This typical teen gothic plot about a family who moves into an old house and then biizarre things start to happen . It deals with Mrs. Aylwood (Bette Davis) , a distraught mother since her daughter, Karen , vanished in the Welsh countryside 30 years ago. When the Curtin family (David McCallum, Carroll Baker , Lynn Holly Johnson , Kyle Richards) move into the Aylwood manor for the summer, strange occurrences begin to unnerve the family and Jan (Lynn-Holly Johnson) begins to suspect that they are linked to Karen's disappearance . As Jan needs to find out what is going on in the woods before it has a permanent effect on her sister Ellie (Kyle Richards) . As Jan unravels the dark past hidden by the townspeople , she delves further into the mystery and deeper into danger, but now it might be too late to escape the Watcher in the Woods. Scared of going into the woods? You should be ...What can't be explained, must be explored. A Masterpiece Of Suspense! Something Is Watching. Something Unknown. The Most Legendary Monster Of All Can Now Be Seen For The First Time .As You've Never Seen It Before . It was just an innocent game... until a young girl vanished for thirty years.
This is a mysterious and creepy film about the classic plot regarding ghostly appearances , as once a family moves into the Aylwood house amazing things begin to happen and along the way , Jan hears whispers in the woods , Ellie is sleep talking/screaming , and mirrors are breaking. This is a chilling adaptation based on an assortment of ghouls , ghosts and weird apparitions . It is an interesting and completely obscure film
and ends by defiantly refusing to explain itself . Middling budget makes for big scary scream-feast and frights . Based on The Watcher in the Woods by Florence Engel Randall, this movie will have you on the edge of your seat ; however, being rated ¨Parents Guide¨ because of minor violence and some very terrifying scenes . This film is better than its new remake (2017) and strikes a cord of fear and kindness effortlessly. It's fun to watch and it dissects a dark past and its connect connection to Karen's disappearance. This movie leaves no question unanswered and uses the landscape masterfully . Stars the beautiful teen Lynn Holly Johnson and the attractive little girl Kyle Richards along with a good support cast as Carroll Baker , David McCallum , Benedict Taylor , Richard Pasco , Georgina Hale, Ian Bannen and special mention for the great Bette Davis .
The picture was very well directed by John Hough . He often uses visual and sound recourses , echos , zooms and imaginative camera movements . He's a craftsman with eclectic and long directing career . Beginning in television series (Avengers, Protectors) , making Hammer films (Twins of Evil) , Adventures (Island treasure, Black arrow) , wholesome Disney fare (Return and escape to witch mountain) , regency romantic drama (Duel of hearts , Ghost in Montecarlo , Hazard of hearts , The lady and the highwayman) and Horror movies (Howling , American Gothic , Bad karma) and his best film , Legend of Hell House .
It had an inferior remake also titled The Watcher in the Woods (2017) by Melissa Joan Hart with Anjelica Huston , Tallulah Evans , Nicholas Galitzine , Rufus Wright and Benedict Taylor.
