From what I saw of this film, it looked pretty good. Unfortunately, the sound on the tape was horrible, so I didn't understand much of the dialogue. Evidently, there's a Christian police investigator who is looking for a missing person on the island of Summerisle. At first, everyone on the island acts like they'd never heard of her. Then they decide that she died, somehow. Meanwhile, the policeman learns more and more about the horrifying secrets of the island. He witnesses bizarre rituals and strange teachings. Eventually, Lord Summerisle, played by Christopher Lee, assures him that everything is fine. It's just that their religion is a little different. The policeman doesn't buy it, and he does some research, unearthing a much more sinister plot. It seems the missing girl was to be used for a human sacrifice. So, at the town's May festival, he puts on a ceremonial costume and tries to remain inconspicuous. No one seems to notice him, and they all head off to hold the sacrifice for the gods.
At this point, I advise you not to read any further, since I don't want to spoil the ending for you if you haven't seen it. If you have seen it, or you don't care, read on, but be wary. I knew about the ending before I saw the film, and I wished I hadn't.
Ok, here's what happened: It turns out that all of it was bait. The missing person, the information about the sacrifice, everything. He didn't know anything they didn't want him to know. It was all bait to get him onto the island long enough for the ritual sacrifice. The sacrifice itself was pretty creepy. The policeman was tied up and put into a giant man made of wicker, along with ducks, chickens, pigs, cows, etc.. The wicker man was then set ablaze, and all inside were burned alive. The animals cried out in pain as the policeman prayed for his immortal soul.
I thought this part was intriguing. How does a person respond to the realization of imminant death? What is it like to sit there and realize, I am going to die in a matter of minutes, and the rest of my life will be excruciatingly painful. Put yourself in his position (hypothetically). You're tied up and trapped in a small, burning, wooden box. Outside the box are a few hundred people singing and dancing, celebrating your death. All you can hear is the roar of the flames drowning out the cries of the animals. I tell ya, these parties are getting out of hand.