The Wicker Tree Oklahoma. However, Hardy was ultimately unable to secure funding, and the film was cancelled. He then adapted his screenplay into a novel, which was published as "Cowboys for Christ". Hardy felt that writing the novel gave him a much clearer idea of what he wanted to do, and he eventually adapted the novel into the screenplay which was used for "The Wicker Tree". Originally Hardy wrote the part of Sir Lachlan Morrison for Christopher Lee, who played Lord Summerisle in "The Wicker Man". While filming the newest Hammer production "The Resident" in New Mexico, Lee injured his back when he
The Wicker Man elements from the previous versions (in particular, additional scenes of Howie on the mainland were restored, showing the chaste bachelor to be the object of gossip at his police station, and establishing his rigidly devout posture). The extended DVD cut was released by Canal+ (with Anchor Bay Entertainment handling US DVD distribution) in this 95-minute hybrid version, considered the longest and closest version to Hardy's original 99-minute version of the film. A two-disc limited edition set was sold with both the shortened theatrical release version and the newly restored extended version, and a retrospective documentary, "The Wicker Man Enigma." In