'The Watcher in the Woods' provides real scares from Disney
Disney’s The Watcher in the Woods is exactly what you would expect from an '80s horror film created by the Mouse House at a time of turmoil and earning a PG rating. While the film is certainly dated, it still has top notch special effects for the time (think Return to Witch Mountain and The Black Hole), and a story that is spooky enough. There are a couple of jump scares and not enough Bette Davis. Still, as long as you keep in mind that this movie is a Disney film and that it was released in 1980, it is hard to be disappointed.
Of course, it has its problems. The characters are all one dimensional. There is no development, which is par for the course in most horror films. Lead Lynn Holly-Johnson seems to have only one way to deliver lines (breathy with a hint of whine) as does her on screen little sister Kyle Richards (screamy), who nonetheless provides some of the creepier moments.
However, the cinematography is amazing as the camera chases the characters through the woods, and the music is enough to set your teeth on edge. All in all, if you need a time capsule of a film for some Halloween fun that is sure to give your kids nightmares, Watcher in the Woods will do.
Update: Lifetime has announced the release of a remake starring Anjelica Huston and made by Melissa Joan Hart. Huston is a credible replacement for Bette Davis, even if she has never had a song made naming her. The rest of the acting should be better, but the changes in the story line might be problematic. Still, fans of the original should be looking forward to the new version. Check out the trailer below.
Of course, it has its problems. The characters are all one dimensional. There is no development, which is par for the course in most horror films. Lead Lynn Holly-Johnson seems to have only one way to deliver lines (breathy with a hint of whine) as does her on screen little sister Kyle Richards (screamy), who nonetheless provides some of the creepier moments.
However, the cinematography is amazing as the camera chases the characters through the woods, and the music is enough to set your teeth on edge. All in all, if you need a time capsule of a film for some Halloween fun that is sure to give your kids nightmares, Watcher in the Woods will do.
Update: Lifetime has announced the release of a remake starring Anjelica Huston and made by Melissa Joan Hart. Huston is a credible replacement for Bette Davis, even if she has never had a song made naming her. The rest of the acting should be better, but the changes in the story line might be problematic. Still, fans of the original should be looking forward to the new version. Check out the trailer below.