The Wicker Man ‘73- Best Cut?

[sfmarine]

The Wicker Man turns 50 this year and will be making its 4K debut in the US next month, I figured it would be a good time to see which cut everyone prefers.

US order link- it only includes the Final Cut.
https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/The-W...lu-ray/344329/

If you want all three cuts, you need to import the Studio Canal release. There is also a Steelbook, but it’s sold out.
https://www.orbitdvd.com/products/th...-region-free-b

[oddbox83]

Final Cut, somewhat begrudgingly.

I used to love the DC, but the more economic use of the extra footage in the Final Cut leaves a film that is both better paced and it keeps the superior 2-night structure.

An ideal cut for me would open like the Final Cut, but once on the island would follow the DC.

[John Earls Umbrella]

Originally Posted by oddbox83

Final Cut, somewhat begrudgingly.

I used to love the DC, but the more economic use of the extra footage in the Final Cut leaves a film that is both better paced and it keeps the superior 2-night structure.

An ideal cut for me would open like the Final Cut, but once on the island would follow the DC.

What I find frustrating about the FC is the repetition of the church scenes with Howie, seen in the opening and again, with slight differences, as a flashback during his night time prayers in the pub bedroom. I don’t think we need that twice.

[Poya]

Which cut has the costume bear punching?

[djzero]

The Final Cut

[John Earls Umbrella]

Originally Posted by Poya

Which cut has the costume bear punching?

That’s in the appalling 2006 remake, not this 1973 version and it’s three cuts we are voting on here.

[DR Herbert West]

Final Cut

[Highnight]

The Director's Cut

I first saw the film back in the 80s and it was the full Director's Cut on VHS. Watched it numerous times before it was finally released on DVD by Anchor Bay, and that's when I was introduced to the Theatrical Version. I think I've only watched that once. After watching the Director's Cut for years and knowing it like the back of my hand, the Theatrical Version is just too butchered to enjoy.

When the Final Cut was released, I was very excited that we'd get an almost Director's Cut in much better quality. But I was quickly disappointed when I watched it and, although the clarity was greatly improved, the color grading was way off from the Theatrical Version sections. The cutting between sources was much more jarring to me with the Final Cut than the Director's Cut!!! Clarity variation is common in many films, so that doesn't bother me especially when you've seen a film as often as I have you don't notice it. But when the entire color and contrast are completely different, it definitely looks patched together. So I only watched the Final Cut once as well.

I purchased the Imprint boxset and was very excited that there'd now be an HD option to watch the Director's Cut, but life has been so busy I never got around to opening the box yet. Then I started reading about the problems with that release and put off opening the package for sure there'd be another release that may be better, since that one was Region 4.

I was excited for the 4K restoration when it was announced and immediately watched the Blu-ray when I received it. The restoration work is very impressive! The video source segments are the best I've ever seen them and don't think they could look any better. This is probably as good as THE WICKER MAN will ever look unless film elements are ever found for the video source segments. The contrast and color grading of the Final Cut film segments are now much closer to the Theatrical Version, and as some have reported there is less switching between sources this time around...often staying on a lower quality source to finish out a scene instead of cutting back and forth.

But I was aggravated that Silver Salt Restoration spent over 500 hours on this restoration and it could've been perfect, had they let people very familiar with the Director's Cut (like myself) do some QC of the work before it was completed! 😔 There are several 1-2 second cut aways throughout the film where they did not let the scene finish completely before cutting to the next scene 😫 it could've been perfect! 😔 and then to top it off, they used the poor quality video source end credits that are identical to the Final Cut! They must have assumed they were unique to the Director's Cut, but you're going to spend 500 hours on a project and not compare something this simple?!

[drush9999]

The Final Cut for me, it fixes the number of nights on the island as mentioned above. I don't think we need to see Howie on the mainland though. I'd start it like the Theatrical Cut with the seaplane already flying. We get that he's a devout christian in the dialogue.

[formula_nebula]

The final cut