Scottish isles and druidism

[Helios Panoptes]

As you may've guessed, I am a big fan of The Wicker Man, which is a movie about a scottish isle populated by Pagans. Apparently, the movie was inspired by The Golden Bough: A Study in Magic and Religion by James Fraser. Of course, I plan to read the book, but perhaps someone here can satisfy my curiosity. Is it true that Druidism remained quite strong in isolated regions of Scotland until a later date than might be expected(19th century, perhaps)? If so, when was it dissipated or has it been?

[1-800]

No.

Of course, there was a 'Druid' revival among certain circles in the 17th and 18th century England and Wales. However, there was no continuity between them and the ancient Celts.

The scholarship behind The Golden Bough is questionable. Regardless, the book is excellent.

Edit:

Wicker Man is a good film, too. The Punch character that Howie disguises himself as is more interesting than the Druids. In the stories, he ends up killing both his wife and child, the doctor, the magistrate and Satan himself. In some versions, he even fries up and eats his child.

[Péter]

I just saw the movie a few days ago. Though the disparate worldviews of the Heathen and the Christian were portrayed with great violence, I must say that the pagans were depicted as having a superstitious ignorance that was borderline satirical. This left me feeling as if the heathen view of the world was demeaned by the director, and ultimately misunderstood. As such, I could not rate the movie as highly as I might have wished, even with an ending featuring a human sacrifice ablaze.

[jcs]

I just saw the movie a few days ago. Though the disparate worldviews of the Heathen and the Christian were portrayed with great violence, I must say that the pagans were depicted as having a superstitious ignorance that was borderline satirical. This left me feeling as if the heathen view of the world was demeaned by the director, and ultimately misunderstood. As such, I could not rate the movie as highly as I might have wished, even with an ending featuring a human sacrifice ablaze.
The movie was, based on my knowledge of pre-Christian heathenry, a reasonably accurate (though obviously negative, as this is considered a 'horror/mystery/thriller' movie, with the Christian guy as the protagonist) depiction of folkish heathen practices. Folk-practices--heathen, christian, or whatever--are basically religion-become-superstition, and usually charmingly ignorant.

[Péter]

The movie was, based on my knowledge of pre-Christian heathenry, a reasonably accurate (though obviously negative, as this is considered a 'horror/mystery/thriller' movie, with the Christian guy as the protagonist) depiction of folkish heathen practices. Folk-practices--heathen, christian, or whatever--are basically religion-become-superstition, and usually charmingly ignorant.

This much was understood. Perhaps it was merely the portrayal of the Lord which left me with a bitter aftertaste. Something about his physiognomy seemed disconcertingly ignoble, albeit this may have just been his conspicuously swarthy countenance.

[Milesian]

There is no surving pockets of Druidic belief in Scotland.
What is true is that there is significant traits and practices carried down to the present day. Contrary to popular belief, Christianity and Druidism/Paganism mingled rather well (at the very least in Britain and Ireland). Much of the old practises and beliefs were simply Christianised and carried on in a modifed version. Myths and folklore often retained much of the "old ways". Ironically, Christianity retains more semblance of the pagan religion(s) than any New Age Neo-Pagan construct has.