The Wicker Man Trilogy

"The Wicker Man trilogy" is a series of three horror films (two of which are upcoming) by British author and director Robin Hardy. Hardy announced plans for the trilogy in a 2007 interview with "The Guardian" newspaper, [ [http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2007/may/30/hayfestival2007.hayfestival/ Guardian interview, 2007] ] though the first film in the trilogy, "The Wicker Man", was originally made 35 years before, in 1973.

The films are not directly linked to one another, but form a thematic trilogy, akin to the "Three Colours" film trilogy of Krzysztof Kieślowski. All three films deal with the theme of paganism in the modern world, and the first two films feature many of the same actors, such as Christopher Lee, albeit in different roles.

The 2006 American remake of "The Wicker Man", is not considered to be a part of the trilogy, and Hardy has dissasociated himself from it.

The Trilogy

"The Wicker Man"

"The Wicker Man" was made in 1973 by Robin Hardy and Anthony Shaffer.

The story synopsis follows a Scottish police officer, Sargeant Neil Howie, visiting the isolated island of Summerisle, in the search for a missing girl. The inhabitants of Summerisle all follow a reconstucted form of Celtic paganism, which shocks and appalls the devoutly Christian Sargeant.

"The Wicker Man" is generally very highly 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. A scene from this film was #45 on Bravo's "100 Scariest Movie Moments".

"Cowboys for Christ"

"Cowboys for Christ" was initially written as a novel in 2006 by Robin Hardy. As of 2008, it is under production for making into a film.

"Cowboys for Christ" follows two young Americans, Beth and Steve, who leave Texas to spread Christianity in Tressock, Scotland. They are welcomed by Sir Lachlan Morrison and his wife, Delia Morrison; unbeknown to Beth and Steve, they are in grave danger from a Celtic pagan community in the village.

"The Twilight of the Gods"

"The Twilight of the Gods", the only of the three films that has not yet appeared in either literary or theatrical form, is based upon Norse paganism and is to be set in Iceland. The name of the film is based upon Richard Wagner's opera based upon Germanic mythology, "Twilight of the Gods". Hardy has said of the plot, "I'm very keen on it, actually."

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