NX5856 : 'The Wicker Man' Filming Locations: Anwoth Old Kirk
taken 10 years ago, near to Anwoth, Dumfries And Galloway, Scotland
A collection of images from 2012 and 2014 of locations used for the filming of the British cult classic 'The Wicker Man'.
'The Wicker Man' was released by British Lion in 1973, directed by Robin Hardy and written by Anthony Shaffer. The film stars Edward Woodward, Christopher Lee, Diane Cilento, Ingrid Pitt, and Britt Ekland. The story revolves around the visit of Police Sergeant Neil Howie (Woodward) to the isolated island of Summerisle, in search of a missing girl - Rowan Morrison - the locals claim never existed. Howie, a devout Christian, is appalled to find that the inhabitants of the island practise a form of paganism, seemingly led by the island's landowner, Lord Summerisle (Lee). Howie fears Morrison has been murdered as part of a pagan practice. The film culminates in the entrapment of Howie and him being offered as a sacrifice in a giant wicker man, torched at the culmination of May Day celebrations.
The film was shot almost exclusively in Galloway, in October and November 1972 (despite the fact that the film was set in spring). Other locations used included Plockton, Skye and Culzean in Ayrshire.
An American remake of the film in 2006 starring Nicholas Cage (Trailer: Link )is absolutely dire and worth avoiding whereas the spiritual sequel 'The Wicker Tree' (Trailer: Link ) is slightly more worthwhile - not least since it features an appearance by Christopher Lee and is largely shot in Midlothian and East Lothian.
Resources dealing with the plot and cast list: Link and Link
Theatrical trailer: Link
'The Wicker Man Enigma' (a documentary detailing the production and marketing of the film): Link
'The Wicker Man Pilgrim' - a fan's visit to some of the locations featured in the film: Link
Furthermore, the excellent 'Inside The Wicker Man' by Allan Brown (Polygon, 2010) is worth a read for those interested in the story of the inception of the film and the subsequent life it has taken on since 1973.