Watcher In The Woods [DVD]

I saw this movie when I was a kid and it's one of the first movies to introduce my love of syfy and horror. I have been a fan ever since. A lot of people don't realize that this was a Disney movie. So glad I could get the original here. There was a remake but it is not as good as the original

Holy cow, it's Halloween---time to watch some scary movies! However, I don't care for hard-core horror, so I'm sticking to only very slightly spooky films. And so I've just viewed "Watcher in the Woods," an old favourite from 1980.This picture has a lot of nostalgic appeal for me; I remember there was quite a lot of press about it as it was being filmed, because this was the very first time the Disney studio seemed to be attempting to do a film a bit more "adult" in nature, as compared to their usual output. Unfortunately, the film doesn't quite succeed, but that doesn't mean it isn't worth watching.It's marvellously atmospheric and spooky---great cinematography, fantastic eerie locations, good scary music. The problem comes in the last five minutes, which are a let-down after all the build-up. To be frank, the ending simply doesn't make any sense. (Let me tell you, "magnetic pull of the eclipse" is an absolutely meaningless nonsense phrase--drives me crazy!) And in fact the finale was always the problem with this film.Upon its initial release, all the critics took note of the bizarre ending, and the film was immediately pulled for retooling. After some additional shooting and editing, the film was re-released a year later; there was an improvement, but ---eh---the ending was still kind of iffy and a bit disappointing. Still... I can overlook that problem, because I enjoyed the earlier portions of the film so much. The DVD of "Watcher in the Woods" contains three different endings, and frankly none of them really work. The best solution, I think, would be to edit together portions of all three, for a new composite conclusion. However, what it all comes down to is problems with the script---problems that were quite unnecessary, in my opinion. I've read the book upon which the screenplay was based, and the mystery makes perfect sense at the end of the novel---it's a pretty cool concept. I don't know why on earth the writers of the film couldn't have stayed closer to this logical way of summing up the plot, for goodness sake.The acting talent on display in this picture is decidedly mixed. Kyle Richards (sister of big 1970's child star Kim Richards, who worked on a number of well-remembered films and television series) is cute as a button, but kind of annoying. Now, I don't want to sound too mean-spirited, but Lynn-Holly Johnson unfortunately displays no acting talent whatsoever, in my opinion. She plays every scene in the last two-thirds of the picture in full-blown-hysteria mode; more than a little grating! (Diane Lane was considered for this role, but she either turned it down, or was unavailable at the time. It's kind of frustrating, thinking what a actress with Lane's skill could have done with the part.) Benedict Taylor, as the potential love interest, is blondly dreamy (heh) in a 1970's teen-girl-magazine pin-up fashion.But of course the real honours here go to Bette Davis, who puts all others in the shade. She doesn't have much to do in the film, but is effective in her few scenes. Just look at her in the last scene: with one look and three simple words (the last words spoken in the film) she shows just what a great actress is capable of ---I found this moment very moving. A critic at the time spoke of how she "made bricks without straw," meaning of course she rose far above the material she was given. This was the last theatrical feature she made, before she had the stroke which so drastically altered her speaking voice and appearance.So, the film has its problems, but I recommend it nonetheless, as a good spooky film for younger people. Heck, watching this at night, alone in a dark room, there are still moments that make me jump!Reading the comments about this film on the Internet Movie Database was fun; the comment you hear over and over is "This film scared the **** out of me when I was a kid!" Ha! Several people, in fact, said that to this day they will not sleep in a room containing a mirror because this film scared them so much when they were young.When looking for this film, definitely go for the Anchor Bay DVD release which contains supplemental material missing from the Disney release, including a commentary track from the director.

This was one Disney movie that never got the attention it deserved. Took me back to my childhood watching the Sunday Disney Family movie nights in the 80’s.

Great movie everyone should have it.

