Edward Woodward RIP - watch The Wicker Man trailer

Just heard the very sad news that Edward Woodward has died, aged 79. He had been suffering from various illnesses, including pneumonia.

Ever since I saw him in the classic 1973 film The Wicker Man, he has been one of my favourite actors (I liked The Equalizer, too).

I've just watched the trailer for The Wicker Man (see link below), and been instantly reminded of its unforgettable sense of horror, mystery and weirdness.

But without Woodward's magnificent performance as the strictly religious Sergeant Howie, the movie's oddness would have nothing to contrast with. It's that tension that makes the film so brilliantly disturbing.

His reaction at the end of the film, when he discovers his fate, has to be one of the best scary moments in cinema history.

So Edward Woodward - RIP. Let's hope they show The Wicker Man on TV soon as a tribute.

Watch Edward Woodward in The Wicker Man trailer