To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the folk-horror classic, THE WICKER MAN, STUDIOCANAL is delighted to announce a brand-new 4K restoration of the film and a series of special events and releases, beginning this Spring and culminating with a Collector’s Edition release in September 2023.
In the 50 years since its original release, THE WICKER MAN has achieved true cult status as one of the most revered horror films in cinema history, despite a difficult production and heavily cut original theatrical release. The search for the fabled missing scenes has only added to the myth surrounding a film that still inspires filmmakers to this day. THE WICKER MAN was directed by Robin Hardy and has a cast featuring Edward Woodward, Christopher Lee, Britt Ekland and Diane Cilento. Telling the chilling story of a puritan Police Sergeant who arrives on a remote Scottish Island in search of a missing girl only to find the Pagan locals claiming she never existed, THE WICKER MAN is also much celebrated for its soundtrack, composed by Paul Giovanni and overseen by Gary Carpenter, featuring haunting reworkings of traditional British folk songs.
On 13th January 1973, as a thank you to the local people of the small Scottish town where THE WICKER MAN had recently been filmed, a one-night-only showing of the then unreleased film took place in a little cinema in Newton Stewart at 3pm. That cinema is still proudly in operation to this day. Half a century on and THE WICKER MAN will return to the very same cinema for the World Premiere of the new 50th ANNIVERSARY 4k restoration. The event will be introduced by film experts, before a preview of the new documentary, Return to Summerisle, about the local celebrations surrounding the film’s anniversary. THE WICKER MAN will then be screened followed by a Q&A with the Olivier Award-winning actress Lesley Mackie who played Daisy in the film and sang several of the songs on the soundtrack.
Taking place at Picturehouse Central in London on May 1st, the 50th Anniversary Event will include a star-studded on-stage celebration of the film before a screening of THE WICKER MAN: FINAL CUT in 4k. Presented by Edith Bowman, the on-stage show will include guest of honour, actress Britt Ekland, associate musical director from the film Gary Carpenter, the family of the director Robin Hardy and fans of THE WICKER MAN: acclaimed writer/actor Reece Shearsmith, Oscar-winning director Guillermo del Toro via video message plus more special guests to be announced!. There will be an exclusive musical performance by Broadside Hacks, covering 4 tracks from the iconic soundtrack.
Edith Bowman is an award-winning radio broadcaster, podcast host and television presenter. Her broadcasting career has flourished over more than two decades and now she is one of the most well-respected and sought-after personalities in the film, television and audio industry.
Broadside Hacks is a sprawling collective of young musicians who meet regularly for casual, open-to-all jam sessions at a South London pub. The Broadside Hacks record label put out the compilation ‘Songs Without Authors Vol. 1’ in September 2021: a diverse array of left-field artists injecting fresh life into songs whose original authors have been lost in time. The film ‘The Broadside Hack’ explores a wider network of London musicians employing traditional folk influences in vastly different ways, from multi-genre experimentalism to forthright politics, of which Broadside Hacks are just one crucial part.
Also opening at Picturehouse Central on May 1st will be a special art exhibition: the May Day series, featuring art by Joe Machine and words by Dr Steven O’Brien, and inspired in part by THE WICKER MAN. The exhibition will be free to enter and run throughout May and June.
The May Day series seeks to explore the pagan heritage of the British Isles and Ireland through the medium of visual images and writing. The series includes material drawn from historical sources, personal interpretations, and fusions of the past and present eras of myth, folklore, and religion.
The May Day series shows the influence of European and near eastern religions & cultures on the pagan traditions of Britain. The series forms a loose narrative, a connection between the past and present, using literal, metaphorical, and spiritual symbolism.
Joe Machine’s works are dovetailed to the creative writings of Dr. Steven O’Brien, whose poetry and prose create a harmonic symbiosis of brush and pen. Artist and academic have been collaborating on select projects since 2015.
NATIONWIDE CINEMA & HOME ENTERTAINMENT RELEASE
STUDIOCANAL have restored all 3 cuts of THE WICKER MAN in honour of the 50TH ANNIVERSARY.
THE WICKER MAN: Final Cut will be released in UK cinemas with accompanying 50th Anniversary event footage on June 21st: the Summer Solstice.
THE WICKER MAN (all 3 versions) will then be released in an exclusive Collector’s Edition and on 4k UHD for the first time on September 4th 2023.
There is also a new book on it coming out in the Devil’s Advocates series, releasing in September!