movie reviews the wicker man 1973

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The Wicker Man

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Watch The Wicker Man with a subscription on Prime Video, rent on Fandango at Home, or buy on Fandango at Home.

What to Know

This intelligent horror film is subtle in its thrills and chills, with an ending that is both shocking and truly memorable.

Critics Reviews

Audience reviews, cast & crew.

Robin Hardy

Edward Woodward

Sergeant Neil Howie

Christopher Lee

Lord Summerisle

Britt Ekland

Diane Cilento

Lindsay Kemp

Alder MacGreagor

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Tv/streaming, collections, great movies, chaz's journal, contributors, "the wicker man": the cut may be final, but the film is still incomplete.

The news was posted to my Facebook wall through links to articles in Badass Digest and shocktilyoudrop.com . "Restored Cut of 'The Wicker Man' is Coming to the U.S.!" so much hypertext informed me. A 35-minute "release print" had been discovered in the Harvard Film Archive of all places. Upon seeing it, director Robin Hardy anointed it as "the final cut." A digital restoration was going to hit the big city art houses in September and October, with a gorgeous Blu-ray release to follow.

The news sounded too good to be true, because we'd been down this road before with "The Wicker Man," a film whose video releases are just as arcane and complicated as the 1973 pagan horror film itself. There were three different edits of "The Wicker Man" floating around the home video market in the 1980s, but 102-minute version, the longest, was by far the most coveted, mostly because it was the only one where everything set up in the film's prologue is tied up neatly in its conclusion, giving "The Wicker Man" a quirky kind of symmetry. The 102-minute cut was also the only one that really made any sense at all.

So when I found out that Videoscope in Palo Alto, CA (or maybe it was Mountain View), had the 102-minute version, I meticulously copied it tape-to-tape on the two-hour speed to ensure maximum quality before returning it. This was back when I was happy to cram "The Slime People" (1963), "It Came from Beneath the Sea" (1955), "Yog Monster from Space" (1970) and "Fiend Without a Face" (1958) all onto one cheapie Kodak videocassette on the crappier six-hour speed, picture quality be damned.

While that tape with "The Slime People" et al had long since gone into the dumpster, I kept that copy of "The Wicker Man" through several moves as if it were some runic script on a piece of old parchment that had to be passed down from generation-to-generation. As VHS gave way to DVD, there were a few special editions of "The Wicker Man," but all of them—even the 2-disc set from the reputable Anchor Bay—fell far short of the the version that I had preserved on a hand labeled videocassette.

Unfortunately, this newly restored version that's making its way through a limited theatrical release right now is just 92-minutes long, dashing my hopes that I could retire that old home-recorded tape. In his Salon.com review of the new print of "The Wicker Man," Andrew O'Hehir paraphrases director Robin Hardy to assure us that most of the missing 10-minutes contain "irrelevant back-story scenes on the mainland" and "an extended conversation on the cultivation of apples."

"It fulfills my vision," the 83-year-old Hardy said in a press release quoted in O'Hehir's piece and just about every other article on this new, but still truncated version.

I might be about to engage in spoilers here as I describe what's missing, but I'm not sure I can spoil scenes that are no longer there. In one of the missing scenes, the stern Sgt. Howie (Edward Woodward), who is engaged to be married, walks in on two of his fellow officers gossiping about him. "In two years, he (Howie) hasn't so much as tickled her fancy," one of the officers says about the engaged couple. "He's keeping himself pure for the wedding night."

"When those two are married, she'll spend more time on her knees in church than on her back in bed," the other officer says just as Howie walks in.

Without this scene, there's really no reason to assume that Sgt. Howie isn't locked in some loveless marriage back on the Scottish mainland like other Christian men of his age and time. When Howie's virginity is mentioned later in the film (a key detail), we have to take Christopher Lee 's word for it, instead of hearing this from the people who knew and worked with the character. Having Howie put-upon by his own men, while emasculating, also makes his character a much more sympathetic figure, even with his rigidity.

