FAQ

In the late 1970s and 1980s, horror films like The Exorcist, Carrie, and Friday the 13th were experiencing a newfound popularity, particularly with teenage audiences. At the same time, Disney had gained a reputation for being targeted toward young children and were interested in creating films that could be marketed toward teens. At the time of its release, the trailer for The Watcher in the Woods warned viewers that it was not the typical Disney fare.

The Watcher in the Woods remains a unique offering in the Disney catalog. While many Disney films contain frightening or eerie elements, Watcher is the only one marketed as supernatural horror.

The film was based on A Watcher in the Woods by Florence Engel Randall. The movie departs significantly from the novel, particularly in its ending.

The original ending showed Jan disappearing abruptly, then reappearing with Karen. In this ending, Jan merely states that the Watcher has gone "home," but the ending was seen as too cryptic and ambiguous and was replaced with an ending in which the Watcher physically appeared to transport Jan to the alien craft, where she sees Karen in suspended animation. The special effects used for both the Watcher and the ship were so poorly done that test audiences burst into laughter, causing the film to be pulled and the ending re-shot. This third ending is the official theatrical ending.

An urban legend has since circulated that the multiple endings were shot because the film's original ending was so frightening that Disney deemed it too dark for the company's family-friendly image. The "too dark for Disney" ending has never existed, and all three endings can be viewed on the extended DVD version of the film.

Further details can be found on IMDB's "alternate versions" page.