabuse: The Gambler) (1922)44. The Kid (1921)45. Male and Female (1919)46. Umirayushchii Lebed (The Dying Swan) (1917)47. The Birth of a Nation (1915)
]]>Mon, 19 Nov 2007 16:10:22 GMTRisseladaRisselada Blog11/19/2007 11:10:22 AMThis is a list for Round 2 of my movie year countdown viewing project as first described here. If by any strange chance whoever is reading this is actually following along you may notice that I&#39;m still less than two thirds of the way through my original one. Well I&#39;m starting this new one because as much as I love old movies it can get a little tedious watching just older movies. So I&#39;m going to be blending my watching of the two lists together. Still focusing on the original one, but every once in a while sliding in the next entry from this new list.Again these new movies are limited to full length movies that are available on Netflix. And for this new round instead of picking a movie from every year, I will be picking a movie from every two years. For example the first movie must have come out during 2006 or 2007. The second movie must have come out in 2004 or 2005. The next in 2002 or 2003. You see.The list is not finished yet, but here is what I have decided so far. I will update this post later with the new flicks.-------------------------------------------------------------------------------1. Children of Men (2006)2. The New World (2005)3. Mou gaan dou (Infernal Affairs) (2002)4. Riri Shushu no subete (All About Lily Chou-Chou) (2001)5. Party Monster (1998)6. Hard Eight (1996)7. Smoke (1995)8. Jennifer Eight (1992)9. The Fisher King (1991)10. Tetsuo (Tetsuo, the Iron Man) (1989)11. Angel Heart (1987)12. Runaway Train (1985)13. Burden of Dreams (1982)14. The Big Red One (1980)15. Stalker (1979)16. Network (1976)17. Angst essen Seele auf (Ali: Fear Eats the Soul) (1974)18. The Wicker Man (1973)19. Land des Schweigens und der Dunkelheit (Land of Silence and Darkness) (1971)20. Z (1969)21. In Cold Blood (1967)22. Suna no onna (Woman in the Dunes) (1964)23. The Intruder (1962)24. Jungfruk&auml;llan (The Virgin Spring) (1960)25. Pickpocket (1959)26. Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956)27. Kiss Me Deadly (1955)28. Shane (1953)29. Winchester &#39;73 (1950)30. The Big Clock (1948)31. The Postman Always Rings Twice (1946)32. The Chronicle History of King Henry the Fift with His Battell Fought at Agincourt in France (1944)33. Hi Diddle Diddle (1943)34. The Philadelphia Story (1940)35. Angels with Dirty Faces (1938)36. Mr. Deeds Goes to Town (1936)37. Man on the Flying Trapeze (1935)38. I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang (1932)39. Zemlya (Earth) (1930)40. Die B&uuml;chse der Pandora (Pandora&#39;s Box) (1929)41. The Unknown (1927)42. Seven Chances (1925)43. Dr. Mabuse, der Spieler - Ein Bild der Zeit (Dr. Mabuse: The Gambler) (1922)44. The Kid (1921)45. Male and Female (1919)46. Umirayushchii Lebed (The Dying Swan) (1917)47. The Birth of a Nation (1915) http://www.spout.com/blogs/theworkingdead/archive/2007/11/3/21398.aspx Post By: TheWorkingDead
Post To: TheWorkingDead Blog
Post Date: 11/3/2007 8:32:35 PM
Body: Almost two weeks since my last post. Inexcusable. What have I been doing with my time? I'll tell you what; I got an early christmas gift from Amber. An iPod, a big ol' 160gig mammoth. Every moment of free time since then has almost completely been spent at my(kinda slow) computer importing my massive CD collection. As of this writing I have just begun the Ps. By the time I finish my main CD collection, and have moved on to soundtracks, rap, country & surf, and then move on to those CDs of Amber's that I want copies of, I think I'll have used up most of that space. With just a bit left over for MST3K episodes that I can watch while on the treadmill at the gym. Rest assured I've been stockpiling my posts, and although I haven't typed or posted any, I have several pages of notes. There should be a flurry of activity coming up, as soon as I'm done with my iPod project. The Wicker Man is one of those almost inexcusable absences in my film-viewing career, made worse by the fact that I saw the remake first. This isn't the first time this has happened, in fact most classic movies that have remakes were seen this way, and normally I don't feel too bad about it, because I'm always sure to see the original shortly afterwards. But for some reason I've been slightly ashamed that I watched the Nicolas Cage remake before I watched the far, far superior original. Having seen the remake first, I was a tad surprised by the experience