# The Wicker Man (1973)- \*\*MAJOR SPOILERS\*\* **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 2, 2002, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-wicker-man-1973-major-spoilers/116974 "2002-07-02T03:24:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Vinnie\_Virginslayer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/53a042/32.png) [@Vinnie\_Virginslayer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Vinnie_Virginslayer)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2002, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-wicker-man-1973-major-spoilers/116974/1 "2002-07-02T03:24:24Z")
Just saw the 1973 movie The Wicker Man, and saw the supposed cheapass 85 minute version on DVD, I know I know there are longer, better versions available, WHICH brings me to my question: . . … . . . . . . . LAST CHANCE TO AVOID A SPOILER . . . . . . . . . . . I swear I read in Danny Peary’s book, “Cult Movies”, that the ending of the movie is that the police officer escapes the sacrifice, but the final scene of the film is him walking on a remote beach and suddenly burtsing into flames. Am I having a false memory? Or is this on a longer version?:smack: ---
**Author:** ![gobear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8dc957/32.png) [@gobear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gobear)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2002, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-wicker-man-1973-major-spoilers/116974/2 "2002-07-02T03:31:37Z")
Nope. Sgt. Howie burns to death in the giant wicker man in both versions. The longer, 102-minute version has a preface that establishes Howie’s uptight, religious character, rearranges the sequence of events, and has some extra footage of Christopher Lee reciting Walt Whitman as snails fuck. I have both the 99-minute and 102-minute versions on DVD. ---
**Author:** ![Baldwin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baldwin/32/7264_2.png) [@Baldwin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baldwin)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2002, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-wicker-man-1973-major-spoilers/116974/3 "2002-07-02T16:53:19Z")
I’ve seen both versions; the shorter one is a little tighter, and I think Edward Woodward’s performance establishes his character well enough. You must have dreamed the walking on the beach thing. No offense to your subconscious, but that would have been the sort of truly moronic “surreal” ending that a number of lesser early-1970’s movies actually had. Now I just wish I knew the name of Britt Eckland’s body double…yowsah! ---
**Author:** ![Antonius\_Block](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/51bf81/32.png) [@Antonius\_Block](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antonius_Block)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2002, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-wicker-man-1973-major-spoilers/116974/4 "2002-07-02T23:51:29Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Baldwin \* > \*\* > Now I just wish I knew the name of Britt Eckland’s body double…yowsah! \*\* According to Gary Carpenter, who was Associate Musical Director on the movie, > [@](#): > > - from [http://www.garycarpenter.net/archive/wicker3.htm](http://www.garycarpenter.net/archive/wicker3.htm) > - > > \*\* I can categorically affirm that Lorraine Peters was the body-double - and if you are interested in comparing body-types, she is also the naked woman weeping on the grave, and credited as such. \*\* This link (and the two pages preceding it) give some great anecdotes about the making of **The Wicker Man**. ---
**Author:** ![grendel72](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/91b2a8/32.png) [@grendel72](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grendel72)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2002, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-wicker-man-1973-major-spoilers/116974/5 "2002-07-03T00:02:39Z")
My favorite thing about Wicker Man is hearing Christopher Lee singing folk songs. The whole movie is cool, but that is just the icing on the cake. ---
**Author:** ![tiny\_ham](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a183cd/32.png) [@tiny\_ham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tiny_ham)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2002, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-wicker-man-1973-major-spoilers/116974/6 "2002-07-03T00:05:32Z")
I can only imagine what watching the Wicker Man on acid must be like. At the end of that movie my jaw was quite literally, hanging slack. j ---
**Author:** ![Vinnie\_Virginslayer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/53a042/32.png) [@Vinnie\_Virginslayer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Vinnie_Virginslayer)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2002, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-wicker-man-1973-major-spoilers/116974/7 "2002-07-05T15:35:00Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Baldwin \* > \*\*I’ve seen both versions; the shorter one is a little tighter, and I think Edward Woodward’s performance establishes his character well enough. > > You must have dreamed the walking on the beach thing. No offense to your subconscious, but that would have been the sort of truly moronic “surreal” ending that a number of lesser early-1970’s movies actually had. > > Now I just wish I knew the name of Britt Eckland’s body double…yowsah! \*\* Since I am not always aware of my sub-conscious, no offense taken! 😃 Thanks for the answers, it is very possible I am thinking of the ending to another movie, or misread Perry’s book. I’ll be getting my hands on it again next week (the book, that is), and will be sure to let you know if I can figure out where I got this notion- sub conciously speaking! 😉 ---
**Author:** ![dantheman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dantheman/32/9421_2.png) [@dantheman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dantheman)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2002, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-wicker-man-1973-major-spoilers/116974/8 "2002-07-05T16:13:26Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Vinnie Virginslayer \* > \*\* > > Since I am not always aware of my sub-conscious, no offense taken! :D\*\* If you’re aware of your subconscious, doesn’t it then cease to be a subconscious? Then you’d never be aware of it! Annnnnyway, glad you mentioned this movie - I’d forgotten all about it!! Great overlooked film! ---
**Author:** ![Celyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9dc877/32.png) [@Celyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Celyn)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2002, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-wicker-man-1973-major-spoilers/116974/9 "2002-07-05T16:45:07Z")
Another “yes” to Woodward ends up pretty well toasted. And, isn’t there meant to be a sequel or a remake coming along. Not sure I’d like that.