Wow. I mean that sincerely. Goodness. I went into this one expecting a fun, cheesy, 70s horror schlock-fest. What I got was some bizarre amalgamation of naked hippie dancing and singing, clothed hippie dancing and singing, Jesus, a surprisingly handsome Christopher Lee, and one genuinely creepy image.
While watching this, I was alternately bored and bemused. So for a horror movie, I spent a pretty unconscionable time not being, you know, scared. My favorite parts of horror movies always are the scenes leading up to the point where everything goes to hell: the first few months at the Overlook in The Shining, the goofing around with the camera in Paranormal Activity, finding the video tape in The Ring--they're loaded with deliciously tense antici . . . pation (still love you Rocky Horror!) without being outright scary. Wicker Man is comprised almost ENTIRELY of those moments! It's ALL lead-up! And rather than finding that comforting (I scare very easy and usually spend most of my time watching horror films under an afghan), it was just incredibly boring. Aside from the first shot of the wicker man itself (which comes when there's about 2 minutes left to go), which I did find genuinely unsettling despite the fact that it's on the poster of the movie, I wasn't even a little bit nervous during this movie.
Which brings me to the dancing and singing, which was so profoundly silly that I had to reenact the landlord's daughter's banging of the walls dance at brunch this morning. Which in turn brings me to why this film could possibly be included in 1001. If you're going to watch a horror movie from the 70s, for God's sake, watch The Omen. It manages to be both ridiculous and frightening. But there are no scenes you can reenact at brunch to the disbelief of your friends. So the only reason I can scrounge up for Wicker Man's inclusion is day-after brunch fodder. Nat, got anything more substantial? And were you also reminded of the "Join hands and hearts and voices" scene from Dirty Dancing when the villagers are watching the Jesus-freak virgin burn? Oh, spoiler alert. Whatever. It's on the poster.
HA! No, I wasn't reminded of Dirty Dancing but it totally works! And now that's all I'll be able to think about when I see that movie again--Dirty Dancing that is (there's no way I'm watching Wicker Man again). And, DAMN! I wish I'd been at brunch this morning. You'll have to reenact next time I see you.
ReplyDeleteBut, no, nothing substantial out of me unfortunately.