Robin Hardy, born in London, was a multifaceted talent known for his work in cult cinema. He directed and acted in the influential The Wicker Man (1973), a cornerstone of folk horror that continues to resonate with audiences. Hardy also helmed The Fantasist (1986), showcasing his ability to blend psychological themes with genre elements. In addition to directing, he contributed as a writer for Forbidden Sun (1988), further solidifying his role in shaping the narrative landscape of British cult films.
Forbidden Sun
A couple of Texans manage a school in Crete, to train girls in Olympic gymnastics and learn some Ancient Greek History. Charles and Francine Lake are helped by an English teacher, a local gym coach and a janitor, all three single, and apparently sexually repressed. The twelve young women try to escape the rigorous discipline of the school, to mingle with the locals on the mainland where there is rock music by a visiting band. When one of the girls is sexually assaulted, the janitor Ulysses, a peeping tom, is suspected - and four girls vow revenge, in the form of a Cretan ritual named the Bulldance. The revenge goes wrong, and it is found that Ulysses was not the culprit. More people were hiding secrets in the small island. One of the girls, dejected in love, goes on to further violence - including on herself, going alone in an arena with a bull 1400+ lbs.
