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Children of The Wicker Man: The True Story Behind One of the Most Remarkable Films Ever Made
Justin Hardy has always been conflicted over the exalted claims made about The Wicker Man, his father’s magnum opus: for him, the film destroyed his family. He has no photographs of Robin Hardy in his house. His brother Dominic, whom Robin abandoned as a baby, has been more distanced. Their father’s film is a set of fragmented stories: benighted production, brutal editing, critical reception, financial failure, and later revival.
Then, at the height of the Covid pandemic, Justin receives a letter from a woman he’s never met. She has found a cache of Robin’s personal papers that have been sitting untouched in the attic of Justin’s childhood home since the 1970s. Would he like them?
Using these newly uncovered sources, along with the Hardy family’s own letters and photographs, Children of The Wicker Man investigates what Robin Hardy’s creative contribution to The Wicker Man was, and considers who was truly sacrificed. In the process, the brothers discover an unlikely heroine: Justin’s mother Caroline, who bankrupted herself paying loans to her husband and the film, only for him to leave when it flopped. For all women behind artist husbands, this book reveals a series of heroines: the mothers of the children of The Wicker Man.
Then, at the height of the Covid pandemic, Justin receives a letter from a woman he’s never met. She has found a cache of Robin’s personal papers that have been sitting untouched in the attic of Justin’s childhood home since the 1970s. Would he like them?
Using these newly uncovered sources, along with the Hardy family’s own letters and photographs, Children of The Wicker Man investigates what Robin Hardy’s creative contribution to The Wicker Man was, and considers who was truly sacrificed. In the process, the brothers discover an unlikely heroine: Justin’s mother Caroline, who bankrupted herself paying loans to her husband and the film, only for him to leave when it flopped. For all women behind artist husbands, this book reveals a series of heroines: the mothers of the children of The Wicker Man.
322 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 23, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
April 4, 2026
I don’t accept books for review anymore, but when The History Press reached out regarding this title, I couldn’t resist.
Children of The Wicker Man is pretty essential reading for fans of the cult classic. The Wicker Man is one of my all-time favourite films, but this book, written by two of the director Robin Hardy’s sons, has plenty of revealing new info, including some mentions of scenes cut for the ‘finished’ version. They certainly don’t hold back in their opinions of how their father treated his family, but it’s a balanced portrayal, and a redemptive late-life appearance at a BFI screening was the highlight for me.
It’s a very beautifully put-together release, with tons of unseen letters and notes from Hardy’s personal collection, and I’m pleased to note Christopher Lee emerges as the kind of delightful raconteur you’d hope he was.
Children of The Wicker Man is pretty essential reading for fans of the cult classic. The Wicker Man is one of my all-time favourite films, but this book, written by two of the director Robin Hardy’s sons, has plenty of revealing new info, including some mentions of scenes cut for the ‘finished’ version. They certainly don’t hold back in their opinions of how their father treated his family, but it’s a balanced portrayal, and a redemptive late-life appearance at a BFI screening was the highlight for me.
It’s a very beautifully put-together release, with tons of unseen letters and notes from Hardy’s personal collection, and I’m pleased to note Christopher Lee emerges as the kind of delightful raconteur you’d hope he was.
May 13, 2026
CHILDREN OF THE WICKER MAN is actually a companion book to a documentary film of the same name. For fans of classic horror films, “The Wicker Man” is a movie that initially failed at the box office (earning back less than half of its investment), only to be rediscovered, celebrated, and met with a hugely loyal fan base. The folks at Severin Films recently offered the documentary as part of a “bundle” that included the companion book.
For me, if the book has a fault, it is the assumption that the Reader is very familiar with the original 1974 motion picture. There are some references that are dashed off in “But, you already know this” fashion. It was rare that the book tried to bring the “newbie” up to speed.
However, for fans of the film, there is a treasure trove of backstory to savor. It isn’t actually the story of the making of “The Wicker Man” as much as it is the story of two sons of Director Robin Hardy who saw very little of their father as he pursued new projects and schemes. His tendency toward being an absent parent who sired children with multiple women created severe emotional scars of abandonment that never fully healed.
