The viewer is given no more information than her, and much of the fun comes from unraveling the mystery.Ī PG-rated suspense film eschews gore and relies upon crafting, atmosphere and visceral frights. Meanwhile, Jan, experiencing a number of oddities in her new house, is being supernaturally summoned to solve the central mystery. She seems to see a lot of Karen in Jan (Lynn-Holly Johnson), the Curtis' teenage daughter.
Aylwood has been lonely, bitter, and still in search of answers. Davis surely had seen better days, she still possesses an undeniable screen presence in her 70s. Aylwood, aptly played by top-billed screen legend Bette Davis. One may suspect the house is haunted by a ghost, and as the wiseass father (David McCallum) points out, "What self-respecting old English house mansion would be without one?" The house comes complete with the enigmatic elderly landlord Mrs. The one they settle on is surprisingly low-priced, spacious and secluded. Watcher opens with a typical family, the Curtises, looking for a house in the English countryside. Watching it again, I still feel this way, and yet even with the knowledge from a prior viewing, the film maintains its compelling power and remains easy to appreciate. Released in the early 1980s when the studio was trying to reconnect with audiences who had grown weary of the familiar light comedies they had been releasing for two decades, The Watcher in the Woods is really a well-crafted suspense film without the objectional material that often makes films of the genre off-limits for young audiences.Īfter seeing the film a first time last year, I reasoned that Watcher is most enjoyable if you know nothing going in. The point of this long-winded introduction is that The Watcher in the Woods dispenses with anything remotely seen as a Disney formula. Still, watch enough of them, and certain patterns emerge that you notice just as much as frequently reused cast and crew names. They're frequently comedies, and a lot of the time, charismatic animals are prominently featured.Īs much as anyone, I think it's unfair to pigeonhole live action Disney films into a stereotypical understanding like this. In general, the formula involves kids and cuteness light adventure ensues and a message emerges. Over the past sixty years, more than two hundred live action films have come to theaters bearing the name "Walt Disney." As a result, people have come to develop a certain set of expectations for the live action Disney film. Aylwood), Carroll Baker (Helen Curtis), David McCallum (Paul Curtis), Lynn-Holly Johnson (Jan Curtis), Kyle Richards (Ellie Curtis), Ian Bannen (John Keller), Richard Pasco (Tom Colley), Frances Cuka (Mary Fleming), Benedict Taylor (Mike Fleming), Eleanor Summerfield (Mrs. Theatrical Release: Octo/ Running Time: 83 Minutes / Rating: PGĭirector: John Hough / Writers: Brian Clemens, Harry Spalding, Rosemary Anne Sisson (screenplay) Florence Engel Randall (novel)Ĭast: Bette Davis (Mrs.
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