One of Walt Disney Productions most "un-Disney-like" films is 1980's The Watcher In the Woods, a mystery-horror release directed by John Nough. The film stars screen legend Bette Davis, Lynn-Holly Johnson, Carroll Baker, David McCallum and Kyle Richards.
Filmed in England, which contributes effective atmosphere to the spooky tale, Watcher revolves around two sisters who find themselves almost obsessed with the story of a missing girl in the ominous-looking woods that surround their English countryside home. It turns out the missing girl bears a striking resemblance to the oldest daughter (Johnson), according to the grandmother (Davis), who coincidentally is the owner of the house.
Dark, brooding and ominous throughout, Watcher In the Woods is easily one of the "scariest" Disney films ever produced, remarkably so, since nearly all of the "violence" is implied, never seen. Kudos to Hough's direction and the cinematography for setting a foreboding tone and maintaining it.