of watching the original. It turns out the remake, as inferior as it is, stays incredibly close to the original plot, so I was actually unsurprised by any of the plot twists. What was surprising was the context, which was completely different. The original follows Sgt. Howie, a Scottish policeman as he investigates a missing child case in the private community of Summerisle. Although he was invited to the island(anonymously), he finds no help from the locals who treat him with fairly open derision, and deny the girl ever existed. The girl's mother(indicated by the letter Sgt. Howie received) claims to have no such daughter. On top of uncooperative villagers, the strictly Christian Sgt. Howie is vexed by the pagan lifestyle of the islanders, which includes plenty of casual sex, a complete disregard for all things church related, and a couple of folksy musical numbers. It's a credit to this film's inherent creepiness that that last part doesn't induce uncontrollable giggles.There's not much I can add to the ever-growing library of dissections and reflections based around this movie, and I don't think I have much inclination to try anyway. The original Wicker Man served as a criticism of the Church and the draconian policies in effect in the UK at the time. Although now, several decades later, I have to admit I realized that intellectually more than I actually felt it. In fact I'm a bit surprised at how civil Sgt. Howie remains when confronted with so many things that go against his every belief. A friend commented on how the movie really makes you view the main character as an intruding asshole, stomping all over the island's religious practices, but my main question was why he didn't do it sooner, or freak out even more. My anti-church sentiments will automatically place my sympathies with those fighting against it, but in a fight this one sided I still felt sorry for Sgt. Howie. Remember: These people asked him to the island, mocked him, threw their beliefs in his face and tried to bait him throughout the film. I guess my problem here is that the pagan religion doesn't seem to be morally superior to the Christian religions. Although with the pagans there's plenty of naked Britt Ekland(ok, body double, whatever), so that does give it the edge.The movie is creepy, however, and Christopher Lee is always awesome in everything he does, but rarely more so than in this film(although he doesn't have much screen time). And that's more than can be said about the recent remake, which, through one simple change, removes everything of value from the story. As I said, the remake is remarkably close in detail to the original, but it removes almost all of the sexual/pagan imagery and replaces it with some pretty serious misogynistic tendencies. Instead of pagans, the island is a matriarchy where the women run everything and the men are essentially animal labor. In case we don't get the symbolism, the island is famous for it's honey, and bees play an unfortunately major part in the films plot. To be fair, the original also had a case of on-the-nose symbolism with the pagan island famous for it's apples.Much has already been made about the misogynism in the updated Wicker Man, in which literally every woman you see in the film is a controlling, murderous man-hating psycho-bitch. It's also been stated that the film would have been labeled misogynist even if the roles were reversed and the hero had been the lone female on an island full of men. That may be true, but it doesn't change the fact that this movie definitely has it's issues. There's no escaping the fact that The Wicker Man has nothing positive to say about women at all, and views them with nothing but contempt. Case in point; the montage near the end when Nicolas Cage finally cracks and begins randomly harassing and beating up the women he comes across.There's a growing cult around this film, and I have to reluctantly admit I am a member. It's so bat-shit crazy, so mind-bogglingly silly that I have a good time whenever I watch it. There's that famous youtube clip which may go some of the way towards explaining my enjoyment of the film. There's also a pretty nifty rifftrax(downloadable film commentaries from Mike Nelson and a rotating cast of people, usually other MST3K members) available, and I'd heartily endorse following the links to both of those. Also, there's a pretty seriously awesome review over on the Onion AV Club, part of Nathan Rabin's My Year of Flops blog project, which dissects the appeal of this film far better than I could hope to.