That lengthened conversation on apples that is also missing might sound inane if you haven't seen it played out, but the confrontation between Sgt. Howie and Lord Summerisle (Lee) is plenty tense in the version that I have. And the apples, as silly as they may seem, are why the events in the movie are a major part of Howie's investigation, and the main reason the pagans have called Howie to Summerisle in the first place. Also, any extra inanity just adds to the film's overall phantasmagorical weirdness. I mean, this is a film where Christopher Lee spouts odd Pagan poetry over lovingly photographed snails intertwined in the act of mating. And yes, those snails, like the talk of apples, are there for well-calculated reasons.

Perhaps Hardy's vision isn't the one we should ultimately be concerned with here. The film's opening titles read "Anthony Schaffer's The Wicker Man" in one of the rare instances where the screenwriter is given ownership of a film over its director. In 1972, Schaffer had adapted his play "Sleuth" for a screen version with Laurence Olivier and Michael Caine , and he wrote the screenplay for Hitchcock's only R-rated film, " Frenzy ." By the time Schaffer came to "The Wicker Man" a year later, he had enough clout to get his name above the title. While Schaffer is no longer around to oversee new edits of his film (he passed away in 2001), we can only assume that he meant for the dialogue he wrote to be there.

Despite my crushing disappointment at yet another incomplete cut of "The Wicker Man" being foisted on the public as somehow being complete, I can't fault the 83-year-old Hardy for getting behind what may be the best, most complete cut of his film he'll see in his lifetime. For Hardy, "The Wicker Man" has always been a towering achievement cast in a shadow of inadequacy; first from the film's own distributors who wanted to bury it (maybe even literally), and then from fans like me who keep insisting Hardy give us more than what can be excavated from archives. How some fly-by-night outfit such as Magnum Entertainment got their hands on the 102-minute print in the 1980s, and what they did with it, remain a mystery.

Bob Calhoun is a former wrestler, ring announcer and peep show barker. In his latest book, "Shattering Conventions: Commerce, Cosplay and Conflict on the Expo Floor," he explores the temporary worlds created in comic-cons, " Star Trek " cons, conspiracy cons, hemp expos, gun shows and rodeos.

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The wicker man (1973).

• Parents say (4)
• Kids say (8)

Based on 4 parent reviews

Well-made movie, lots of suspense.

This title has:

• Great role models
• Too much sex

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Don’t watch this movie, drama, not horror..

The Wicker Man Review

01 Sep 2006

NaN minutes

Wicker Man, The

After ignoring the protests against the whole idea of rehashing a classic, a filmmaker unlucky or arrogant enough to proceed with the project faces a damned-if-you-do, damned-if-you-don’t situation. Stay close to the original (most excessively in Gus Van Sant’s Psycho), and what was the point of doing it all again? Change things the first film was praised for (cf: the Stephen King-approved TV version of The Shining), then you get reviews which list every instance in which the old movie was better.

Neil La Bute – losing a lot of credibility with this, his first ostensibly commercial project – wavers between both approaches, and muffs the moments lifted exactly from Robin Hardy’s well-remembered 1973 Wicker Man while fumbling equally with mostly silly new or altered material. The first hurdle of doing The Wicker Man anew (as with Psycho) is that it’s a story built around its twist ending, and even people who haven’t seen the original know it’s the one in which Edward Woodward winds up burned to death inside a giant wicker man. It would be cop-out hokery of the worst kind (remember the remakes of The Vanishing and Diabolique?) to tack on a happy ending, so the biggest suspense in this thrill-free thriller come from wondering whether LaBute will go that far to ruin the climax.

In transferring the story from an island off the coast of Scotland to one off the coast of Washington State, LaBute – who has written convincingly about misogyny, Mormonism and simmering violence in previous films – ditches all the meticulously-researched Paganism and makes up his own loony cult of bee-imitating witch women, complete with lobotomised menfolk. Fine actresses on hiatus from TV shows (Molly Parker, Frances Conroy) or still waiting for their careers to take off (Kate Beahan, Leelee Sobieski) trail around enigmatically but without a hint of the sexiness of the 1973 film, before Ellen Burstyn (in the old Christopher Lee role) takes centre-screen as a deadly diva who gets stuck with terrible speeches and a Star Trek-look half-woad make-up job.

