2016 has been full of tragic celebrity deaths, but this one hits me more than the others.

Robin Hardy, writer/ director of one of the finest horror movies ever made, has died, aged 86.

When I first saw The Wicker Man, I was astounded by the sublime horror that was presented to me, very deliberate and carefully crafted. It wove a tale that gently creeps into your subconscious and challenges themes of belief and perspective.

Hardy also made The Fantasist and The Wicker Man sequel, The Wicker Tree, and was working on a third Wicker Man tale which tragically we will never get to see.

The To Watch Pile would like to send our condolences to Mr. Harry’s family, and would like to thank him for one of the finest pieces of cinema ever made.