]]>Sun, 04 Nov 2007 00:32:35 GMTTheWorkingDeadTheWorkingDead Blog11/3/2007 8:32:35 PMAlmost two weeks since my last post. Inexcusable. What have I been doing with my time? I&#39;ll tell you what; I got an early christmas gift from Amber. An iPod, a big ol&#39; 160gig mammoth. Every moment of free time since then has almost completely been spent at my(kinda slow) computer importing my massive CD collection. As of this writing I have just begun the Ps. By the time I finish my main CD collection, and have moved on to soundtracks, rap, country &amp; surf, and then move on to those CDs of Amber&#39;s that I want copies of, I think I&#39;ll have used up most of that space. With just a bit left over for MST3K episodes that I can watch while on the treadmill at the gym. Rest assured I&#39;ve been stockpiling my posts, and although I haven&#39;t typed or posted any, I have several pages of notes. There should be a flurry of activity coming up, as soon as I&#39;m done with my iPod project. The Wicker Man is one of those almost inexcusable absences in my film-viewing career, made worse by the fact that I saw the remake first. This isn&#39;t the first time this has happened, in fact most classic movies that have remakes were seen this way, and normally I don&#39;t feel too bad about it, because I&#39;m always sure to see the original shortly afterwards. But for some reason I&#39;ve been slightly ashamed that I watched the Nicolas Cage remake before I watched the far, far superior original. Having seen the remake first, I was a tad surprised by the experience of watching the original. It turns out the remake, as inferior as it is, stays incredibly close to the original plot, so I was actually unsurprised by any of the plot twists. What was surprising was the context, which was completely different. The original follows Sgt. Howie, a Scottish policeman as he investigates a missing child case in the private community of Summerisle. Although he was invited to the island(anonymously), he finds no help from the locals who treat him with fairly open derision, and deny the girl ever existed. The girl&#39;s mother(indicated by the letter Sgt. Howie received) claims to have no such daughter. On top of uncooperative villagers, the strictly Christian Sgt. Howie is vexed by the pagan lifestyle of the islanders, which includes plenty of casual sex, a complete disregard for all things church related, and a couple of folksy musical numbers. It&#39;s a credit to this film&#39;s inherent creepiness that that last part doesn&#39;t induce uncontrollable giggles.There&#39;s not much I can add to the ever-growing library of dissections and reflections based around this movie, and I don&#39;t think I have much inclination to try anyway. The original Wicker Man served as a criticism of the Church and the draconian policies in effect in the UK at the time. Although now, several decades later, I have to admit I realized that intellectually more than I actually felt it. In fact I&#39;m a bit surprised at how civil Sgt. Howie remains when confronted with so many things that go against his every belief. A friend commented on how the movie really makes you view the main character as an intruding asshole, stomping all over the island&#39;s religious practices, but my main question was why he didn&#39;t do it sooner, or freak out even more. My anti-church sentiments will automatically place my sympathies with those fighting against it, but in a fight this one sided I still felt sorry for Sgt. Howie. Remember: These people asked him to the island, mocked him, threw their beliefs in his face and tried to bait him throughout the film. I guess my problem here is that the pagan religion doesn&#39;t seem to be morally superior to the Christian religions. Although with the pagans there&#39;s plenty of naked Britt Ekland(ok, body double, whatever), so that does give it the edge.The movie is creepy, however, and Christopher Lee is always awesome in everything he does, but rarely more so than in this film(although he doesn&#39;t have much screen time). And that&#39;s more than can be said about the recent remake, which, through one simple change, removes everything of value from the story. As I said, the remake is remarkably close in detail to the original, but it removes almost all of the sexual/pagan imagery and replaces it with some pretty serious misogynistic tendencies. Instead of pagans, the island is a matriarchy where the women run everything and the men are essentially animal labor. In case we don&#39;t get the symbolism, the island is famous for it&#39;s honey, and bees play an unfortunately major part in the films plot. To be fair, the original also had a case of on-the-nose symbolism with the pagan island famous for it&#39;s apples.Much has already been made about the misogynism in the updated Wicker Man, in which literally every woman you see in the film is a controlling, murderous man-hating psycho-bitch. It&#39;s also been stated that the film would have been labeled misogynist even if the roles were reversed and the hero had been the lone female on an island full of men. That may be true, but it doesn&#39;t change