The religious angle, which pit Christian copper Woodward against seductive but evil Pagans, is dropped in favour of a kind of Fathers for Justice nightmare as good guy Cage tries to rescue a kid who turns out to be his own daughter (ie ‘this time, it’s personal’) from a pack of women he sometimes takes delight in punching out.

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Wicker Man, The (United Kingdom, 1973)

The Wicker Man is an early '70s British export that criss-crosses genres as easily as it confounds audience expectations. A film that defies categorization, The Wicker Man can be considered to be a horror film, a psychological thriller, a musical, or a melodrama. In reality, since it includes elements of each of those types, it literally has something for just about everyone. And, because there's a richness and intelligence to the story that leads to an unexpected climax, few viewers leave The Wicker Man unshaken. This is one of those motion pictures whose final images stay with audience members, haunting their steps after the end credits have rolled.

The Wicker Man has a behind-the-scenes stories that is almost as compelling as what happens on screen. Like the Little Engine That Could, it has seemingly defied the odds, surviving despite a conspiracy by fate and chance to efface it from cinematic history. Overseen by producer Peter Snell, the film went into production under the auspices of British Lion Film Corporation. A change in upper management at the company led to Snell's removal, and, when the new regime decided that The Wicker Man was unlikely to bring in much money at the box office, the movie was consigned to virtual oblivion. Director Robin Hardy's 100-minute version had about 12 minutes trimmed and the result ended up playing as part of a double bill with Nicholas Roeg's Don't Look Now . To add insult to injury, the master negative was lost when it was inadvertently included in a shipment of disposable material buried beneath the under-construction M3 freeway. Somehow, however, The Wicker Man has survived, in large part due to the dogged persistence of actor Christopher Lee (who names it as the best film he ever appeared in) and the aid of Roger Corman (who ended up with the only complete copy of the film in his possession). In fact, over the years, The Wicker Man has developed a cult following and the title appeared on the BFI's list of the 100 Best British Film list.

Two versions are currently available on home video. Each has its pluses and minuses. For completists, there is an "Extended Version", which re-creates Hardy's original cut by using material from Corman's copy to supplement the theatrical version. The resulting product is of variable visual quality, with the deleted scenes showing signs of degradation, and the overall sound quality being murky. The "Theatrical Version" is much better in terms of audio and visual clarity, but it is missing the 12 minutes of footage. That's not all bad - while some of the cut scenes are useful in terms of character building, nothing critical has been eliminated.

The Wicker Man was written by Anthony Shaffer ( Sleuth ), who penned the screenplay because he wanted to script a horror movie that was devoid of the blood and gore that characterized films of the genre. To complete the illusion that this was a "horror" movie, director Hardy and producer Snell recruited a pair of Hammer icons - Christopher Lee and Ingrid Pitt (rumor has it that Peter Cushing was approached to play the lead, but was unable to do so due to scheduling conflicts), who are cast against type - Lee does not have fangs and actually sings, and Pitt has little more than a forgettable supporting role. In fact, however, while there are horrific elements in The Wicker Man , those expecting something in the vein of Hammer films are likely to be disappointed. The movie is chilling, but bloodless.

Edward Woodward, an actor who, despite a long career in British TV and film, will probably be best remembered in North America for his series "The Equalizer", has the lead role of Sergeant Howie, a humorless policeman whose devout religious views cause him to look dimly upon any kind of heathen activity. When Howie receives an anonymous letter informing him that a young girl is missing on the remote Scottish island of Summerisle, he flies out to investigate. What he discovers shocks him - a community of pagans who worship the old Celtic gods and have rejected Christianity. In the schools, children are taught to venerate the male genitalia. At night, outside of the pub, couples copulate openly. The leader of the island, Lord Summerisle (Christopher Lee), explains to Howie that the citizens of the island are not irreligious - they just worship different gods. And Howie's faith comes under assault when Willow (Britt Ekland), the sensual daughter of the local innkeeper, offers herself to him. But, under it all, there is the mystery of the missing girl, and, as Howie uncovers clues, he begins to suspect a terrifying possibility. At first, everyone in Summerisle denies that she ever existed. Then, they claim that she has not died, but has been transformed into a spiritual being. But, based on evidence the townspeople attempt to hide from him, Howie comes to believe that the girl may not yet be dead, but may be the intended human sacrifice at a May Day celebration.