Perhaps the watcher in the woods is a female? If so, am I'm not saying it is, I wonder if she's got Bette Davis eyes? Get it? Watcher? Eyes? The Kim Carnes song? A bad joke? Yes it was, but I was stumped for a way to start my review, and inspiration seems to have failed me yet again...The Watcher in the Woods (1981), released by Disney, directed by Englishman John Hough, who also did Escape to Witch Mountain (1975) Return from Witch Mountain (1978), and a couple of episodes for television program Hammer House of Mystery, stars Bette Davis, Lynn-Holly Johnson, who also appeared in films like Ice Castles (1978) and the James Bond film For Your Eyes Only (1981) (the early 80's were pretty good for Johnson, but her career has since taken a detour in the land of the B movies), and Kyle Richards, who started out on the television show Little House on the Prairie, but then moved to major horror features appearing in The Car aka Deathmobile, John Carpenter's Halloween, and its' sequel Halloween II. Also appearing are Carroll Baker (Baba Yaga) and David McCallum, probably most known as secret agent Illya Kuryakin from the popular 60's television series The Man from U.N.C.L.E.The film begins with an American family, recently re-located to England, looking for a home. McCallum plays the father, Baker the mother, and Johnson and Richards as the two daughters. They find a real deal in an old English manor, owned by a peculiar old woman named Mrs. Alywood (Davis), who happens to live in a smaller house on the property, and is very particular about who rents the larger house, but, on meeting Jan (Johnson), and her younger sister Ellie (Richards), she agrees to allow the family to rent the place. Even before the family moves in, Jan has uneasy feelings about the place, almost like she's being watched (hence the title), and soon afterwards, begins experiencing strange and odd visions, visions regarding Mrs. Alywood's long, lost daughter, missing now for some 30 years. As the visions progress to other, more intense supernatural phenomena, Jan feels compelled to learn the true nature of what's happening to her and her sister, and also to learn the truth about Mrs. Alywood's missing daughter. What terrible secrets does she uncover? Who is the watcher in the woods? Why's that Mrs. Alywood so very creepy? Answers to these questions and more are forthcoming, if you care to watch...(who watches the watcher? I did, and it was pretty good...)When I purchased this film, I didn't know it was a Disney release. As another reviewer already stated, Disney had an odd period there for awhile, releasing films that didn't necessarily seem very Disney-like, like this film. I actually liked the movie a lot, as it was very suspenseful and I honestly could not figure out the ending until it was revealed. I will admit I found myself somewhat attracted to Johnson, and it felt odd as she seemed to be presented as someone in her teens, but in reality, she was in her early 20's at the time this was filmed, so I felt a lot less creepy. I did think she seemed a bit too old for her part, and after checking on her age, my feelings were confirmed. All the actors did very well, and given their collected past acting experiences, I wasn't surprised. Whoever casted this film did very well, choosing highly capable and experienced actors. Johnson's character did become a bit of a pest as the film worn on, especially as she tries to uncover the dark secrets that now seem to plague her and her sister in visions and the odd possession or two. Davis' character seemed a bit weak and two dimensional, but one is willing to cut the woman some slack, given her body of work, and those very creepy eyes. The sets and location shots all added a great deal to the story, providing a wonderful backdrop to the story. I did find it kind of annoying when Johnson's character kept looking out various windows, as if she could see whatever strange force keeps causing the wee hairs on the back of her neck to stand up...The script was very well done, and tended to focus on the important elements, keeping the viewer in the thick of things. The plot moved along very slowly, almost excruciatingly so, but it did allow for the viewer to ponder and develop their own theories, which will most likely be wrong, as I was...the ending in this film was so very oddly fantastic I doubt I would have ever figured it out on my own. Some may have already given it away in reviews here, which is too bad, as it's pretty mind-boggling. It really seemed to come from nowhere, but did provide a satisfactory, if highly unusual conclusion.The wide screen print here is very clear and sharp, along with the audio, although the DTS track on the earlier Anchor Bay release (now out of print) is missing here. There are a few extras on this official Walt Disney Home Video release (although less than there were on the pervious Anchor Bay release), including two alternate endings well worth checking out, and two trailers. After watching the alternate endings, I would think they weren't used maybe because they would have been too frightening to younger viewers, or too goofy for older viewers. The ending used in the final product, compared to the alternates, seems the best route to have been taken. Overall, this is a very good thriller, one that forsakes visceral elements for story and genuine suspense. It moves a bit slow, but does reward at the end. It is a Disney film, but probably not one for very young viewers, as it could cause nightmares and the subsequent staining of the sheets.Cookieman108

This is such a great odd film from the 80s. I love that it is still creepy! Bette Davis is great as the odd Mrs. Ayelwood. What a lovely, strange tale that leave you with more questions than answers...

Came on time and it didn’t mess up

Para que no quede duda a quien quiera comprar este título clásico poco conocido que en su momento en la infancia me dió miedo, pongo fotos del titulo para que vean que si está al español, excelente compra.

This is definitely one for fans of 1970s/early 80s horror or “spooky” films. At times Watcher in the Woods has the feel of the 1980 TV series “Hammer House of Horror” and fans of classic British TV from around that time will spot none other than David McCallum - Steel - of Sapphire & Steel playing a supporting role. Adding to this almost Hammer-like feel of the film is the fact it was filmed at Pinewood Studios and nearby locations. They even managed to film the outside of the house used in the original 1963 film The Haunting.Bette Davis plays a key supporting role in this supernatural horror. The plot concerns an American family in need of a place to stay while Dad is in England to work. They rent a manor in the rural English countryside from Mrs. Aylwood (Bette Davis), an elderly widow who doesn’t seem the full picnic and lives in the cottage next door. Mrs. Aylwood is very picky about tenants and seems reluctant to let the family stay at first until she notices the oldest daughter Jan bears a striking resemblance to her own daughter Karen, who mysteriously vanished in the nearby woods many years ago.The two daughters soon both start experiencing supernatural occurrences ranging from strange lights coming from the woods, apparitions and the younger sister claiming that Jan is telling her to do things, which Jan clearly isn’t! It soon seems that Mrs. Aylwood’s belief that missing daughter Karen is still out there in the woods might be right and that she’s trying to come back to this world!Suffice to say there are a number of plot twists and some genuinely quite spooky scenes to watch. You can see what Disney was trying to achieve by making films that appealed to young adults with this one. It’s a pity they stopped as I think there was a lot of potential for them to have had a run of successful horror films in the 80s based on this classic.Admittedly by today’s standards this film will seem tame but it still has a very eerie feel to it and like a lot of classic horrors relies more on suspense, which in my opinion is often more effective than jump scares, blood and gore.

No problems with the DVD movie, came with the original dvd box & everything worked fine. Movie was good & suspenseful as I remembered it, a bit tame in bits maybe to what's out there in the movies now a days but still a very good none the less. Also the movie trailer that comes with it I found was somewhat funny to today's movie standards for being frightening, warning parents it's a "scary" movie for kids, which it is for very young ones probably (...which case, why are the parents letting them watch movies like this to begin with?), but still, being an adult, the trailer seems funny to me.If you buy it, you'll enjoy it.

Excellente expérience d'achat.

A big cast, a bit wasted with the changing and shortening of the story, as we can read on Wiki. It's a pity, because the actors all did well, young and grown ups. One feels the absence of connection from scene to scene. Anyway worth watching as a family divertissment.