The Wicker Man (1973)

[Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 4,012
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Am watching this now on Sky so damm good one of my all time favourites. I can't understand why some people don't like it lol. Just a word of warning avoid the remake like the plauge! lol:eek:
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  • grimtales1grimtales1 Posts: 46,685
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    The 1973 Wicker Man is a classic, really good but I havent seen the remake.
    If I was Howie I would have boffed Britt Ekland straight away ;) :cool:
  • ZeusZeus Posts: 10,459
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    Yes superb film. I have the DVD which has both the shorter version and the longer version of the film. The latter has some nice additional material, such as the "Gently Johnny" song which i really liked.

    I wouldn't touch the remake with a bargepole. No disrespect to Nicholas Cage, if he's reading.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 4,012
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    Zeus wrote: »
    Yes superb film. I have the DVD which has both the shorter version and the longer version of the film. The latter has some nice additional material, such as the "Gently Johnny" song which i really liked.

    I wouldn't touch the remake with a bargepole. No disrespect to Nicholas Cage, if he's reading.
    Lol how cool would it be if he was a user on here lol but sadly I doubt it. Seeing Christoper Lee as Lord Summerisle and comparing it to him at the Baftas is pretty sad he looks very frail now. :cry:
  • U96U96 Posts: 13,937
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    TOONARMY12 wrote: »
    Lol how cool would it be if he was a user on here lol but sadly I doubt it. Seeing Christoper Lee as Lord Summerisle and comparing it to him at the Baftas is pretty sad he looks very frail now. :cry:

    :( Chris has had a very good innings.89 years old is very good in anyones book!.
    He's quoted as saying The Wicker Man is his favourite film ever.And i'm inclined to agree.
    Watching Britt in I'm A Celebrity last year.I kept on remembering her in the bedroom scene,tapping the walls.It doesn't get any better than that!.:o
    It's a really wierd film,you could never forget any of the scenes in it.I don't think i've ever seen anything that comes close to it's awesome strangeness.:cool:
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 3,481
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    U96 wrote: »
    :( Chris has had a very good innings.89 years old is very good in anyones book!.
    He's quoted as saying The Wicker Man is his favourite film ever.And i'm inclined to agree.
    Watching Britt in I'm A Celebrity last year.I kept on remembering her in the bedroom scene,tapping the walls.It doesn't get any better than that!.:o
    It's a really wierd film,you could never forget any of the scenes in it.I don't think i've ever seen anything that comes close to it's awesome strangeness.:cool:

    Perchance a body double was used?
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 3,481
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    Deleted double post...
  • ErythroleukosErythroleukos Posts: 1,118
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    The rear shots of her were a body double but the topless front view was all Britt
  • richie4evarichie4eva Posts: 217,838
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    Twist ending doesn't fail to shock even to this day

    Howie was just too blind to see what was happening around him and trying to put across his self righteous attitude ultimately led to his downfall

    He fell into the trap like an amateur and was barbecued
  • VoodooChicVoodooChic Posts: 9,863
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    A classic film chopped to pieces for years - the extended cut still has some scenes missing believed lost forever (buried under the M1??) - the extra scenes are from an inferior videotape found years later. My biggest film wish is for the complete version to be found.
  • grimtales1grimtales1 Posts: 46,685
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    The rear shots of her were a body double but the topless front view was all Britt

    Wasn't her Scots accent also dubbed?
  • Terrence ChantTerrence Chant Posts: 1,331,378
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    ^ Yup!
    The rear shots of her were a body double but the topless front view was all Britt