The Wicker Man places us in Howie's shoes, although his dour disposition and puritanical outlook on life makes it difficult to sympathize with him entirely. He sees the men and woman of Summerisle as monstrous heathens; we view them a little less judgmentally (at least initially). But, like Howie, we suspect that there's something rotten at the core of the community, and, also like the dauntless police officer, we don't figure out what it is until it's far, far too late. The brilliance of the writing is such that we don't seen the twist coming until it's nearly upon us. And that's when The Wicker Man 's uneasy undertow turns into a riptide of roiling dread.

Yet, although the movie utilizes horror staples and adopts the whodunnit? format, it works equally well as a cautionary melodrama. The film warns of the consequences of religious zeal. Initially, we see Howie as the representative of uncompromising faith, but that's only until we realize the lengths to which the residents of Summerisle are willing to go to appease their gods. A philosopher once said that religion is the root of all great good and great evil. The Wicker Man illustrates that often the only thing that differentiates one from the other is point-of-view. In the wake of events of September 11, 2001, The Wicker Man gains a relevance it has not had in its previous 28 years of existence.

Strangely enough, The Wicker Man also contains elements of a musical. Music was very important to the Celts and their Druid priests, and there are at least three occasions in which Hardy elects to move the story along through song rather than dialogue. The most memorable of these occurs when a naked Britt Ekland dances seductively in her room, trying to ensnare Howie in her web. In all, there are about five musical numbers (including one that was excised from the theatrical version but remains intact in the extended director's cut). The songs are not the kind of ditties that viewers are likely to be humming as they leave the theater - Paul Giovanni's compositions are a little eerie and fit the picture's overall atmosphere.

The acting is of a high caliber. Edward Woodward (playing the part reportedly offered to Cushing) inspires confidence as Howie. He's no Sherlock Holmes, but we are convinced that his dogged persistence will get him to the bottom of matters. We feel safe identifying with him, because he has the power of righteousness on his side. Christopher Lee oozes an oily charisma. Perhaps its his close association with the likes of Dracula and Frankenstein's monster, but there's something about his easy smile and baritone voice that we don't entirely trust. Britt Ekland is stunning and sexy, which is all her role really requires. Diane Cilento plays a school teacher and Ingrid Pitt is the local librarian.

Woodward's approach to the final scenes is critical to their being as unsettling as they are. His broken cry of "Oh my God!" is unnerving. Hardy's meticulous approach to filming the final scenes leaves us more than a little shaken and disturbed. By a combination of careful planning and happenstance, he chooses all the right shots to send The Wicker Man out with a bang. The story is told, although there are questions than linger. (Who, for example, wouldn't like to revisit Summerisle the following autumn to see what the harvest is like?)

Like many of the best horror/thrillers, The Wicker Man works because it surprises audiences, relying on carefully-nurtured suspense rather than cheap, theatrical shocks. With impressive set design and an attention to accurate historical detail, the film asks questions and ponders issues - traits not normally ascribed to pictures of this genre. While it's a shame that The Wicker Man 's sad production history has relegated it to relative obscurity, it's somewhat of a miracle that the film survived at all. Now, whether in the "Extended Version" or the "Theatrical Version", it's well worth spending an evening watching.

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The Wicker Man (1973)

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Your Favorite A24 Horror Films Wouldn’t Exist Without This Folk Horror Trilogy

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The Big Picture

• A24 and Neon have redefined horror with arthouse sensibilities, favoring slow-burn narratives and deeper metaphors over jump scares.
• The folk horror subgenre, epitomized by The Wicker Man , The Blood on Satan's Claw , and Witchfinder General , influenced modern horror pacing.
• Cinematography in folk horror films like The Witch and Midsommar prioritize wide shots to emphasize nature and create an eerie realism.

In these past few years, the horror genre has undoubtedly been ruled by production companies like A24 and Neon. A24 hits like Hereditary , The Witch , and Midsommar have proven that arthouse horror can be successful in mainstream cinema , and that more artistic and experimental sensibilities can be appreciated by the general zeitgeist instead of CGI demons and cheap jump scares. Slow-burning narratives, thoughtful cinematography, practical effects , and deeper metaphors are all things now commonly seen. However, these movies cannot be truly appreciated without taking a look at where a lot of their traits originate from.

In the late 1960s and early '70s in England, the folk horror subgenre was all the rage . The horror of the time was partially defined by creepy countrysides, pagan rituals, human sacrifices, and the terror of the "old ways" being brought back to modern times. The success of this era is thanks to three seminal films dubbed the "unholy trinity": The Wicker Man (1973 version, sorry Nick Cage!), The Blood on Satan's Claw , and Witchfinder General . While not actually connected via any sort of narrative or production team, this spiritual trilogy of terrifying classics not only paved the way for folk horror , but also for modern arthouse horror overall.

Ari Aster, 'The Wicker Man,' and The Pacing of Horror

Ari Aster's Midsommar was the follow-up to his exceedingly disturbing debut, Hereditary , and despite their varying deeper meanings, they both share a lot of similar narrative qualities. This is mainly because of their slow-building dread. Neither film is too quick to get to the meat of their horror, keeping their stories on burn and turning up the heat slowly until their respectively brutal endings. The movies work like quiet dramas, building the tension ever so slowly and making the dread all the scarier. This is not too different from the pacing of The Wicker Man .

The Wicker Man follows Sergeant Howie ( Edward Woodward ), an English Police Officer, who is called to the Scottish Island of Summerisle to investigate the disappearance of Rowarn Morrison, a young girl. The devout Catholic finds himself over his head, though, as the islanders are revealed to be ritualistic Pagan Cultists who just may be plotting a human sacrifice. The film has been described as one of the greatest horror films of all time, and this is very much in part due to its patience . The movie has a lot of creepy moments, yes, but there are no death scenes until Howie's climactic sacrifice at the very end. It is a slow build and grows all the more suspenseful while watching. This eerily slow pacing allows the tension to grow, and the longer Howie is on the island the more threat begins to surround him. Not only is this sun-drenched nightmare of a movie aesthetically an influence on folk horror like Midsommar, but this type of pacing is seen in many successful arthouse horror films today. The Witch and Saint Maud are also both films that choose slow-building terror as opposed to quick scares left and right. This serves to show how The Wicker Man has shaped the horror genre for the A24 generation.

The Look of Folk and Arthouse Horror

When someone imagines a folk horror film , they probably have a very clear image of what said movie would look like. The genre is defined by extreme and regular wide shots, usually shot to emphasize the natural setting of the story. These types of shots are typically paired with either an extremely bleak palate or a very colorful one. There is not a lot of in-between. This is in part thanks to Witchfinder General and The Blood on Satan's Claw . These two movies feature stellar cinematography and color-grading. Their wide shots of British landscapes helped define the folk horror of the era and create a sense of realism, and their color palates help zero in the movies' focus on the cycles of nature, burial and death. The Blood on Satan's Claw also features a lot of shots from the ground up towards the characters. This gives the audience the impression that they are watching from the perspective of the Earth itself. Cinematography like this has not just inspired folk horror to this day, but arthouse horror as a whole .

The Witch was one of the key films in the modern boom of arthouse horror , and it has an incredibly similar appearance to Satan's Claw and Witchfinder . They are all highlighted by their bleak palates and realistic wide shots of nature, showing a clear pipeline of inspiration. Midsommar is also defined by wide shots. Yet again, though, the inspiration does not just stop at folk horror. These types of wide shots are also seen in Hereditary, The Killing of a Sacred Deer, and many other A24 horror films. Clearly, the almost painting-style realism is given a lot of attention, helping add this key aspect to the modern interpretation of the genre.

'The Wicker Man' Review: Still One of Horror's Greatest Achievements, 50 Years Later

"You'll simply never understand the true nature of sacrifice."

Arthouse Horror is More Than Just Scares

One thing that has become clear with this new wave of horror is that audiences crave deeper meanings. While jump scares, excessive gore and brutal killings can be tons of fun in horror, they can feel shallow if the movie does not dare to delve deeper. The Unholy Trinity understands this, and it is why modern horror has happily allowed themselves influence from these films.

The Blood on Satan's Claw may seem occasionally schlocky and exploitative, but it has deeper meanings embedded in its focus on old folklore and the cycle of nature and death. Witchfinder General can be read as a feminist allegory, highlighting Vincent Price 's role as real-life witch hunter Mathew Hopkins, who killed around 300 women. As for The Wicker Man , it is famously an allegorical fable about man's relationship with religion, pointing out the flaws of organized religion and delivering some serious existential dread along the way. A24 has taken notes, clearly, because most, if not all, of the scarier offerings have more poetic sensibilities. Midsommar is a metaphor for toxic relationships and trauma. Hereditary is in actuality a tale about generational trauma and mental illness. The Lightouse is about toxic masculinity. Thanks to the Unholy Trinity's influence on the horror genre, a deeper meaning is not just an option but a necessity.

Clearly, the Unholy Trinitiy has a huge influence on modern horror. Though these movies' pacing, appearance and deeper meanings, they are three folk horror masterpieces that have shaped the genre, but sadly have gone under the radar for many audiences. As A24 continues to dominate the scene, one should reflect on the three cult classics that helped invent modern arthouse horror . For a more in depth history of how folk horror has shaped cinema, check out the epic documentary, Woodlands Dark And Days Bewitched: A History of Folk Horror.

Woodlands Dark And Days Bewitched: A History of Folk Horror is available to stream on Prime Video in the U.S.

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The 25 most entertaining horror movies

Posted: March 12, 2024 | Last updated: March 12, 2024

Horror movies are a bit like Halloween candy. They come in different shapes, sizes and flavors. They can be sweet, sour, scary, dark, light, terrifying, mystifying and entertaining. Our list is here to focus on the entertaining ones — the ones that make you rub your hands in anticipation. Sure, they all have their scary moments. But they are a great time nonetheless.

Rear Window (1954)

Get out your popcorn! It's time to dive into one of the most entertaining horror flicks ever made. Alfred Hitchcock's thriller about a man who spots a murder from his window is cramped with tension, yes. But it's a rollicking good time as well. Hitch knew that great horror meant more than just scares. It meant adding tension, atmosphere and hot blondes.

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Get Out (2017)

Guess who's coming to dinner? A black guy who doesn't realize his white girlfriend's parents are racist. Jordan Peele's breakout is very entertaining, not least for the way it toes the line between comedy and horror. He's established himself as a director who can take a comedic sketch and twist it into a visceral fright.

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Shaun of the Dead (2004)

It opens with a human zombie going about his routine. Milk, cereal, lying on the couch and yawning his way to the grocery store. But what's this? There are real zombies everywhere? Edgar Wright's horror flick sees a schlub surviving the apocalypse in some incredibly funny scenarios.

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The Thing (1982)

If you're sick of jump scares and gore fests, this is the movie you want to watch. The Thing is the opposite of most horror movies today, where every basement, hallway and corridor leads to some grisly death. John Carpenter's film is eerily restrained, building tension out of a snowy campsite where a bunch of people are gathered to find science but eventually find a monster instead.

The Lighthouse (2019)

What happens when you have two Jack Nicholsons from  The Shining in one room? You get The Lighthouse . A mad, magnificent and mesmerizing film that sees a couple of lighthouse keepers lose their minds, this is one of the most artsy and audacious movies to be released in years. 

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Jaws (1975)

Yes, it's the shark movie. Yes, it's the movie that scared millions from going in the ocean. Yes, it's the movie where a small town gets eaten alive by a giant monster. And yes, it's still entertaining. Steven Spielberg's classic still has bite.

Jurassic Park (1993)

Like Jaws , this is a monster movie that is both entertaining and scary. As a bunch of dinosaurs run wild in a park, it's up to a bunch of humans to stop them. If the sequels have taught us anything, it's that dinosaur theme parks are a bad idea — as are sequels of this timeless classic.

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The Evil Dead 2 (1982)

Is it a horror flick? A slapstick comedy? An art film or a cheesy indie? It's all the above, thanks to Sam Raimi's mix of tones that brings this haunted house to life.

The Lost Boys (1987)

A vampire flick with bite... and abs. The Lost Boys sees a bunch of teenage vampires search for food in a small town.

