The Watcher In The Woods
Just finished watching "The Watcher In The Woods," a remake of the 1980 Classic Cult Walt Disney Movie "The Watcher In The Woods" that was made by Lionsgate and aired on the Lifetime Streaming Channel in 2018.
Both movies are somewhat faithful adaptations of the novel, "A Watcher In The Woods" by Florence Engel Randall that was published by Atheneum back in 1976.
Surprising "A Watcher In The Woods" by Florence Engel Randall is a book that was banned by children's literary critics because -Spoiler Alert - the Watcher is an alien child who made a terrible mistake in accidentally sending Karen to her world where there is no death and time moves at a different rate. The objection that children's literary critics had with Randall over "A Watcher In The Woods" is that the Watcher and her people were "gods" who were rewarding Karen and her mother, Mrs. Aylwood, with eternal life while Jan and her family rejected it.
It's interesting to see how a book that was savaged by literary critics resulted in two movie adaptations. It should be noted that Randall's previous novels earned heaps of high literary praise.
Disney's version is perhaps closest to Randall's novel - especially with the original ending that was released as an extra blu-ray content, though Lionsgate's version does have the tree which acts as a gateway, though this newer version is more supernatural than otherworldly aliens.
Angelica Huston, who's too good for this film, but this isn't a high-caliber performance, either, on her part. Her Irish background comes through in her interpretation of Mrs. Aylwood, but, as this version of the story is set in Wales. This version almost matches the original Disney movie with a slightly different ending.
Recommend for the remake curiosity factor.
Three-and-a-half Stars.
https://www.amazon.com/Watcher-Woods-...
Both movies are somewhat faithful adaptations of the novel, "A Watcher In The Woods" by Florence Engel Randall that was published by Atheneum back in 1976.
Surprising "A Watcher In The Woods" by Florence Engel Randall is a book that was banned by children's literary critics because -Spoiler Alert - the Watcher is an alien child who made a terrible mistake in accidentally sending Karen to her world where there is no death and time moves at a different rate. The objection that children's literary critics had with Randall over "A Watcher In The Woods" is that the Watcher and her people were "gods" who were rewarding Karen and her mother, Mrs. Aylwood, with eternal life while Jan and her family rejected it.
It's interesting to see how a book that was savaged by literary critics resulted in two movie adaptations. It should be noted that Randall's previous novels earned heaps of high literary praise.
Disney's version is perhaps closest to Randall's novel - especially with the original ending that was released as an extra blu-ray content, though Lionsgate's version does have the tree which acts as a gateway, though this newer version is more supernatural than otherworldly aliens.
Angelica Huston, who's too good for this film, but this isn't a high-caliber performance, either, on her part. Her Irish background comes through in her interpretation of Mrs. Aylwood, but, as this version of the story is set in Wales. This version almost matches the original Disney movie with a slightly different ending.
Recommend for the remake curiosity factor.
Three-and-a-half Stars.
https://www.amazon.com/Watcher-Woods-...
No comments have been added yet.
