Christopher Lee starred in many now-classic horror movies, among them The Wicker Man, which ended up becoming the direct inspiration for a metal song 27 years after its release. Christopher Lee is one of the most respected actors of his generation, with an impressive career spanning over six decades and covering not just movies and TV projects but also music. Lee became widely known after playing Dracula in seven Hammer Horror movies, which also made him one of the most iconic horror actors ever. Outside his Dracula movies, one of Lee’s most notable horror movies is The Wicker Man.
The Wicker Man was directed by Robin Hardy, written by Anthony Shaffer, and inspired by David Pinner’s 1967 novel Ritual. The Wicker Man is a folk horror movie that follows Sgt. Neil Howie (Edward Woodward), who travels to the island of Summerisle to investigate the disappearance of a young girl. There he meets Lord Summerisle (Lee), who tells him about their beliefs and more. The Wicker Man was a hit with critics and ranks among the best horror movies ever made, and its legacy is such that it inspired a metal song almost three decades later.
Iron Maiden Turned Christopher Lee’s The Wicker Man Into An Iconic Heavy Metal Song
“The Wicker Man” Was Released In 2000
The Wicker Man is also one of the most influential movies of the 1970s, especially in the branch of folk horror (movies like Midsommar have a lot to thank it for). The Wicker Man is now also part of pop culture and is credited with bringing the wicker man into modern popular culture, as seen in festivals like Burning Man. Surprisingly, The Wicker Man has also been a source of inspiration for various musicians and bands, including the heavy metal band Iron Maiden.
Iron Maiden’s name was inspired by an adaptation of Alexandre Dumas’ The Man in the Iron Mask, referring to the iron maiden torture device.
Iron Maiden was formed in East London in 1975 by bᴀssist Steve Harris. Iron Maiden established themselves as one of the best heavy metal bands of all time in the 1980s, with their 1982 album The Number of the Beast becoming one of the most popular heavy metal albums of all time. At the time of writing, Iron Maiden has released 41 albums, the most recent one, Senjutsu, in 2021. In 2000, Iron Maiden released the song “The Wicker Man”, part of their album Brave New World. The single’s cover features the band’s mascot, Eddie, as the burning man.
Iron Maiden’s vocalist, Bruce Dickinson, has a song тιтled “Wicker Man” from his solo career, with the lyrics more related to the movie than Iron Maiden’s song.
The lyrics of “The Wicker Man” aren’t exactly themed around the movie, and, instead, are about the apathy that has taken over society and the disinterest in everything happening around it. “The Wicker Man” made its way to charts all over the world during its release, and it’s among Iron Maiden’s most popular songs.
Iron Maiden Used Classic Movies As Inspiration For Other Songs Too
Iron Maiden Takes Inspirations From Other Media
Iron Maiden takes inspiration from movies and books (starting with the band’s name), and “The Wicker Man” isn’t the only example. The 1995 song “Man on the Edge” was based on the 1993 psychological thriller Falling Down. Directed by Joel Schumacher, Falling Down stars Michael Douglas as an unemployed defense engineer trying to get to his estranged ex-wife’s house in time for his daughter’s birthday. Another example is the 1983 song “Where Eagles Dare”, based on the movie of the same name.
Other examples are the songs “Phantom of the Opera”, “Children of the Damned”, “Quest For Fire”, and “Aces High.” As long as there are movies and Iron Maiden keeps playing, the band will surely continue to find inspiration in a variety of movies, bringing together two worlds that, at times, are very different.
