The Wicker Man 4K Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.5
Video		4.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		4.0
Overall		4.5

The Wicker Man 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Jeffrey Kauffman October 12, 2023

In a somewhat baffling approach that might have confused even a certain venerable Sergeant Howie (who frankly probably had better things to worry about in any case), StudioCanal has very recently offered a five disc release that includes the variant versions of The Wicker Man in 4K UHD and 1080, along with what is either a CD or audio Blu-ray (listings I've seen have different data). Those of us on this side of the pond will either have to import that version or opt for this considerably slimmed down affair, which at least has the allure of a rather beautifully designed SteelBook going for it (in further weirdness, in poking around the always entertaining internets, it appears that StudioCanal also has its own SteelBook which has six (video) discs but which is rather strangely missing the audio disc).

The Wicker Man continues to be one of the most provocative "horror" films of all time, and it should be of special interest to anyone who, like I, has had a longstanding interest in world religions and the slow, steady "evolution" of pagan thought into something maybe a little less violent. Kind of hilariously the archival featurette included on the 1080 disc offers "thanks" that at least (as of the production of the featurette) no one had deigned to remake The Wicker Man (we all know how that turned out), but there's absolutely no doubt that many films, rather notably efforts like Midsommar 4K, offer more than a tip of a garland crown to Robin Hardy's film (my Midsommar review also gets into a rather salient literary antecedent, Thomas Tryon's Harvest Home, which also came out in 1973). Those wanting a plot recap and my thoughts about the film are encouraged to head over to my The Wicker Man Blu-ray review.

The Wicker Man 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Note: Screenshots are sourced from the 1080 disc included in this set. Svet's review of the five disc StudioCanal set linked to above offers downscaled 4K screenshots alongside 1080 screenshots for those who might be interested in looking at comparisons.

The Wicker Man is presented in 4K UHD courtesy of Lionsgate Films with an HVEC / H.265 encoded 2160p transfer in 1.85:1. It's unfortunate for more reasons than one that Lionsgate has only opted to release this so-called "final" or "director's" cut on this side of the pond, because it's by far the most problematic, for reasons I get into in some detail in my original 1080 review. This new 4K reconstruction certainly improves the primary element sequences, but it probably only exacerbates the already obvious differences in suffusion, clarity, detail and grain structure that the 1080 version displays when dupe elements were used out of necessity. I'm evidently a bit more of a curmudgeon than Svet is with regard to these variances, and so have docked my video score by half a point, but anyone who is a fan of this film is most likely going to be delighted with how it looks in 4K. The palette is wonderfully vivid in the native 35mm sections, and detail levels are typically excellent as well, maybe arguably faltering a bit in some of the outdoor location photography as well as a few isolated midrange shots. While there are undeniable ebbs and flows to the grain field, especially in some of the dupe elements, overall this has a very healthy and commendably organic appearance. My 4K score is 4.25.

The Wicker Man 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The Wicker Man features a nicely expressive LPCM 2.0 Mono track that more than capably supports an often incredibly evocative sound design that combines a lot of ambient environmental effects with some probably dated sounding but still very appealing quasi-folk cues. Dialogue is rendered cleanly and clearly throughout, and I noticed no real difference between the audio on this disc and the older 1080 disc which featured DTS-HD Master Audio Mono. Optional English subtitles are available.

The Wicker Man 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

The 4K UHD disc in this set is the same one as Disc One in the Region B set Svet reviewed, and Svet has provided a really thorough rundown of the supplements in his The Wicker Man 4K Blu-ray review. Somewhat hilariously, the 1080 disc repeats the supplements I detailed in my The Wicker Man Blu-ray review, which has the additional comedic value of offering the featurette where various talking heads celebrate the fact that no one has been stupid enough to try to remake the film.

Additionally, the SteelBook packaging is rather evocative, emphasizing some beautiful mauve tones while offering an illustration that is kind of like Aubrey Beardsley illustrating The Golden Bough (see my 1080 review of information on that great tome, if you're not already aware of it). A digital copy is also enclosed.

The Wicker Man 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

The Wicker Man has long been one of my very favorite films (and for those who read my original 1080 review, they'll know I was evidently one of the few who got to see the longest cut on 16mm back in the day, though I had no idea at the time how rare that viewing experience was), and I'm overjoyed that it's being released in 4K UHD, but why, oh why did StudioCanal and Lionsgate decide to only offer Region B consumers "the rest of the story", so to speak? I can't imagine it was for any pressing licensing reasons, given the fact that this version is available. I can't help but recommend those who feel as strongly as I do about this film opt for the Region B release (mine is already ordered), but what is here features solid technical merits and appealing supplements, and the SteelBook packaging is quite beautiful. Highly recommended.