the fact that this movie definitely has it&#39;s issues. There&#39;s no escaping the fact that The Wicker Man has nothing positive to say about women at all, and views them with nothing but contempt. Case in point; the montage near the end when Nicolas Cage finally cracks and begins randomly harassing and beating up the women he comes across.There&#39;s a growing cult around this film, and I have to reluctantly admit I am a member. It&#39;s so bat-shit crazy, so mind-bogglingly silly that I have a good time whenever I watch it. There&#39;s that famous youtube clip which may go some of the way towards explaining my enjoyment of the film. There&#39;s also a pretty nifty rifftrax(downloadable film commentaries from Mike Nelson and a rotating cast of people, usually other MST3K members) available, and I&#39;d heartily endorse following the links to both of those. Also, there&#39;s a pretty seriously awesome review over on the Onion AV Club, part of Nathan Rabin&#39;s My Year of Flops blog project, which dissects the appeal of this film far better than I could hope to. http://www.spout.com/blogs/go-ape/archive/2007/9/19/19932.aspx Post By: Go-Ape
Post To: Go-Ape Blog
Post Date: 9/19/2007 7:21:08 PM
Body: This film is a classic. It was a gem and then they remade it. I think remakes are a waste of time mostly anyway, but of all the films to choose to remake, why pick this one?This is an amazing film and whilst not being an outright horror, is in some ways horrifying. It has what must be one of the best endings in film history. I spent 3 months actaully studying this film for my A level Film class and to be honest, now it has become a fantastic joke between the people who were in that class. Despite how good it was, 3 months left it at a point of overkill and I can no longer manage to watch it in one sitting. But that is not because it is a bad film, merely that I have seen it too many times in too short a period of time and have had it tainted. This is a classic film and if you are thinking of seeing (or have seen the remake and know how bad it is), then please give this one a view as it is so much better.
]]>Wed, 19 Sep 2007 23:21:08 GMTGo-ApeGo-Ape Blog9/19/2007 7:21:08 PMThis film is a classic. It was a gem and then they remade it. I think remakes are a waste of time mostly anyway, but of all the films to choose to remake, why pick this one?This is an amazing film and whilst not being an outright horror, is in some ways horrifying. It has what must be one of the best endings in film history. I spent 3 months actaully studying this film for my A level Film class and to be honest, now it has become a fantastic joke between the people who were in that class. Despite how good it was, 3 months left it at a point of overkill and I can no longer manage to watch it in one sitting. But that is not because it is a bad film, merely that I have seen it too many times in too short a period of time and have had it tainted. This is a classic film and if you are thinking of seeing (or have seen the remake and know how bad it is), then please give this one a view as it is so much better. http://www.spout.com/blogs/demndiary/archive/2007/9/4/19362.aspx Post By: Demndiary
Post To: Demndiary Blog
Post Date: 9/4/2007 8:53:00 PM
Body: Claudia Llosa's Madeinusa is a dark and disturbing film. At first it seems like a coming of age film, but quickly reveals itself to be a dark horror film similar to The Wicker Man. The film opens around Madeinusa (Magaly Solier) and her younger sister Chale (Yiliana Chong). Their relationship is not a sibling rivalry. Chale truly hates Madeinusa, and barely hides it in her actions which become progressively worse throughout the film. Add to this equation is the incestuous father Cayo (Ubaldo Huaman), and the viewer is asked to wonder how this family and town have survived this long. It is only the addition of Salvador (Carlos De La Torre) that makes the violitile situation explosive. Next, the elements of isolation and a weird festival make Madeinusa feel otherworldly. The town is nestled in the Andes, and 3 days walk from anyplace. The location is beautiful with mountain peaks and lakes. The camera swallows these scenes without overwhelming. It can draw comparisons to House of Sand. The festival is disturbing by itself. Adultery, theft, and other debaucheries are common as a clock is paged through by one man. The festival begins once the crucified Jesus is removed from the cross and blindfolded. It is unsettling to say the least. Third, the performances and the direction are alive. Magaly Solier's Madeinusa is both naive of the world, and vaguely aware that everything is wrong at the same time. Her lack of social skills are reminiscent of Angela Bettis' May. Madeinusa's world is narrow and defined. Llosa's screenplay uses language to hide things. Many times it seems like the translation can't be right, only to be discovered in the next scene. Llosa brings the viewer to the nightmare and makes everyone guess if there is a resolution. Madeinusa is a beautiful little nightmare. It also hints that Llosa has parts of Stephen King and Clive Barker in her writing and future.
