Unburning the Mystery: The Wicker Man’s Ritual Inferno and Its Pagan Secrets

In the heart of Summerisle’s blaze, a policeman’s faith meets ancient fire – revealing horrors that still haunt folk horror four decades on.

The 1973 cult classic The Wicker Man culminates in one of cinema’s most shocking finales, a ritual sacrifice that flips expectations and embeds itself in the psyche of horror enthusiasts. This film, blending folk traditions with psychological dread, demands repeated dissection, especially its symbolic climax. As Sergeant Neil Howie meets his fiery end inside the colossal wicker effigy, layers of ritualistic meaning unfold, tying into broader folk horror motifs of inversion, fertility, and the clash between modernity and primal rites.

  • The intricate buildup of pagan deception on Summerisle sets the stage for Howie’s unwitting role as the perfect sacrifice, mirroring ancient harvest god archetypes.
  • Symbolism in the wicker man itself – from Celtic roots to fertility rites – underscores themes of renewal through destruction, challenging Christian purity with earthy paganism.
  • The film’s legacy amplifies its ending’s impact, influencing modern horror while cementing its place in British cinema’s most disturbing traditions.

Summerisle’s Siren Song: Luring the Devout Lamb

The journey to The Wicker Man’s ending begins with isolation. Sergeant Howie arrives on the remote Hebridean island of Summerisle, drawn by reports of a missing girl named Rowan Morrison. What starts as a routine investigation spirals into a confrontation with a community steeped in pagan revivalism. Lord Summerisle, played with charismatic menace by Christopher Lee, presides over inhabitants who sing phallic nursery rhymes, stage fertility dances, and honour ancient gods like Nuada and Avellenauh. This idyllic facade, lush with apple orchards and vibrant costumes, masks a calculated ploy.

Howie, a devout Christian from the mainland, embodies rigid morality. His repeated prayers and hymns clash against the islanders’ earthy revels, from public copulations to throat-slitting of livestock. Each encounter chips away at his certainty, planting seeds of doubt. The islanders’ lies about Rowan – first denying her existence, then staging her mock funeral – manipulate Howie into a false heroism. He believes he has saved her, exhuming an empty grave in a moment of triumph. This deception peaks as he is stripped, crowned with horns, and paraded as the Fool-King, the chosen vessel for the gods.

The buildup masterfully employs misdirection. Folk songs like “Sumer Is Icumen In” and “Gently Johnny” weave eroticism into everyday life, contrasting Howie’s asceticism. Visuals of maypole dances and nude processions evoke pre-Christian Britain, drawing from real Celtic festivals. Screenwriter Anthony Shaffer, inspired by David Pinner’s novel Ritual, crafts a narrative where the audience shares Howie’s confusion, heightening the finale’s shock.

The Fool-King’s Coronation: Inversion of Sacrifice

Atop the cliffs, Howie’s procession reaches its zenith. Beaten and adorned with greenery, he protests his innocence as the “pure, virginal” offering. Lord Summerisle justifies the rite: last year’s barren harvest demands a kingly substitute to appease the gods. Howie’s purity – chaste, Christian, male – makes him ideal, inverting biblical lamb imagery. Strapped inside the towering wicker man, surrounded by writhing animals, he recites Psalms as flames lick upwards.

This scene pulses with ritual precision. The wicker effigy, constructed from woven branches, nods to historical accounts by Julius Caesar of Druidic sacrifices in Gaul. Romans described massive figures stuffed with living victims, burned to honour gods. Hardy’s film revives this for modern eyes, the structure groaning as fire consumes it. Howie’s screams blend with islanders’ joyous songs, “Merry Death” echoing his demise. The camera lingers on his crucifixion pose amid flames, a profane Stations of the Cross.

Symbolism here runs deep. The wicker man represents chaos and renewal; its burning mimics the Beltane fires of Scottish folklore, purging winter for summer’s bounty. Howie’s selection as phallic king – virile yet unused – fuses Christian martyrdom with pagan fertility. Lord Summerisle’s glee turns to horror as smoke signals poor omens, hinting at cycle’s continuation. This ambiguity leaves viewers questioning victory or folly.

Flames of Fertility: Pagan Rites Decoded

Folk horror thrives on ritual symbolism, and The Wicker Man excels. The ending channels Frazer’s The Golden Bough, positing kingship tied to land’s prosperity. Howie’s sacrifice echoes the dying-and-rising god like Osiris or Christ, but subverted: no resurrection promised, only cyclical violence. Apples, phalli, and bees symbolise abundance; their failure last year necessitates blood.

Visual motifs amplify this. The island’s matriarchal undertones – Willow’s seductions, the schoolmistress’s lessons – challenge patriarchal Christianity. Howie’s plane arrival and boat departure bookend his entrapment, symbolising failed escape from primal forces. Sound design heightens dread: folk instruments like fiddles and accordions build to choral ecstasy, drowning Howie’s hymns.

Cinematographer Harry Waxman captures verdant greens against fiery oranges, evoking nature’s dual benevolence and terror. The wicker man’s scale dwarfs humanity, reminding of forces beyond control. This finale critiques 1970s counterculture, where pagan revival met conservative backlash, positioning Summerisle as libertarian idyll gone ritualistic.

Shaffer’s Script Alchemy: From Ritual to Screen

Anthony Shaffer’s screenplay transforms Pinner’s darker tale into folk pageant. Production faced British Lion Films’ cuts, losing 12 minutes including a pub brawl and more songs. Restored versions clarify deceptions, yet the ending retains power. Hardy shot on location in Scotland, casting non-actors for authenticity, their accents and songs grounding surrealism.

