The Wicker Man

===''The Final Cut''===

===''The Final Cut''===

European distributors of the film StudioCanal began a [[Facebook]] campaign in 2013 to find missing material, which culminated in the discovery of a 92-minute 35 mm print at the [[Harvard Film Archive]]. This print had previously been known as the "Middle Version" and was itself assembled from a 35 mm print of the original edit Robin Hardy had made in the United Kingdom in 1973, but which was never released.{{cite web|url=http://www.cinemaretro.com/index.php?/archives/7569-RESTORED-VERSION-OF-THE-WICKER-MAN-TO-BE-RELEASED-IN-UK-THEATRES.html |title=RESTORED VERSION OF "THE WICKER MAN" TO BE RELEASED IN UK THEATRES - Celebrating Films of the 1960s & 1970s |publisher=Cinemaretro.com |access-date=29 December 2013}} Robin Hardy believed that the original edit will probably never be found, saying, "Sadly, it seems as though this has been lost forever. However, I am delighted that a 1979 Abraxas print has been found as I also put together this cut myself, and it crucially restores the story order to that which I had originally intended."

StudioCanal, the European distributors of the film, began a [[Facebook]] campaign in 2013 to find missing material, which culminated in the discovery of a 92-minute 35 mm print at the [[Harvard Film Archive]]. This print had previously been known as the "Middle Version" and was itself assembled from a 35 mm print of the original edit Robin Hardy had made in the United Kingdom in 1973, but which was never released.{{cite web|url=http://www.cinemaretro.com/index.php?/archives/7569-RESTORED-VERSION-OF-THE-WICKER-MAN-TO-BE-RELEASED-IN-UK-THEATRES.html |title=RESTORED VERSION OF "THE WICKER MAN" TO BE RELEASED IN UK THEATRES - Celebrating Films of the 1960s & 1970s |publisher=Cinemaretro.com |access-date=29 December 2013}} Robin Hardy believed that the original edit will probably never be found, saying, "Sadly, it seems as though this has been lost forever. However, I am delighted that a 1979 Abraxas print has been found as I also put together this cut myself, and it crucially restores the story order to that which I had originally intended."

Hardy reported in July 2013[http://www.moviemail.com/blog/news/1612-Robin-Hardy-announces-results-of-The-Wicker-Man-appeal-original-print-found/ Robin Hardy announces results of The Wicker Man appeal - original print found] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130724132745/http://www.moviemail.com/blog/news/1612-Robin-Hardy-announces-results-of-The-Wicker-Man-appeal-original-print-found/ |date=24 July 2013 }} ''Moviemail'' website, 22 July 2013. Retrieved 22 July 2013. that Studiocanal intended to restore and release the most complete version possible of the film. Rialto Pictures announced that it was to release the new digital restoration in North American cinemas on 27 September 2013.[https://latimes.com/entertainment/movies/moviesnow/la-et-mn-cult-wicker-man-restored-20130827,0,7312104.story British cult classic 'The Wicker Man' to be released in theaters] ''LA Times'' website, 27 August 2013 This new version was also released on DVD on 13 October 2013.{{cite web|url=http://www.scifinow.co.uk/reviews/48921/the-wicker-man-the-final-cut-dvd-review/ |title=The Wicker Man: The Final Cut DVD review |date=28 September 2013 |publisher=SciFiNow |access-date=29 December 2013}} It is 91 minutes long, shorter than the director's cut but longer than the theatrical cut, and is known as ''The Wicker Man: The Final Cut''.

Hardy reported in July 2013[http://www.moviemail.com/blog/news/1612-Robin-Hardy-announces-results-of-The-Wicker-Man-appeal-original-print-found/ Robin Hardy announces results of The Wicker Man appeal - original print found] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130724132745/http://www.moviemail.com/blog/news/1612-Robin-Hardy-announces-results-of-The-Wicker-Man-appeal-original-print-found/ |date=24 July 2013 }} ''Moviemail'' website, 22 July 2013. Retrieved 22 July 2013. that Studiocanal intended to restore and release the most complete version possible of the film. Rialto Pictures announced that it was to release the new digital restoration in North American cinemas on 27 September 2013.[https://latimes.com/entertainment/movies/moviesnow/la-et-mn-cult-wicker-man-restored-20130827,0,7312104.story British cult classic 'The Wicker Man' to be released in theaters] ''LA Times'' website, 27 August 2013 This new version was also released on DVD on 13 October 2013.{{cite web|url=http://www.scifinow.co.uk/reviews/48921/the-wicker-man-the-final-cut-dvd-review/ |title=The Wicker Man: The Final Cut DVD review |date=28 September 2013 |publisher=SciFiNow |access-date=29 December 2013}} It is 91 minutes long, shorter than the director's cut but longer than the theatrical cut, and is known as ''The Wicker Man: The Final Cut''.