A Date With The Wicker Man

Hmmm. Another remake of a classic film is being made. I’m referring to The Wicker Man, which will be the new interpretation of the 1973 movie by the same name.

I’m dubious. I’m highly dubious. But it could be something great. We’ll have to wait and see, as the new movie won’t be coming out until next year. Fans of The Village, M. Night Shyamalan’s work on a puritanical society, might have an inkling of what to expect as far as the mood of the movie will be (from what I understand so far). I could be wrong.

The thing is-- I loved the original. It was weird, off-putting, and downright creepy. It was also written by Anthony Shaffer, who penned my favorite script of all time, Sleuth. The guy knew what he was doing. If it hadn't come out the same year as The Godfather, it could have had a chance at a Best Picture Oscar. Why would you want to mess with that?

Like many great flicks, the original Wicker Man was not met with immediate praise. People were not sure what to make of it, at first. Since its premiere, it has become a cult favorite, however. About two years ago I did something I almost never do and bought the movie without having ever seen it. I only do that when rental isn’t possible and I have a lot of faith. After Sleuth, I had high hopes. Those hopes were well-founded.

People will argue against the virtue of remakes until they’re blue in the face, and it’s not a baseless discourse. Remakes kinda suck most of the time. Of course, MGM’s The Wizard of Oz was a remake. And I loved the updated Dawn of the Dead… but that’s just me.

Okay, enough out of me. I have absolutely no idea what to expect from Writer/Director Neil LaBute, as I have never seen his work before in either category. I hope he knows what he’s doing.

Time will just have to tell. Still, it’ll be nice to have some flick to look forward to in the coming year.

More to follow.