Cult film's sequel inflames director's ire

But in the run-up to the world premiere of The Wicker Tree, the director of The Wicker Man has issued a blistering attack on the nation's former screen industry agency for its lack of interest in his new film, describing his meetings with funding officials as one of the "worst experiences" of his career.

Robin Hardy has revealed how he was left frustrated by Scottish Screen after officials made it clear they "loathed" his script. However, with the film now completed and due to open in a fortnight, he hopes The Wicker Tree will vindicate his faith in returning to the country which gave him his biggest success.

The Wicker Man, the 1973 horror film which concludes with a police sergeant, played by Edward Woodward, being burned alive in a giant wicker statue, went on from inauspicious beginnings as a B-movie to earn awards and a place in cinema history.

It has also spawned a remake starring Nicolas Cage and a successful music festival in the south-west of Scotland, where it was filmed.

In Glasgow to promote the tenth anniversary of the festival, near Kirkcudbright, the 81-year-old expressed his anger with Scotland's former film development agency, which was replaced last year by Creative Scotland.

He said: "Scottish Screen loathed the script and gave us absolutely no help at all. They wouldn't even help suggest locations in Dumfries when we thought we were going to be filming in the south-west of Scotland. They gave us nothing, absolutely nothing.

"I remember being in their office waiting to see some executive who was too busy to see me. It didn't come as a real surprise, as exactly the same thing happened with The Wicker Man. My experience with Scottish Screen was the worst I've ever had. They just made no effort to help in any way."

However, Hardy praised Edinburgh Film Focus, which did an "absolutely brilliant" job in finding locations around the capital after it became clear a return to the south-west would be too costly.

Financed independently and filmed at sites around Dalkeith, Fountainhall, North Middleton, Pathhead and Temple - "The locations in Scotland almost act as a character in the films," Hardy says - The Wicker Tree is adapted from his novel Cowboys For Christ and focuses on two young evangelists who come to a "godless" Scotland to spread the word, and who suffer a horrific fate.

There are no A-list stars in the cast; Woodward and Britt Ekland, who starred in the original, are replaced by Henry Garrett and Britannia Nicol, but Sir Christopher Lee - Lord Summerisle in the first film - makes a cameo.

"We don't see who Christopher is in the film; it's completely enigmatic," said Hardy. "His little performance works extremely well."

While not a direct sequel, the "black comedy" is designed as a companion piece to its predecessor, playing with similar themes and imagery. Hardy hailed the "stellar" contribution of Glaswegian composer Keith Easdale, who wrote songs for the film, and Trevor Leat, the designer of the vast figure set alight at the Wickerman Festival, who made new sculptures for the film.Hardy said he was inspired by the Common Ridings in the Scottish Borders, which play a prominent part in the new film. "Around 20 years ago I was staying in Kelso and I came out of my inn in the morning to see the town square completely filled with people on horses, even children on little ponies," he recalled. "After seeing that, I went to the library to research the origins of it and I became fascinated."

The film premieres at the Fantasia Film Festival in Montreal next week, and the director hopes it will open in Scotland in the autumn.

The 2006 Hollywood remake of The Wicker Man, which was set in America, was a flop, but the success and legacy of the original film - named by the magazine Total Film as the sixth greatest British film of all time - continues to give Hardy encouragement.

He is planning a third film in the series, dealing loosely with Norse pagan legends, with filming scheduled to begin in Quebec next year.

"It's called The Wrath Of The Gods and it's set in Iceland and Los Angeles," said Hardy.