]]>Wed, 05 Sep 2007 00:53:00 GMTDemndiaryDemndiary Blog9/4/2007 8:53:00 PMClaudia Llosa&#39;s Madeinusa is a dark and disturbing film. At first it seems like a coming of age film, but quickly reveals itself to be a dark horror film similar to The Wicker Man. The film opens around Madeinusa (Magaly Solier) and her younger sister Chale (Yiliana Chong). Their relationship is not a sibling rivalry. Chale truly hates Madeinusa, and barely hides it in her actions which become progressively worse throughout the film. Add to this equation is the incestuous father Cayo (Ubaldo Huaman), and the viewer is asked to wonder how this family and town have survived this long. It is only the addition of Salvador (Carlos De La Torre) that makes the violitile situation explosive. Next, the elements of isolation and a weird festival make Madeinusa feel otherworldly. The town is nestled in the Andes, and 3 days walk from anyplace. The location is beautiful with mountain peaks and lakes. The camera swallows these scenes without overwhelming. It can draw comparisons to House of Sand. The festival is disturbing by itself. Adultery, theft, and other debaucheries are common as a clock is paged through by one man. The festival begins once the crucified Jesus is removed from the cross and blindfolded. It is unsettling to say the least. Third, the performances and the direction are alive. Magaly Solier&#39;s Madeinusa is both naive of the world, and vaguely aware that everything is wrong at the same time. Her lack of social skills are reminiscent of Angela Bettis&#39; May. Madeinusa&#39;s world is narrow and defined. Llosa&#39;s screenplay uses language to hide things. Many times it seems like the translation can&#39;t be right, only to be discovered in the next scene. Llosa brings the viewer to the nightmare and makes everyone guess if there is a resolution. Madeinusa is a beautiful little nightmare. It also hints that Llosa has parts of Stephen King and Clive Barker in her writing and future. http://www.spout.com/blogs/lacan/archive/2007/5/25/9329.aspx Post By: Lacan
Post To: Lacan Blog
Post Date: 5/25/2007 1:31:00 PM
Body: Several scenes in this movie make you curl your toes with discomfort, and the beautiful part is that you’re not sure why.It is obvious right away that there is just something peculiar about the towns’ folk. This peculiarity rollercoasters between the individual characters delving us into the erotic and the outright odd, until it crescendos in the final scene of the movie with a chilling clarity.translation ... I loved it.
]]>Fri, 25 May 2007 17:31:00 GMTLacanLacan Blog5/25/2007 1:31:00 PMSeveral scenes in this movie make you curl your toes with discomfort, and the beautiful part is that you&rsquo;re not sure why.It is obvious right away that there is just something peculiar about the towns&rsquo; folk. This peculiarity rollercoasters between the individual characters delving us into the erotic and the outright odd, until it crescendos in the final scene of the movie with a chilling clarity.translation ... I loved it. http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/murder/MemberTagFilms.aspxmurder
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