Cultural Competence? Moi?

[featherynscale]

We watched The Wicker Man last night, the original one. As unlikely as it seems, I'd not seen it before. I'm guessing that this is a film that plays very differently depending on the cultural context the viewer has. About halfway through, I'm looking at triadruid, and saying "What kind of movie is this supposed to be?". He reads the box blurb to me; "The Citizen Kane of Horror Films," is what it says. I take a moment to consider what Citizen Kane would be like as a horror film. Then I realize he's saying that the movie we're watching is a horror film. I would not otherwise have realized this, mostly because it's full of folk-singing, and happy children skipping and dancing. Somebody did not study at the Edgar Allen Poe School of Single Effect, I'm thinking.

Anyway, who are we supposed to be sympathetic to in this film? Sgt. Howe does get killed at the end of the film, but he's also sort of an ass throughout. The Summerisle people get most of the film's attention, with all their little cultural oddities, and they seem like a pretty likeable bunch. But then, you know, human sacrifice (and particularly the sacrifice of someone who doesn't buy into their system), which is not fun times with the family. And, as triadruid points out, it's difficult to imagine Christopher Lee in a role where he's not the bad guy.

All in all, it was a little like watching the Rocky Horror Picture Show, except that RHPS is morally ambiguous and promotes the 'bad guy' over the 'good guys' on purpose, where this seems to stumble into it accidentally. Ah well, maybe it's just the 70s.

Comments

[lexpendragon.livejournal.com]

It was about six viewings in before I found out it was supposed to be a horror. I never quite got it, either. I just wanted to visit Summerisle.

[karinablack.livejournal.com]

I just couldn't even get into the premise for that movie. I read the spoilers first, and if I like the story and want to see how they play it out, I'll go see it.

I also didn't see how it was horrifying.. ?

[rougewench.livejournal.com]

The film's creator was attempting to examine the nature of sacrifice, and human sacrifice as a horrific act.

I don't know that you are supposed to "sympathize" with police detective, exactly, in that his extremely narrow viewpoint was what ultimately allowed the island's denizens to manipulate him throughout the course of events.

However, you were, I think to have his viewpoint, so that his sacrifice at the end was a surprise. In some respects, I think the creators were making a statement about entrenched Christian religious beliefs, in that you watch the Pagans, resolute in their belief that the killing will bring them the results they want, and the Christian cannot, even in his death, understand that his beliefs are equally as...

Blindly fervent, if that makes any sense.

Pretty esoteric for a horror film of that period, though.


D.

[greektoomey.livejournal.com]

I loved the song about the inn-keeper's daughter.

[featherynscale.livejournal.com]

Heh. The songs were brilliant. And mostly rude. I kept thinking, hey, I should learn that song. Also, somebody (possibly The Sneaker Pimps) re-did the "How Do" song, which I had always liked, and now have context for (and I like it better now -- that was a fun scene).

[greektoomey.livejournal.com]

I was exposed to The Wicker Man on my first European holiday, by my lovely hostess uberbitsch. I must meet her brother, who has proclaimed that the film is his favorite musical ever.

[lilia-blackbear.livejournal.com]

Yep, Sneaker Pimps. In fact, I remember druidevo saying a few years ago, "There is this song called 'How Do' that the Sneaker Pimps sing," and several Pagans staring at him blankly and saying, "Dood, The Wicker Man."

[featherynscale.livejournal.com]

Also, who is that in your icon, and what does it refer to?

[greektoomey.livejournal.com]

It refers to a story told by Henry Rollins on his DVD, Shock and Awe - The Tour. He was hired by Ben Folds to collaborate with William Shatner on Shatner's album "Has Been," which Folds produced. After recording the song "I Can't Get Behind That," Shatner suggested adding a guitarist, and Rollins was gobsmacked when Folds just casually called up legendary guitarist Adrian Belew and got him to come down to the studio and lay down a guitar track.

The faces are Ben Folds and Adrian Belew. (I'm assuming you recognized Rollins and Shatner.) The words are Rollins' recollection of Folds' description of the phone call.

[featherynscale.livejournal.com]

I recognized Rollins and Shatner because their names appear above their heads. I'm pretty much faceblind - I recognize people 'in the wild' mostly by their general shape, the way they move, and their usual coloration. When people change their hairstyle radically, I generally don't have any idea who they are until they speak or move. Even then, sometimes, not.

So thank you for the story -- I might not have ever sorted it out otherwise. :)

[greektoomey.livejournal.com]

You're welcome.

By the way, if you've any potential interest in Henry Rollins' spoken word stand-up, I highly recommend renting and watching any DVD you happen to chance upon. He's a funny, funny guy.

[featherynscale.livejournal.com]

He is a funny, funny guy. I randomly stumbled into one of his spoken-word shows in 1995 or so, and was exceedingly impressed.

