12 Classic British Horror Films You Need To See

If you’re only familiar with this film through the 2006 remake with Nicolas Cage, please be aware that the 1973 original features neither an American cop haunted by visions of a girl he couldn’t save nor an island of tyrannical women. Also, at no point does the hero perform kung fu or steal a bicycle at gunpoint.

Quizzed about the remake on its release, director Robin Hardy said it removed all the songs, sex, and atmosphere from his movie and substituted nothing worthwhile. A remake was never going to work because the plot requires the audience to believe in the existence of a Pagan cult on a remote Scottish island that lures an outsider to their commune. Without giving too much away, there’s a reason why the character has to be an adult male virgin.

With a cast that includes Christopher Lee, Edward Woodward, Ingrid Pitt and Britt Ekland, The Wicker Man is both uniquely British and one of the most thrilling films ever made in the UK, as well as a fine example of what can be achieved on a low budget.