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The Watcher in the Woods (1980) -
Jan and her family move into an old mansion in rural England where she becomes haunted by a...well, see the title. It's a pretty good mystery that has atmosphere in spades thanks to its centerpiece setting, its dense, surrounding forest and camerawork that makes you wonder about the secrets they contain. I also like how it makes you question if the house's caretaker, the local hermit, etc. are friends or foes to Jan and that when each one shows their hand, my reaction was more "oh!" than "huh?" The movie was originally much longer and it shows in a way that's typical of other heavily-cut movies: I don't feel like it properly introduces the main characters. I'm all for movies letting audiences write their own headcanon, but I always had a curiously distanced sensation similar to how you feel while watching the second episode of a sitcom you've never watched before. I still recommend it, especially to people who are new to this genre or to Disney's live action fare from the late '70s and early '80s.
Jan and her family move into an old mansion in rural England where she becomes haunted by a...well, see the title. It's a pretty good mystery that has atmosphere in spades thanks to its centerpiece setting, its dense, surrounding forest and camerawork that makes you wonder about the secrets they contain. I also like how it makes you question if the house's caretaker, the local hermit, etc. are friends or foes to Jan and that when each one shows their hand, my reaction was more "oh!" than "huh?" The movie was originally much longer and it shows in a way that's typical of other heavily-cut movies: I don't feel like it properly introduces the main characters. I'm all for movies letting audiences write their own headcanon, but I always had a curiously distanced sensation similar to how you feel while watching the second episode of a sitcom you've never watched before. I still recommend it, especially to people who are new to this genre or to Disney's live action fare from the late '70s and early '80s.