The original Wicker Man doesn’t have bees, but we wouldn’t have the bokners Nicolas Cage meme remake without it. Now on 4K UHD for the first time, fans can experience a stellar version of the original classic.
The 4K transfer has maintained the ‘70s film tint, but sharpened and cleared it up considerably. Primary colors shine in The Wicker Man, from the red and blue of the dingy that takes Edward Woodward to shore, to the red ribbons and the multicolored costumes in the climactic ceremony.
Interestingly, green grass and trees are muted by comparison, but it’s the cult colors that should stand out. There are a few night scenes that achieve pitch black in 4K. More notably, Woodward’s attempted escape through a dark cave is deep black.
Nearly 2 hours of bonus features lets you explore The Wicker Man further. A feature on the locations revisits them in HD, not 4K, and also includes a section on Britt Ekland’s butt double.
A 50 year anniversary feature speaks to critics and fans. “Worshiping The Wicker Man” has filmmakers reflect on the impact of the film, including Peter Jackson and Eli Roth.
The original ending reveals a speech Christopher Lee would have given. Tim Plester performs it wonderfully, though he agrees it’s all exposition, explaining how the island set up the protagonist, which is clear without this speech.
In a new interview, Ekland dispels rumors of drunkenness, shares memories of her costars and the wicker man scene. A set of black and white stills show a cherry picker raising up to the wicker man, and another mechanism pulling the plane in.
A feature on the music goes into both the recording of the songs and the restoration of the soundtrack. Robin Hardy in 2013 tells stories from the location shot with locals behind the scenes, talks about the cast and more about Ekland’s body double.
From a 1979 interview on the talk show Critics Choice, Hardy and Lee speak about the production and themes of the film, as in the moment it took everyone by surprise.