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10 Cloverfield Lane (2016)

Just a casual movie about the apocalypse and some creepy dude who locks a family in his basement. This is the kind of thriller that makes you question everything on screen. There may not be scares, but you're going to be on the edge of your seat anyway.

Alien (1979)

A movie about a bunch of astronauts being torn to shreds by an alien? What's this doing on an entertaining list? Let me tell you about Ridley Scott's Alien : there may not be a more textured, tenacious and atmospheric monster flick than this one. Every time we watch it, we are thrilled to be aboard the ship.

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Aliens (1986)

The sequel is a more conventionally entertaining choice. The heroine is joined by a crew and a lot more aliens, which makes for a lot more action.

The Birds (1963)

Is it just me, or do you look at birds a little differently after watching The Birds ? Those hawks gliding over the mountains seem a little more dangerous; those crows hanging on a telephone pole a little more mysterious. What would happen if they went after you instead of a rabbit? How would you defend yourself? That's the question a town has to deal with when the birds arrive. 

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The Wicker Man (1973)

Folk horror has always been entertaining for me, mainly because I'm drawn to the world building of horror flicks. The lush, golden hour pastures of this remote island have a mystery to them, an indescribable feeling that's as old as the hills. Add to that a crazy cult and you got a lyrically unsettling setting. 

Enys Men (2023)

Speaking of folk horror, this gem from 2023 is just waiting to be discovered like a species of unidentified flowers on a remote island. One woman is in charge of looking after these flowers, but she's starting to lose her mind. Here come the hallucinations! 

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Suspiria (1977)

You probably weren't planning on joining a ballet school, but if you were, Suspiria will change your mind for good. The horror classic sees a girl arrive at a ballet school run by witches, which leads to all sorts of terror amidst its halls. It's a showcase for Dario Argento's stylish filmmaking — a gonzo blend of bright colors and fairytale dread. 

Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956)

I've seen this one a number of times and it's still entertaining. It's a paranoid thriller about aliens who look like us, making for a social commentary that's still being investigated today.

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Halloween (1978)

Now this is a fun horror flick. There's a reason people watch it every year — John Carpenter's slasher pulses with atmosphere, autumn leaves, hidden shadows and timeless scares. His killer is as perfect as any monster in cinema, right up there with Jaws , Alien and Mean Girls .

Signs (2002)

Some people prefer M. Night Shyamalan's other films, but this for me is his masterpiece. A thriller about a family who tries to survive an alien invasion, every single frame of this movie has been as meticulously assembled as the crop signs in their backyard. There isn't a more visible sign of the director's talents.

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Godzilla (1956)

Honestly, you can pick from any of the classic Godzilla movies. The later ones were actually more entertaining, pinning a giant monster against other monsters in a massive battle. But the original remains a staple of monster cinema, despite being a metaphor for nuclear destruction.  

The Mist (2007)

Monster movies are generally entertaining, extremely violent spectacles that audiences can enjoy on a big screen. And  The Mist is no exception. When the mist brings in a bunch of monsters, audiences can watch from their seats with eager eyes.

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The Night of the Hunter (1955)

The Night of the Hunter may not be entertaining for everyone, especially since it contains some of the most unsettling moments in the genre. In one scene, a murderous "priest" hovers over his wife with a knife, swallowed in expressionistic shadows and lustful greed. But it's one of the most beautiful examples of the genre as well. A fairytale about kids on the run from that "priest," The Night of the Hunter glows with the light of a moon shimmering on a forest stream.

Silence of the Lambs (1991)

Can you believe this won multiple Oscars? A man gets his face ripped off! Silence of the Lambs is one of the only horror movies to be recognized at the Oscars, thanks to a pair of chilling performances and a serial killer who chews on more than just the scenery.

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The Conjuring (2013)

The Conjuring  is entertaining in a packed theater. There's nothing fun about its premise, but it's fun to see with a bunch of terrified people.

The Princess Bride (1987)

Is this a horror movie? There's fencing, fighting, monsters, a kidnapped princess, a torture chamber, a creepy forest and a bloodsoaked duel. If it is, it's one of the best ones ever made.

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#127: The Wicker Man (1973 & 2006)

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