The Moment The Wicker Man Flips Genres | Viewer Obsession Advised 

That makes so much more sense! Thank you so much for that tidbit. If anybody knows where to find a copy or where to stream, I’d be grateful!

That's rad, I love little facts like that. I can pretend I'm smart at parties.

Great point! I never thought of that, but I think you're absolutely right! Re the versions, slight correction- the first restoration (the one today called the Final Cut as it was released on DVD under said title in 2013, but which used to be referred to as the "Middle Version") took place in 1977, not the 90s. I think you're confusing it with the Long Version (aka "Director's Cut"), which was originally a bootleg version poorly transcribed onto video sometime in the 80s from extra footage found in Roger Corman's collection that was either yet to be discovered during the original 1977 restoration, or rejected by Robin Hardy when compiling it. This version, which did the rounds among film nerds in the US for years but was next to impossible to locate in the UK, finally got an official release in 2001, and is the version most purists prefer today. It contains about 7 extra minutes of footage compared to the Final Cut (and about 12 extra minutes of footage than the Theatrical Cut), most notably several scenes on the mainland before Howie sets off for Summerisle as well as extended versions of many of the songs, including The Landlord's Daughter, The Tinker of Rye and Willow's Song. There's also long been rumours of a mythical 103 minute version bootleg VHS version (the current Long Version runs at 99 mins), which I've tried- unsuccessfully- to track down or even verify the existence of for years... Even though most WM fans prefer either the Final Cut (Middle Version) or the Director's Cut (Long Version), personally I've always preferred the Theatrical Cut (Short Version) myself. The main reason I don't like the Middle Version because it omits the "The producers would like to thank the Lord Summerisle" opening caption, opting instead for a slow zoom towards a picture of Nuada the Sun God. However, I also think the movie works best starting with Howie's journey towards Summerisle- the scenes on the mainland present in the Long Version are largely unnecessary (Robin Hardy himself agreed with me on this, hence why they were mostly taken out of the Final Cut), and I'm also not a fan of the Middle Version opening on Howie's sermon in the church, it establishes exactly who he is and what he represents too early on rather than letting us discover it more organically from his reaction to the villagers. The only thing I really don't like about the Short Version is the omission of the Gently Johnny scene, when Lord Summerisle is first introduced (the scene with Paul Giovanni, the snails and the Walt Whitman poem, when Ash Buchanan is introduced to Willow by Summerisle). But, having said that, I've always preferred the impact of meeting Lord Summerisle for the first time when Howie goes up to his castle ("I trust the sight of the young people refreshes you"), which is greatly reduced by having him appear earlier in the film, so at least the omission of such a great scene ended up serving a purpose. I own copies of all three cuts (the Short Version on DVD and bootleg copies of the Middle and Long versions on my computer), and as soon as I get around to transferring my DVD copy of the Short Version to digital I plan to edit my own "Final Cut", because honestly I'm kind of annoyed that one of my all-time favourite films doesn't exist in a version I find to be fully satisfactory.

@@JuriAmari probably the easiest way to get it for free is to go onto the blog of this guy called Adam Milazzo, he did a pretty good job restoring the movie a couple of years ago by incorporating various elements of the Final and Director's cuts into one final supercut which includes pretty much all of the extra footage, including the mainland scenes and extended songs, and he published this fan version on his blog with an option for free download. Idk if it's still available (I downloaded a copy myself back when he first published it), but if it is just google "Adam Milazzo Wicker Man" and I'm sure you'll find it easily...

@@JuriAmari idk why my comment answering your question just got shadowbanned lol. Anyway, long story short just google "Adam Milazzo Wicker Man" and you'll find it😊

OH MY GOD YES!!!! I just recently rewatched it and had completely forgotten about that aspect of the film, which honestly makes it even better for multiple viewings over long periods of time.

the book by ryu murakami is rlly good

Thank you! I had to contend with the "sentinels" in order to keep that part in. I'm thankful it was able to stay in the final cut.

Interesting! Have a recommendation for one to check out?

@@jimjones6901 The Gift of the Magi is a good place to start, but there are many short stories to choose from. The man was prolific.

Such a classic.

My teenage punk band "Chump Change" did entire concept album based on "They Live" in 2007 it's one of the few things I'm truly proud of.

@@williamdixon-gk2sk Is it online anywhere?

