We’re back and we’re erecting monstrous effigies, playing deadly games and proclaiming that Sumer is Icumen In (YT: Sumer is Icumen in (The Hilliard Ensemble))

. OK, it’s February, but we’re sure that summer is out there somewhere. In fact, as we mention, the cast and crew of The Wicker Man had to pretend that a Scottish November offered the warmth of late spring. We Britons are good at lying to ourselves about the weather.

And we can always find ways to keep the chill off.

Main Topic

As we’ve just implied, this episode is our look at the 1973 classic British horror film, The Wicker Man. Christopher Lee may have claimed that it wasn’t truly a horror film, but, with all due respect, he was wrong. This is one of the Unholy Trinity of folk horror film, as discussed in the last episode. A deeply disturbing look at a clash of faiths, leading to grisly consequences, it is filled with pagan imagery and nihilistic hopelessness. It’s also a musical, so do sing along as you scream!

“Please release me, let me go…”

Once again, Mike Mason, line editor of Call of Cthulhu, joins our discussion. Like Scott and all other right-thinking people, Mike proclaims The Wicker Man as his favourite film. As a result, our conversation gets progressively more enthusiastic and geeky as we lose ourselves in its pagan ecstasies.

Not quite enough to strip off and dance naked for joy, but it was close.

In the course of the episode, we mention a few related projects:

• Ritual, by David Pinner
• The Wicker Man novelisation, by Robin Hardy
• Inside The Wicker Man, by Allan Brown
• The Wicker Man Soundtrack
• Cowboys for Christ, by Robin Hardy
• The Wicker Tree (2011)
• The Wicker Man (2006)
• Don’t Look Now (1973)
• Sleuth (1972)
• Frenzy(1972)
• The Wicker Man rollercoaster. Really.

Oh, Jesus Christ! Oh, Lord!

News

We mention that Scott was recently interviewed for a local radio programme on Secklow 105.5. The interview hasn’t been broadcast yet, but we shall be sure to post a link once it is available.

Matt mentions that the first session of his playthrough with Into the Darkness of his Intersections scenario should be available. This is the short campaign set in 1970s Istanbul that he wrote for the World War Cthulhu: Cold War corebook. It’s not actually out yet, unfortunately. We can offer the character creation session to tide you over, however. If you subscribe to the linked channel as well, you will be notified when the first episode is available.

Other Stuff

As The Wicker Man blends music and terror, so do we. There are two new songs in this episode, each a potent incantation of primal ecstasy. These, as ever, are our means of thanking new Patreon backers. The old gods themselves cower before our chants, so we limit ourselves to two songs per episode. With the recent influx of new backers, this means that we are still working our way through a considerable backlog. If you are still waiting, we thank you for your patience and promise that your song will come soon. Some fates are too terrible to be avoided forever.

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