Program Note
Detective Howie is sent to a remote Scottish island to investigate the case of a missing girl. He slowly discovers a secret community led by Lord “Summerisle” may be behind the girl’s disappearance. Howie begins to encounter the village’s pagan beliefs, though he himself is devoutly religious. As he seeks further assistance from police headquarters, Howie discovers the truth behind the missing girl, and the resulting outcome he could never have imagined. Heralded as the most original, haunting British horror film ever, The Wicker Man was director Robin Hardy’s brilliant entry into the “Unholy Trinity” that initiated the “folk horror” genre. Leading film auteurs, including Robert Eggers, Ben Whitley, Ari Aster, and more, have paid tribute to this brilliant masterpiece, featuring the first non-monster leading role for Christopher Lee. BIFAN is proud to present the first-ever 4K restoration of the film’s final cut version on the big screen for the first time in Asia. (Jongsuk Thomas NAM)