The Wicker Man (Directed by Robin Hardy) 1973

'The Wicker Man' is simply a great, atmospheric horror film, set on a remote Scottish island it follows the investigations of Police Sergeant Neil Howie (played brilliantly by Edward Woodward), who is looking into the mysterious disappearance of a young girl. Howie visits Summerisle only to be frowned upon by the locals, although rather quickly he finds himself amidst an island community who are pagans. Howie is rather disturbed, after all, he's a devout Christian who rather taken aback by the ways of life he now suddenly has to become accustomed to - but not only is he consumed by the esoteric ways, but also becomes intrigued by one Lord Summerisle (Christopher Lee), who is the head of the cult, and once Howie starts to accuse Lord Summerisle in regards to the disappearance of the young girl, things take on a turn for the worse as the police officer becomes an object of sacrifice.

'The Wicker Man' is a truly frightening film that has all the charm of a British summer and yet the suggestive horror which often hides within the nooks and crannies of Britain's folkloric avenues. And so, amidst a wicker effigy of burning flames, peculiar folk music and the vacant stares of the island community, Sergeant Howie goes up in smoke, quite literally, and confirms our suspicions that all is not right on that island.

This gem of a movie easily makes its way into the top ten horror films of all time, and those testosterone fuelled film freaks among us will no doubt cite the wonderfully erotic scene involving Britt Ekland as being the sole reason this film is so good!! However, 'The Wicker Man' is simply such a striking movie which reeks of atmosphere and mystery and long may it live in the memory. It's a film that simply has to be seen rather than the curious simply relying on any review as an insight.