The Wicker Man is a 2006 horror film written and directed by Neil LaBute and starring Nicolas Cage. Written by Hamzah Sarwar. But in 2013 Hardy introduced The Wicker Man: The Final Cut which may or may not be the last time we see this cult classic released. The original The Wicker Man (1973) begins as a murder mystery and turns into something else entirely.. Edward Woodward stars as the stiff English police detective who is sent to a remote Scottish island to investigate the disappearance of a young girl and discovers a culture living a happy “heathen” lifestyle, lorded over (literally) by an eccentric nobleman (the great Christopher Lee). A sheriff investigating the disappearance of a young girl from a small island discovers there's a larger mystery to solve among the island's secretive, neo-pagan community. My rating for The Wicker Man' 9/10. Version summaries (with movie dates) for the Director's Cut, Theatrical, Shaffer script and novelization. Howie's arrival on Summerisle, including him as a Preacher. Hardy said the following about 2013 cut during an interview with HeyUGuys: “I could spend the next five minutes telling your all about the versions without being able to name them probably accurately. According to screenwriter Anthony Shaffer, his intent for the project was to make a more cerebral horror movie that was less dependent on the kind of gratuitous gore that was popular at the time. The first in tonight's double feature theater experience of 1973 horror classics. The Wicker Man was a labor of love for director Robin Hardy, screenwriter Anthony Shaffer, and producer and co-star Christopher Lee; eager to see the project to fruition, they worked with a low budget, a short shooting schedule, and a studio on the verge of bankruptcy (that did in fact go under shortly after the film was completed). For a long time, this was the only version that was available on video until Anchor Bay about a decade ago released a 2 disc DVD special edition that contained both the heavily truncated 88 minute theatrical release as well as an almost 100 minute version that to date is the closest any release has come to the heavily sought after 102 minute director's cut. Unfortunately, the 102-minute version of The Wicker Man could only be reconstructed, years later, with inferior video elements that Roger Corman still had in his possession. I haven't seen that version, but at least one source, Karl and Phillip French's book "Cult Movies", says the shorter version on this DVD plays better. By Adam RuhlScreen Daily is reporting that after a worldwide search an uncut print of the 102 minute version of the original The Wicker Man has been located. Largely ignored in the final rush of Hammer horror films pouring out of England, The Wicker Man either confounded or impressed most first time viewers but became lost in a tangle of bad distribution, careless editing, and public indifference. as well as Steve P's info. So, to summarise; the 'director's cut' of The Wicker Man doesn't feature Britt's breakfast treat, is 99 and a half minutes long on film and American video, and about 96 minutes long on speeded-up British video. Later a complete director's cut was discovered and re-released: this verson is 102 minutes long and features new footage showing Sergeant Howie as a preacher, some erotic scenes and Lord Summerisle reading a poem. I can safely say that I enjoyed the hell out of it, from it's religious commentary to it's strange sense of humor to it's wonderfully horrific ending. Released to theatres the horror genre which I recommend to all fans of horror/thrillers when concerns. 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