Running Time: 93 Minutes
Released in 1973, The Wicker Man is a folk-horror feature directed by Robin Hardy that overcame its troubled release to achieve horror classic status. Over fifty years since, the lost papers of Hardy arrive in the laps of his sons, Justin and Dominic. Children of the Wicker Man sees the siblings grappling with the legacy of their father's work, a film that Justin views as irrevocably shattering his family, while also looking to change the story to something more hopeful.
Along with co-director Chris Nunn, Justin and Dominic Hardy face their families troubled past while also charting the history of The Wicker Man through talking head interviews, production stills, and explorations of original filming locations. It all began with advertisement work, as Robin Hardy would team up with Tony Schaffer to bring this feature to life, although the numerous studios turning down the film was only the beginning of a difficult production.
Despite finding a distributor in British Lion Films, there was little preparation time due to the distributor going under, leaving the film rushed into production to ensure that it would be made. There is a sense that little went right during production, as recollections paint a picture of a bitter atmosphere on the films set. This is courtesy of everyone working to the bone to finish the film, with looming threats of the new studio owners arriving to shut down filming.
A lesser documentary would have focused on charting a story of artistic "genius" that overcomes any obstacles, yet this documentary instead shows that the director's obstacles were of his own making. What has been crafted is not a hagiographic look at Robin Hardy, refreshingly choosing to be upfront about his less-favourable attributes, and how his actions imploded families that stood beside him through thick and thin.
Above all else, the reason this feature works is courtesy of how real the emotion feels. There is no artifice in this painful journey through the past, with the hurt and catharsis magnificently conveyed as these sons reflect upon the complicated person their father was. There may have been a resurgence for the film, resulting in it being called "The Citizen Kane of horror films," but that did not stop history repeating as Robin Hardy shattered more bonds that he made.
While the ensuing feature shows brothers grappling with such a troubled relationship, it all reaches a touching ending that resonates so tremendously. A tale of heartbreak may have been unearthed for viewers, yet Children of the Wicker Man shows that it's never too late for the survivors to change that story.
Children of the Wicker Man made its World Premiere at Frightfest 2024
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