The Wicker Man 50th anniversary (Vintage Classics) [Region A & B & C]

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Plus! Joining us at the Duke of York’s Picturehouse for a special one-off show on Wed 21 June, we’re delighted to welcome director Robin Hardy’s sons, Dominic and Justin Hardy, who are currently making a documentary about their father and his cult film. After being made aware by an anonymous letter that young girl Rowan Morrison has gone missing on the isolated enclave of Summerisle, he is fierce and dogged in his pursuit of the truth, even as the eccentric locals (who have long abandoned traditional religion in favour of more hedonistic observances) stonewall him at every turn. Directed by Robin Hardy, the film features a cast that includes Edward Woodward, Christopher Lee, Britt Ekland, and Diane Cilento. Despite a difficult production and heavily cut original theatrical release, the film has achieved true cult status in the 50 years since its original release, making it one of the most revered horror films in cinema history. World Premiere – Sunday 30th April 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 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. The film tells 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.

British folk horror at its best – and rereleased again to become a gilt-edged classic” - Guardian ★★★★★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. Your support changes lives. Find out how you can help us help more people by signing up for a subscription Then there is “The Short Version”, the version that we were shown at the 50th Anniversary screening was the “Final Cut” which has been wonderfully restored and is being released in a rather nice looking Anniversary Collector’s Edition in September, that’s certainly a release to add to the collection as it loads of features and the three cuts of the movie. To celebrate its 50th anniversary, Studiocanal are proud to release a newly restored 4K version of the 2011 Final Cut of the film.

All three versions of the film; The Final Cut, The Director’s Cut and The Theatrical Cut, have been painstakingly restored and will be released in an exclusive 5-disc Collector’s Edition as well as a 4-disc Steelbook version. The Final Cut will also be available on Digital the same day. 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 These early moments set the tone for the unusual, and also a mention of Lord Summerisle ( Christopher Lee), who we will come to meet in full later on. The clues of what’s ahead are also here in these early scenes, the local shop undoubtedly has weird-shaped cakes and sweets in the window, there’s a firm nod towards something to do with hares and even the family of the missing child aren’t totally convinced she’s gone anywhere, or if they even know her. Elusive characters and mysterious games are almost knowingly afoot. This lovely set from STUDIOCANAL features all three versions of the film on Blu-ray and 4K UHD, with that 4K restoration being the stellar work of Silver Salt Restoration UK, from the original 35mm negative with a second generation 35mm to replace a small section that had unrepairable damage, plus extra 35mm prints for additional footage – the last known sources of the missing parts of the film. Overall, this is 500-odd hours of dedicated colour grading and restoration, which was previously director approved and looks so impressive as a result.Seriously confused, Howie attempts to talk to the local residents, but after a few short conversations he realizes that everyone is lying to him. Later on, he also witnesses a number of strange rituals which confuse him even more. When he eventually meets the wealthiest and most respected man on the island, Lord Summerisle (Christopher Lee), Howie is stunned to learn that the rituals are in fact part of everyday life. 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.