The Watcher in the Woods
| The Watcher in the Woods | |
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Theatrical release poster
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| Directed by | John Hough |
| Produced by | Ron Miller |
| Screenplay by |
Brian Clemens Harry Spalding Rosemary Anne Sisson |
| Based on |
A Watcher in the Woods by Florence Engel Randall |
| Starring |
Bette Davis Carroll Baker David McCallum Lynn-Holly Johnson Kyle Richards Ian Bannen Richard Pasco |
| Music by | Stanley Myers |
| Cinematography | Alan Hume |
| Edited by | Geoffrey Foot |
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Production
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| Distributed by | Buena Vista Distribution |
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Release date
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Running time
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84 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Box office | $5 million |
The Watcher in the Woods is a 1980 American horror film directed by John Hough, and starring Bette Davis, Carroll Baker, Lynn-Holly Johnson, Kyle Richards, and David McCallum. Based on the 1976 novel of the same name by Florence Engel Randall, the film tells the story of a teenage girl and her little sister who become encompassed in a supernatural mystery regarding a missing girl in the woods surrounding their new home in the English countryside.
Filmed at Pinewood Studios and the surrounding areas in Buckinghamshire, England, The Watcher in the Woods was one of several live-action films produced by Walt Disney Productions in the 1980s, when the studio was targeting young adult audiences. The film suffered from various production problems and was pulled from theatres after its initial release in 1980. It was re-released in 1981 after being re-edited and a revised ending added.
Helen and Paul Curtis (Carroll Baker and David McCallum) and their daughters Jan (Lynn-Holly Johnson) and Ellie (Kyle Richards), move into a manor. Mrs. Aylwood (Bette Davis), the owner of the residence, notices that Jan bears a striking resemblance to her daughter, Karen, who disappeared inside a chapel near the village 30 years previously.
Jan begins to see strange blue lights in the woods, triangles and glowing objects. Eventually, Ellie goes to buy a puppy she names "Nerak" (an anagram for Karen). After seeing the reflection of the name "Nerak" (Karen spelled backwards), Jan finds out about the mystery of Mrs. Aylwood's missing daughter.
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Wikipedia