[wildnsquirrelly.livejournal.com]

I'm pretty sure it was Oct 31st of '95. I particularly enjoyed his Peace in the Middle East via. Circle Jerk proposal.

[lilia-blackbear.livejournal.com]

I love that movie in a way I am completely sure is not healthy, but not in a fanatic way. Even though Christopher Lee is usually a bad guy (but is being an overprotective dentist father really bad?), he played Lord Summerisle beautifully. And I completely did not see him as a bad guy. But yeah, cultural context -- I never saw the movie as a Christian. Or as a Scot, but that would be impossible, inconceivable, really, because I've never been a Scot. But I did appreciate Christopher Lee wearing a kilt. And the blend of accents. Scottish, British, Swedish... well, they're all Northern European so they could be on a small island together! Anyhoo, I have never met a Pagan yet who actually thought the movie was a horror movie. Of course, I've never met a Christian who thought it was either... come to think of it, I know a few Buddhists who have seen the movie and didn't think it a horror movie... The movie industry and reviewers call it a horror movie. Christopher Lee has said numerous times that his favorite role he ever played was Lord Summerisle. Even after having played Saruman.

[fionnabhar.livejournal.com]

A Bit of Trivia: Up to one-third of the population of the Orkneys can claim Scandinavian descent.

Pesky Norse invaders.

[triadruid.livejournal.com]

That's not invaders...that's whassname. Cultural exchange.

[malvito.livejournal.com]

Let me start by noting that I absolutley love this movie, and do consider it to be one of the finer horror flicks that I watch regularly.

The horror is difficult to define, because it is not Out-There, In-Your-Face horror. No slasher in a hockey mask, no monster jumping out of the pond. It is a horror that is a great deal more subtle, as it does not announce itself. It very much gives you a set of circumstances that follow very logically, but then lead to an event that catches you unprepared. (Other noteworthy examples of this would be the original THE STEPFORD WIVES or a John Frankenheimer film entitled SECONDS.) It is a horror that prefers to creep you out over trying to get you to scream.

I think the audience is supposed to be very ambiguous as to whom to root for. Sgt. Howie is the Christian, i.e. the conventional religion; in any other film, he would be the clear-cut Good Guy, but, as you have noted, he conducts himself badly throughout. To a group of people who are friendly and sweet and just pretty much trying to live their lives in a way that suits them (and in a way that looks awfully darned nice to the audience, what with the folk music and the sensuality) he is an inconsiderate, self-centered bully. Even (or, to some, especially) to the point of fashioning a cross for a grave that is not a Christian, as though he arrogantly assumes that, via this desecration, he is somehow saving the grave's occupant, whether said occupant would want it or not.

Of course, then you get to the end, where this group of people, for whom the audience has developed a great deal of sympathy, have placed Sgt Howie into the Wicker Man and have set it afire, and, as he slowly burns alive, sway merrily back and forth as they sing a jarringly atonal round of Sumer is acomen in, their calm, happy voices drowning out his terrified bellowing. His words become more and more apocalyptic (and, simultaneously, less and less heeded, if heard at all), and the thin line between sanity and madness pretty much burns down with the Wicker Man.

except that RHPS is morally ambiguous and promotes the 'bad guy' over the 'good guys' on purpose, where this seems to stumble into it accidentally.

Morally ambiguous? In spades. Stumble into it accidentally? Anything but.

[wildnsquirrelly.livejournal.com]

I haven't seen the original, but matchgirl42 and I saw the latest version in the dollar house last year. I couldn't help but feel that the Summersisle gals went through a lot of work just to pull that off, but I guess it would have had to have been, in order for him to have wound up there largely through his own poor choices.

He was told to leave. He could have left. He should have left, but his 'Superman' complex (something I identify with thoroughly) just wouldn't let him walk away.

Honestly, that probably would have worked on me, too. Yay, condoms! Double-yay for vasectomies!

[malvito.livejournal.com]

The latest version so did not get it. At all. Great MST3K Drink-A-Beer-Every-Time-Cage-Does-Something-Particularly-Boneheaded movie, but in no way should it be looked at as even a reflection of the original, especially since the religion vs religion subtext is gone.

[triadruid.livejournal.com]

We haven't seen the new one, but having heard that they stripped the religious aspect from it, I kept thinking, "But...what's left?"

Also, honeybee cults = X-Files did it already (among others), thank you.

[malvito.livejournal.com]

I have it (Blockbuster, used, 4-for-$20 thing) if you want to borrow and watch, though I certainly want to be there to share in the free-flowing drinking games and snarky remarks.

[triadruid.livejournal.com]

Sometime when we get a breathing moment, that sounds like a good idea. Maybe we can get to see your new place!

[malvito.livejournal.com]

That would be terrific.

[matchgirl42.livejournal.com]

I can't really compare, not having seen the original either, but the Cage version felt horrific to me, in a campy sort of eyerolls-'o-plenty did he really just do that? way.