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''The Wicker Man'' is a 1973 British mystery horror film directed by Robin Hardy and written by Anthony Shaffer. The film stars Edward Woodward, Christopher Lee, Diane Cilento, Ingrid Pitt, and Britt Ekland. Paul Giovanni composed the soundtrack. The story was inspired by David Pinner's 1967 novel ''Ritual'' and centres on the visit of Police Sergeant Neil Howie to the isolated island of Summerisle, in search of a missing girl. Howie, a devout Christian, is appalled to find that the inhabitants of the island have abandoned Christianity and now practise a form of Celtic paganism. ''The Wicker Man'' is generally well-regarded by critics. Film magazine ''Cinefantastique'' described it as "The ''Citizen Kane'' of horror movies", and in 2004 the magazine ''Total Film'' named ''The Wicker Man'' the sixth greatest British film of all time. It also won the 1978 Saturn Award for Best Horror Film. The burning Wicker Man scene was No. 45 on Bravo's ''100 Scariest Movie Moments''. During the 2012 Summer Olympics opening ceremony, the film was included as part of a sequence that celebrated British cinema. In 2013, a copy of the original U.S. theatrical version was digitally restored and released. In 1989, Shaffer wrote a script treatment for ''The Loathsome Lambton Worm'', a direct sequel with fantasy elements. Hardy had no interest in the project, and it was never produced. In 2006, an ill-received〔''The Wicker Man (2006)'' has a 15% rating on Rotten Tomatoes: (The Wicker Man (2006) – Ratings ) Rotten Tomatoes〕 American remake was released, from which Hardy and others involved with the original have dissociated themselves. In 2011, a spiritual sequel entitled ''The Wicker Tree'' was released to mixed reviews. This film was also directed by Hardy, and featured Lee in a cameo appearance. Hardy is currently developing his next film, ''The Wrath of the Gods'', which will complete ''The Wicker Man Trilogy''.〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=The Wicker Man : Part 2 )〕 ==Plot== Sergeant Howie journeys to the remote Hebridean island, Summerisle, to investigate the disappearance of a young girl, Rowan Morrison. Howie, a devout Christian, is disturbed to find the islanders paying homage to the pagan Celtic gods of their ancestors. They copulate openly in the fields, include children as part of the May Day celebrations, teach children of the phallic association of the maypole, and place toads in their mouths to cure sore throats. The Islanders, including Rowan's mother, attempt to thwart his investigation by claiming that Rowan never existed. While staying at the Green Man Inn, Howie notices a series of photographs celebrating the annual harvest, each image featuring a young girl as the May Queen. The photograph of the latest celebration is suspiciously missing; the landlord tells him it was broken. The landlord's daughter, Willow, attempts to seduce Howie, but he refuses to have premarital sex. After seeing Rowan's burial plot, Howie meets the island leader, Lord Summerisle, grandson of a Victorian agronomist. Lord Summerisle explains that his grandfather developed strains that would prosper in Scotland's climate, and encouraged the belief that old gods would use the new strains to deliver the islanders from a meager livelihood. Howie finds the missing harvest photograph, showing Rowan standing amidst empty boxes. His research reveals that when there is a poor harvest, the islanders make a sacrifice to ensure that the next will be bountiful. He comes to the conclusion that Rowan is alive and has been chosen for sacrifice. During the May Day celebration, Howie knocks out and ties up the innkeeper so he can steal his costume (that of Punch, the fool) and infiltrate the parade. When it seems the villagers are about to sacrifice Rowan, he cuts her free and flees with her. They are intercepted by the islanders, to whom Rowan happily returns. They reveal Rowan is not the sacrifice - Howie is. He fits their criteria: he came of his own free will, by representing The Law has "the power of a king", is a virgin, and is a fool. Defiant, Howie warns Lord Summerisle that the villagers will turn on him and sacrifice him if and when the harvest fails again; Summerisle angrily insists that the harvest will not fail, refusing to even contemplate that the sacrifice would not work. The villagers force Howie inside a giant wicker man statue, set it ablaze and surround it, singing the Middle English folk song "Sumer Is Icumen In." Inside the wicker man, a terrified Howie recites Psalm 23, and prays to God. He damns the islanders as the wicker man collapses in flames, revealing the setting sun. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「The Wicker Man (1973 film)」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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