"Wicker Man"

[Astreon]

has anyone seen this movie, its on discount at a store and it says it relates to paganism(and yes thats why im interested in it @_@) ayway point being, is it a good movie?

[Theres]

yeah, i love it!
and i think the Pagany bits are pretty accurate, although the ending does nothing to help squash the bad stereotypes.
i particularly like the song 'The Landlord's Daughter'.
this movie has been cut rather badly though. there is an 87 minute version, the more common 95 minute version, and the full 103 minute original. this is the one you want, because the others cut out the beginning, and the story makes alot less sense without it (obviously!).
a friend of mine has a T-shirt with a stylized sun and the words 'Summerisle' (above) and 'Beltane 1973' (below). i will steal it one day!
oh yeah, i LOVE the standing Stones!!! ("it's a dangerous practice to jump through the fire with one's clothes on!")
if you freeze frame it when the teacher is going through her records, you'll see that the school year is divided into Beltane semester, Samhain semester, etc.
good flick. i give it three and a half pentacles.

[moongazer]

No I havent seen it ,I will have to check it out! seems pretty good:)




Moongazer

[Ball-Bhreac Ròn]

well, they showed it uncut on British tv a few weeks ago, but :rolleyes:, they very cleverly put it on over new year's...like, actually over the 12.00 mark! so of course I didn't watch it, but I *think* my mum may have taped it...

[Theres]

i'll tell you another 'must see' Pagan movie... "The Sorceress" (also called "The Sorceress and the Friar", 1987).
it's French, so you might have to check in the foriegn film section, but if you can find it, it's worth it!
it takes place in 14th century France, and a Dominican monk comes to a small village looking for heretics.
he finds some suspicious superstitions (talismans, dancing around the crops, etc.), but no genuine heresy, until he meets the village healer, a woman who is trained in the use of roots and herbs. he begins to suspect her of being a witch, and follows her out to a sacred grove one night where he finds...

oh, you KNOW i can't tell you that!
anyway, a very good movie.

[Dellit Tandannon]

greenman, this is way ot, but can you tell me where the second quote in your sig is from? its so incredibly familiar, but i can't remember where i know it from!

[Theres]

it's from one of the greatest TV shows ever, 'the Prisoner' with Patrick McGoohan. it was all about the individual vs. Big Brother.

you might also remember it from an old Iron Maiden song, 'Back In the Village'.

[StormChaser]

Great movie. I disagree about the ending, particularly because some "stereotypes" are true.

Many pagans believe in sacrifice, has no one heard the tale of the seven year king or participated in the "death" or "killing" of john barleycorn?

No I wouldn't recommend a devout pagan fearer watching the movie alone but at the same time, if they don't get the symbolisism alone, they probably will never understand the faith anyway.

[Theres]

well, i'm not sure that i'd equate the kidnapping and murder of an English policeman with the ritual sacrifice of the King.
the King was seen as a Divine representation of fertility. his health was directly linked to the health of the crops. the spilling of his blood was seen as an act of love for the land, and a true sacrifice.
killing a stranger is, to me, the equivalent of giving a gift because you don't want it. no real sacrifice involved.
but that's not really the point. i never meant to suggest that the stereotype wasn't true, just bad. i have indeed participated in the symbolic death of John Barleycorn, each year at Lammas. for the seed to grow, the stalk MUST fall. but i wouldn't do what they did in the movie!

[Yvonne Belisle]

I didn't enjoy it but that's just me. I kind of was so bored I fell asleep. :(

[StormChaser]

Which version did you see?
And have you read the story of the Wicker Man?


Originally posted by Greenman
well, i'm not sure that i'd equate the kidnapping and murder of an English policeman with the ritual sacrifice of the King.
the King was seen as a Divine representation of fertility. his health was directly linked to the health of the crops. the spilling of his blood was seen as an act of love for the land, and a true sacrifice.
killing a stranger is, to me, the equivalent of giving a gift because you don't want it. no real sacrifice involved.
but that's not really the point. i never meant to suggest that the stereotype wasn't true, just bad. i have indeed participated in the symbolic death of John Barleycorn, each year at Lammas. for the seed to grow, the stalk MUST fall. but i wouldn't do what they did in the movie!