by M. Sparga

Created on: April 18, 2007   Last Updated: April 30, 2009

The 1973 film "The Wicker Man" had an eerie tone that delivered a haunting movie experience for the audience. The 2006 remake, however, relied on the typical tropes of contemporary horror, and the result is much blander and less effective than the original. Both movies follow a man called to an isolated community to investigate the disappearance of a girl whom everyone there implies doesn't exist. The films differ in certain plot points, but ultimately a comparison of their overall tone gets more at the heart of their difference.

Just watch any recent horror movie trailer, and you're sure to see the usual fare of quickly edited shots and sudden changes designed to make the viewer jump. Supposedly these add to a horror film's tension, but in the case of the remake of "The Wicker Man," these moments just make the movie feel cliched. By now we've all seen the familiar eerie setting, complete with shadowy corners, in which the main character wanders until something jarring happens: an attacker pops out of nowhere, or the floor gives way beneath him. Such brief scares are quickly forgotten.

The original, however, didn't rely on sudden, startling moments to scare the audience. Instead, it portrayed a creepy town in which something just wasn't quite right. One could even argue that the film was on the slow side, something rare in the "dime a dozen" brand of horror films of late.

Besides predictably jumpy scares, the 2006 remake also included more connection between the main character Edward Malus' past and the island he investigates. The audience is urged to try to unravel his personal history in a way that casts some light of meaning on what happens on the island. But rather than flesh out his character, this just muddles the pacing and pulls the focus of the film away from the creepy islanders.

The original film, on the other hand, allowed a slow pace to help build up a subtle tension from scene to scene. The viewer felt the main character Sergeant Howie's frustration and alienation from the strange community. Their bizarre behavior was underscored by the songs sprinkled throughout the film, making it feel almost like a musical. Their chipper singing was particularly unsettling during the film's climax.

Overall, the remake attempted to make the viewer feel jumpy, while the original instilled true dread. The 1973 version is likely to stay with a viewer because of its oddness, while the 2006 version is quickly forgotten in a slew of similar, tired films.

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