​@crowhillian58 there is live versions of us playing it (in its entirety at shows) but I'll will re-upload the studio version (that was lost on an old account) today if you promise to maybe listen to half of it.

Interesting that you don't like The World's End, because it was also my least favourite of the Cornetto Trilogy for years, and unlike the others which I'd seen probably 30 times each I'd only ever watched it once. I finally rewatched it after Netflix started hosting it, and I think it may now be my favourite thing Wright's ever done. The level of detail, characterisation and foreshadowing is absolutely incredible, you could literally watch it 100 times and still be picking up brand new references. Seriously, give it a second chance sometime, you might be very surprised by how good it actually is (I know I was).

You can tell it is so bc he says "paganist" instead of the real fucking word, pagan. See, paganist gets a red line under it. It's just a pretentious way to indicate someone is smarter than you.

LOL Edward was in both of those films.

Yeah, I'm pretty sure getting Edward Woodward to play one of the villagers was a pretty deliberate reference hahaha

Agreed.

​@jonahizyk great work bro! Stay up.

@@williamdixon-gk2sk I appreciate it, man. 🙏

@whipper4 It's not missing; two different versions of the film are available - longer or shorter. The shorter one was the cinema release and is better.

Just as a matter of interest, if you type in (Christopher Lee talks about the wickerman), he explains about the 20mins missing.

@@randomuser-xc2wr What's that got to do with anything?

I never knew that he was so engrossed in it, I just heard him saying that nothing good can come of it . He says the wickerman isn't a horror movie, but when there's completely incoherent people everywhere that want to kill you, then I'd consider it a horror movie

It's a great movie with a great soundtrack

It could also be the idea that older people didn't like the new and "free hippie" mentality that was coming along in the late 60's. Howie is the older generation scoffing and being disgusted and Lord Summerisle is the older but trying to he hip guy desperate to fit in with the younger generation. Like that really cool older camp counselor that let you smoke weed when you were 13

THEY ARE IN MY EYES!!! (Chin fulls of bees)

@@tsukishiro70 Indeed! I used black and white as an artistic choice (coloring parts of the film that came prior to our point of entry) and also as copyright claim deterrent.

Just learned about the Terry Gilliam - Sid Sheinberg feud. Sid hated the film and wanted changes, and then refused to release the film when Gilliam refused to make changes. Luckily, Gilliam won, and his cut of Brazil is a masterpiece.

@@comsunjava The fact is that for films, the people who talk about art, are the minority. Executives are usually more right than wrong. Brazil bombed, as did its successor Baron Munchausen. Studios are there to make money, not art.

By Hardy? Not yet! But the synopsis sounds fascinating. I've read Ritual twice, though that story is quite different from the film it inspired. I'd be interested to find out how Hardy expands on Sergeant Howie.

@@jonahizyk I’m guessing it’s a one off among film novelisations, as it’s written by the filmmakers themselves. It delivers the same exact beats as the film but much expanded. If it had been a stand alone novel I believe it would have been a classic; a meditation on religion and how one person’s belief system is another’s nightmare.

Interestingly there actually was a sequel, The Loathsome Lambton Worm. It's revealed that Howie was actually rescued from the wicker man by his fellow police officers who came to track him down, and then goes on a mystical, acid-fuelled journey to fight the Old Gods that ends up with him battling the titular Worm, before plunging to his death off a cliff. Of course, it was (fortunately) never actually filmed, although the original screenplay can still be found online, and has even been turned into an audio play. And then of course there's the spiritual successor The Wicker Tree, directed by original WM director Robin Hardy and featuring Christopher Lee in (probably) a Lord Summerisle cameo (I wouldn't bother watching it though, it's absolutely terrible, doesn't even have the meme value of the Nic Cage remake- "not the bees!"). Not to mention the (also unmade) conclusion to the "Wicker Man Trilogy", The Wrath of the Gods, which Robin Hardy was attempting to crowdfund at the time of his death.

Sometimes I speak out of my own beliefs. Sometimes I speak in the language of the film I am presenting. I suppose it's up to the viewer to determine which is which.

@@jonahizykWell said.

I think that's what Midsomer explores in-depth -- this concept of empathy, belonging, and community. Sometimes the community we align ourselves with can be dangerous.

When the police are coming after your community, then nine times out of ten the threat is communism.