The Disney Terrifying Horror Film They Refuse To Put On Streaming
The Disney+ streaming library is an ever-growing collection of movies and TV shows that are suited for fans of virtually every genre. But despite the media giant’s wide umbrella of offerings, there are some notable titles that have been conspicuously kept from viewers. The supernatural thriller The Watcher in the Woods is a film that terrified a generation of children in the 1980s but is one of several horror offerings owned by Disney that the company is letting fall into near total obscurity.
Aimed At Teens
The 1981 film was one of several films Disney produced that were meant for teen audiences. The production company really upped the chill factor for audiences with The Watcher in the Woods, as the creepy film score, brilliant set design, and well-timed jump scares combine many of the proper elements of good horror.
The Story
The Watcher in the Woods follows the Curtis family, Americans who recently moved into a manor on the English countryside. Daughters Jan and Ellie note the odd behavior of their landlady Mrs. Aylwood, an eccentric elderly woman played by Bette Davis. It’s soon revealed that Mrs. Aylwood is struck by how much Jan looks like her daughter Karen, a teenage girl that went missing decades earlier.
As The Watcher in the Woods progresses, the story of Karen’s disappearance takes center stage. A local hermit confides in Jan that Karen vanished in the middle of a ceremony at an old chapel in the woods that he and several other teens were performing during a lunar eclipse. As the spectral images of the long-lost Karen continue to plague her, Jan, Ellie, and her new friend Paul agree to reenact the ceremony in hopes of finding answers.
The Cast
Alongside screen legend Bette Davis, The Watcher in the Woods stars Lynn-Holly Johnson (Jan), David McCallum (Paul), and Caroll Baker (Helen). Horror fans will also spot a young Kyle Richards as Ellie, best known for her portrayal as Lindsey in several of the Halloween films.
It Took A Couple Of Tries
The Watcher in the Woods was shown for one weekend before it was pulled from distribution, after only raking in an abysmal $40,000 at the box office. Disney retooled the film and pumped an additional $1 million into filming a new opening sequence and an entirely different ending. In October 1981, The Watcher in the Woods made its second run in theaters and managed to make an estimated $5 million in ticket sales.
A Cult Classic
While bombing at the box office, The Watcher in the Woods developed quite the cult following during the 1980s as Disney licensed the movie for release on VHS. Nearly 20 years later, the horror classic was released twice on DVD (2002 and 2004) and was available on Blu-ray as part of the Disney Movie Club in 2021. But as Disney has begun to transition away from releases on physical media, the lack of a streaming option has made fans fear that the film will be nearly impossible to see without paying high prices for a used copy.
The 2017 Remake
Though Disney has kept the film from streaming, the studio did greenlight a remake that was released for television in 2017. This updated version of The Watcher in the Woods was directed by Nickelodeon actress Melissa Joan Hart, and starred Anjelica Huston in the role formerly played by David.