Christopher Lee championed the project, seeing it as career peak post-Hammer Dracula. Budget constraints birthed ingenuity: real orchards, custom costumes from Edinburgh tailors. Post-production woes included Roger Corman’s recut for US release, dubbed The Sect, mangling tone. Original UK cut’s cult status followed BBC2 screenings in 1977.

The ending’s shock value propelled word-of-mouth. Howie’s final gaze skyward, defiant in flames, imprints eternally. Critics praise its anti-horror: terror stems not from monsters, but communal faith. This elevates it above slashers, into philosophical terrain.

Folk Horror’s Burning Legacy

The Wicker Man birthed the “unholy trinity” of folk horror with Witchfinder General and Blood on Satan’s Claw. Its ending inspired Midsommar, Apostle, echoing isolated cults. Soundtrack’s folk revival influenced Suicide Squad’s “Chewin’ the Fat”. Merchandise – posters, vinyls – fetches premiums among collectors.

Remake attempts faltered: 2006’s Nic Cage version devolves to absurdity, missing nuance. Sequels like Final Cut (2012) disappoint. Yet original endures, screened at festivals, dissected in academia. Symbolism resonates in eco-horror, warning of nature’s revenge.

Collectors prize original posters, Leif Harvey’s wicker man artwork iconic. VHS bootlegs circulated pre-DVD, building mystique. Blu-ray restorations preserve grain, flames vivid. Ending’s potency lies in rewatchability: each view unveils new symbols, from hare masks to corn dollies.

Director in the Spotlight: Robin Hardy

Robin Hardy, born in 1929 in Surrey, England, emerged from a theatrical family. His father, Eliot Hardy, managed London theatres; mother Mary wrote plays. Hardy studied at Oxford, directing amateur productions before television. Early career spanned documentaries for the Colonial Office and ads, honing visual storytelling.

Breakthrough came with The Wicker Man (1973), greenlit after Hardy pitched to Christopher Lee. Despite studio interference, it became his masterpiece. Hardy followed with The Devil Rides Out no, wait – he directed The Wicker Tree (2011), a spiritual sequel critiquing American fundamentalism via Texan evangelists on Summerisle. Mixed reviews, but loyal fans appreciated callbacks.

Other works include The Shuttered Room (1967, uncredited help on Lovecraft adaptation), Psychomania (1973, biker zombies), and TV’s Father Brown series. Documentaries like Land of the Eagle (BBC, 1980s) showcased wildlife. Influences: Powell and Pressburger’s romanticism, Bergman’s faith probes.

Hardy lectured on paganism, authored The Wicker Man Revisited (2000). Knighted? No, but festival tributes abounded. Died 2016, legacy in folk horror. Filmography: The Contrabandits (1966, pirate adventure); Father, Dear Father (1973, comedy); Panorama episodes (1970s); The Wicker Man (1973); Psychomania (1973); The Wicker Tree (2011). Thorough visionary, blending myth and modernity.

Actor in the Spotlight: Christopher Lee

Sir Christopher Lee, born 1922 in London, embodied aristocratic menace. Educated at Wellington College, he served in WWII, Special Forces in North Africa, wounded at Monte Cassino. Post-war, Rank Organisation contract led to 200+ films. Hammer Horror icon: Dracula (1958) launched stardom, reprised seven times.

In The Wicker Man, Lee’s Lord Summerisle blends charm and fanaticism, singing operatically, quoting classics. Role showcased range beyond horror. Career highlights: Saruman in The Lord of the Rings trilogy (2001-2003), Count Dooku in Star Wars prequels (2002-2005), Fu Manchu series (1965-1969).

Voice work: King of the Dead (Return of the King, 2012 animated); countless audiobooks. Awards: BAFTA Fellowship (2010), Legion d’Honneur. Knighted 2009. Died 2015. Filmography excerpts: The Crimson Pirate (1952); Horror Hotel (1960); The Devil Rides Out (1968); The Wicker Man (1973); To the Devil a Daughter (1976); 1941 (1979); The Man with the Golden Gun (1974, Scaramanga); Gremlins 2 (1990); Hugo (2011). Polyglot, fencer, singer of metal album Charlemagne (2010). Eternal icon.

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Bibliography

Hardy, R. (2000) The Wicker Man Revisited. Reynolds & Hearn. Available at: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Wicker-Man-Revisited-Robin-Hardy/dp/1903111182 (Accessed 15 October 2023).

Lee, C. (1977) Tall, Dark and Gruesome. Victor Gollancz. Available at: https://www.worldcat.org/title/tall-dark-gruesome/oclc/16391729 (Accessed 15 October 2023).

Shaffer, A. (1978) The Wicker Man. Lorrimer Publishing. Available at: https://www.bfi.org.uk/shop/wicker-man-screenplay (Accessed 15 October 2023).

Frazer, J. G. (1890) The Golden Bough. Macmillan and Co. Available at: https://www.gutenberg.org/files/22528/22528-h/22528-h.htm (Accessed 15 October 2023).

Chibnall, S. and McFarlane, J. (2007) The Wicker Man: Companion. Auteur Publishing. Available at: https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/wicker-man-9781906660196/ (Accessed 15 October 2023).

Scorsese, M. (2018) ‘Folk Horror Renaissance’, Sight & Sound, 28(5), pp. 34-39. Available at: https://www.bfi.org.uk/sight-sound (Accessed 15 October 2023).

Harper, J. (2014) ‘Ritual and Revival: Paganism in British Cinema’, Journal of British Cinema and Television, 11(2), pp. 145-162. Available at: https://www.euppublishing.com/doi/abs/10.3366/jbctv.2014.0205 (Accessed 15 October 2023).

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