Back ‘round 1973, filmmaker Robin Hardy unleashed the ultimate folk horror banger, The Wicker Man.
If you’re not familiar (and you absolutely should be), The Wicker Man concerns a police Sergeant who travels to a remote Scottish island to investigate the case of a missing child. Once there he discovers the strange pagan rituals of the locals and their magistrate, Lord Summerisle (portrayed by legendary Hammer Dracula Christopher Lee) and the horror of what they are getting up to!
It also inspired a killer Iron Maiden song and that absolutely batshit Nicholas Cage starring remake…
That leads us to the documentary Children Of The Wicker Man.
Created by Justin and Dominic, two of Hardy’s eight children, Children Of The Wicker Man takes an incredibly intimate dive into the personal hell the creation of The Wicker Man became.
As the brothers delve into their father’s documentation concerning The Wicker Man’s production, as well as speaking to many involved in said production, we travel a dark road as Hardy struggles against constant financial strain and producer woes that basically killed any chances of box office success upon release.
All of that obviously took a toll on the man, and eventually ripped the family asunder.
As the film plays out, we see first hand the devastating aftermath of Hardy’s film obsession and subsequent abandonment of his family as the brothers attempt to come to terms with the man Hardy had become.
All isn’t dire however as there is emotional growth, and the positive impact of the film’s place in fright flick history is explored… and, while the subject matter shows the disastrous, desperate side of independent film-making, it’s presented in a visually dynamic manner with cool animation to enhance the tales told.
Adding to the wealth of info available on this release is the inclusion of an audio interview with the Hardy brothers and Producer Chris Nunn (moderated by Severin’s David Gregory, a fright flick documentarian in his own right), a Q&A featuring the Hardys, Nunn and Producer Alison Palmer, and a “making of” featurette.
Also included is Children Of The Wicker Man’s trailer.
Children Of The Wicker Man is a raw look into the often ruinous nature of creativity that manages to engage the viewer’s humanity while puling back the curtain on a horror classic.
