The original British horror film The Wicker Man was released in 1973.
Directed by Robin Hardy, the film follows Police Sergeant Neil Howie, played by Edward Woodward, as he travels to the remote Scottish island of Summerisle to investigate a missing girl. The islanders practice a form of pagan folk religion that conflicts sharply with Howie’s strict Christian beliefs.
Christopher Lee plays Lord Summerisle, the island’s aristocratic leader, while Britt Ekland, Diane Cilento, Ingrid Pitt, and Lindsay Kemp appear in important roles. The film’s use of folk songs, dances, and seasonal rituals gives it a distinctive musical and cultural atmosphere.
The Wicker Man was initially distributed in several cuts, and its difficult release history contributed to confusion about the film’s versions. It later gained major critical status and is now widely regarded as a landmark of British folk horror.