    She was also in the early stages of pregnancy when it was filmed :)
  • RorschachRorschach Posts: 10,818
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    grimtales1 wrote: »
    If I was Howie I would have boffed Britt Ekland straight away ;) :cool:
    And thus you would have been safe, and the islanders would have gone "Bugger, now what?". :p
  • ironjadeironjade Posts: 10,001
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    I know it's heresy but the cut version makes it more of a mystery and I think it's much better. The first time I saw it I had no idea how it was going to end.
  • QWERTYOPQWERTYOP Posts: 6,878
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    Nothing quite like it. Spooky, weird, just plain odd, chilling...
  • mistygalmistygal Posts: 8,308
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    I did not know there was a short and long version. I don't know which one I have then on DVD or whch one I watched originally on Sky. I can say it is the early one though lol
    I agree the remake was rubbish.
    Can anyone explain the short to longer version please? I don't mean running time either lol
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 9,342
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    Love the original, haven't seen the remake and don't intend to, but I've seen the scene where Nic Cage punches out a women while wearing a bear costume
  • ZeusZeus Posts: 10,459
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    earsnot wrote: »
    Love the original, haven't seen the remake and don't intend to, but I've seen the scene where Nic Cage punches out a women while wearing a bear costume

    Apparently Cage and the Bear Costume were nominated for the Best On Screen Couple Award at the Razzies.
  • ZeusZeus Posts: 10,459
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    Also apparently there is a "spiritual sequel" coming out later this year, The Wicker Tree, directed by Robin Hardy (director of the original) and featuring Sir Christopher Lee.
  • NP73NP73 Posts: 258
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    grimtales1 wrote: »
    Wasn't her Scots accent also dubbed?

    I think it was only when she sung it was dubbed. By one of the girls in the schoolroom scene, I think, possibly the one with the beetle.
  • mllfapmllfap Posts: 528
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    mistygal wrote: »
    I did not know there was a short and long version. I don't know which one I have then on DVD or whch one I watched originally on Sky. I can say it is the early one though lol
    I agree the remake was rubbish.
    Can anyone explain the short to longer version please? I don't mean running time either lol

    The film was cut without the film makers knowledge by its new owners before it was released as they didn't know what to do with it so they made it shorter to use it as the second half of a double feature.

    The short version makes it appear as if Howie was there for one night but the long version makes him stay an extra night and for this to be achieved not only were cuts made but some of the remaining scenes had their order changed.

    Forgotten by its legal owners the film appeared on tv in the late 70's / early 80's in its cinema version on ITV.
    It also found a new audience when Thorn EMI released it on video around 1982.

    As it gained popularity people became aware that the full version was lost and the search was on.
    Roger Corman had licenced the film for its US release but by the time its popularity had reached cult status the only surviving version of the complete film was on a low band NTSC video recording.

    BBC were first to show a longer version and the Moviedrome broadcast in the mid 90's restored some footage but IIRC the pre-credits scenes in the police station were still missing- the BBC version was definitely still a few minutes short.
    There was a small animated face that appeared at the end of the closing credits of the Moviedrome version and I've not seen that shot again anywhere not even on the dvd.

    All the dvd releases have included both versions but the footage exclusive to the long version is easily spotted by the big drop in quality.

    A Bluray release was announced a couple of years ago but its never happened.
    As the UK release would be from Optimum who are not known for the best releases on the format we can hope a US company gets there first.
  • mllfapmllfap Posts: 528
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    NP73 wrote: »
    I think it was only when she sung it was dubbed. By one of the girls in the schoolroom scene, I think, possibly the one with the beetle.

    Ekland was dubbed for the whole film
  • SteelEdgeSteelEdge Posts: 6,903
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    The remake is absolutely hilarious!!! One of the most unintentionally funny films of all time. I always try and catch it whenever it's on tv :D
  • RadiomaniacRadiomaniac Posts: 43,510
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    One of my favourite films ever and my favourite horror ever - and starring my absolute screen idol - Sir Christopher Lee. Also Edward Woodward, he was another of my favourites, sadly gone.

    This film couldn't be bettered whoever remade it, or whoever were in the lead roles - it's a classic.

    I love the music throughout too.

    If I had been on the island, I think I'd have been one of Lord Summerisle's devotees too! :D
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 3,481
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    A friend of mine was an extra in this... played a corpse :D
  • rfonzorfonzo Posts: 11,771
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    grimtales1 wrote: »
    The 1973 Wicker Man is a classic, really good but I havent seen the remake.
    If I was Howie I would have boffed Britt Ekland straight away ;) :cool:

    It is a decent film that puts another perspective on horror and religion.
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