Dominic and Justin Hardy join Chris Nunn in tracking the steps of Robin Hardy which included a contentious relationship with British Lion’s managing director (Peter Snell), the end of a partnership between Hardy and writer Anthony Shaffer, the little-seen sequel (“The Wicker Tree”), and a few of the many stories from Christopher Lee. Along the way, Dominic and Justin uncover a perspective of their father that had been hidden from them.
Of the two sources (the documentary and the book), the book fills in many more gaps and some startling omissions that are never touched upon in the film. (The most glaring was that Roger Corman was mainly responsible for what became known as the “Theatrical Cut” of “The Wicker Man.") The documentary excels in not only taking the Viewer to significant locations, but also showing the impact of the “emotional landmines” that are awaiting discovery.
For fans of “The Wicker Man,” this is certainly “must read” material. I think that others would find it less engaging.
For me, if the book has a fault, it is the assumption that the Reader is very familiar with the original 1974 motion picture. There are some references that are dashed off in “But, you already know this” fashion. It was rare that the book tried to bring the “newbie” up to speed.
However, for fans of the film, there is a treasure trove of backstory to savor. It isn’t actually the story of the making of “The Wicker Man” as much as it is the story of two sons of Director Robin Hardy who saw very little of their father as he pursued new projects and schemes. His tendency toward being an absent parent who sired children with multiple women created severe emotional scars of abandonment that never fully healed.
Dominic and Justin Hardy join Chris Nunn in tracking the steps of Robin Hardy which included a contentious relationship with British Lion’s managing director (Peter Snell), the end of a partnership between Hardy and writer Anthony Shaffer, the little-seen sequel (“The Wicker Tree”), and a few of the many stories from Christopher Lee. Along the way, Dominic and Justin uncover a perspective of their father that had been hidden from them.
Of the two sources (the documentary and the book), the book fills in many more gaps and some startling omissions that are never touched upon in the film. (The most glaring was that Roger Corman was mainly responsible for what became known as the “Theatrical Cut” of “The Wicker Man.") The documentary excels in not only taking the Viewer to significant locations, but also showing the impact of the “emotional landmines” that are awaiting discovery.
For fans of “The Wicker Man,” this is certainly “must read” material. I think that others would find it less engaging.
January 15, 2026
Excellent book accompanying the documentary which was great .
November 12, 2025
Short review for the time poor
Memoir by two of Film Director Robin Hardy sons
The story of Hardy’s best known film The Wicker Man and what is was like being the sons of RH.
Dominic and Justin Hardy intersperse stories of their father with information about the making of The Wicker Man but overall at times it is related in an excruciatingly dull fashion I found and the words often swam in front of me particularly in the overuse of BFI style film speak ( Hetronormative being one example)
As an older reader I found the facsimiles of letters,documents hard to read and as such this contributed to a waning interest in the book
Information on the perspective of those still alive who were involved in the making of TWM is sparse unfortunately
This book follows on from a documentary his sons made( same title as the Book) and this add on to the documentary fails to fuel and ignite the story of that wonderful film The Wicker Man .
Memoir by two of Film Director Robin Hardy sons
The story of Hardy’s best known film The Wicker Man and what is was like being the sons of RH.
Dominic and Justin Hardy intersperse stories of their father with information about the making of The Wicker Man but overall at times it is related in an excruciatingly dull fashion I found and the words often swam in front of me particularly in the overuse of BFI style film speak ( Hetronormative being one example)
As an older reader I found the facsimiles of letters,documents hard to read and as such this contributed to a waning interest in the book
Information on the perspective of those still alive who were involved in the making of TWM is sparse unfortunately
This book follows on from a documentary his sons made( same title as the Book) and this add on to the documentary fails to fuel and ignite the story of that wonderful film The Wicker Man .
March 12, 2026
I genuinely loved the portrait this painted of my favourite actor Christopher Lee, and I thoroughly enjoyed the behind the scenes glimpses of the film.
There was a bit too much financial manoeuvring for me that dragged a bit, and some of it felt unnecessarily overwritten, but I enjoyed it all the same.
There was a bit too much financial manoeuvring for me that dragged a bit, and some of it felt unnecessarily overwritten, but I enjoyed it all the same.
May 11, 2026
A really interesting, and at times heartbreaking, behind-the-scenes look at "The Wicker Man" director Robin Hardy. He directed one of the all time great British horror films but as a father and husband? Really unfortunate stuff.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews