Retro Movie: The Watcher in the Woods

Kyle Richards, Lynn Holly-Johnson and Bette Davis

In the late 1970s and early 1980s, Walt Disney Pictures was experimenting with releasing live-action films that appealed to slightly older audiences than the ones that viewed G-rated family oriented fare like The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes or The Apple Dumpling Gang. Instead, Disney offered movies such as the science-fiction epic The Black Hole, an adaptation of Ray Bradbury's classic novel Something Wicked This Way Comes, and a big-screen version of Florence Engel Randall's thriller A Watcher In The Woods. Originally released in 1980, The Watcher In The Woods had a troubled production history, which included the film being pulled from theaters shortly after it opened, having some scenes cut, and a completely new ending added before it was later re-issued. There are some fans who remember being frightened by the movie when they saw it back in the day, and its worth taking a look back at the film.

The Watcher In The Woods tells the story of the Curtis family: Paul, Helen, and their daughters Jan and Ellie, who move into a home in rural England, while Paul, a musician, works on a project. The house they're staying in is owned by Mrs. Aylwood, a woman whose daughter Karen mysteriously vanished years ago. Both Jan and Ellie begin to experience strange events, and it appears there's a supernatural presence in the house, as well as the woods nearby. Jan investigates the circumstances behind Karen's disappearance, discovering a decades old secret about the night Karen went missing. Mrs. Aylwood warns Jan not to look too deeply into the past, but she persists, working with Karen's friends to recreate the events of that fateful night, which leads to a surprising revelation about the missing girl.

The cast includes Carroll Baker, David McCallum, Ian Bannen, Kyle Richards as Ellie and Bette Davis as Mrs. Aylwood. Lynn Holly-Johnson, a former figure skater who had scored a hit with the romantic drama Ice Castles (and would later be featured in the James Bond film For Your Eyes Only) stars as Jan. She gives a good performance in the role, projecting the right balance between the character's wide-eyed innocence and Nancy Drew style determination to find out the truth about what happened to Karen, but it's the veteran performers like Davis, Bannen and Baker who provide the film with some old fashioned star power. The movie has an offbeat tone and some eerie atmosphere, courtesy of director John Hough, who had previously helmed the well-received haunted house tale The Legend of Hell House.

Based on the cast and the behind the scenes personnel, it seemed like The Watcher In The Woods would be a big hit...but there was trouble afoot in these woods. The script for the film went through several revisions, with the original version penned by Brian Clemens (a veteran of the British TV series The Avengers, and films like Captain Kronos, Vampire Hunter) reportedly rejected as too intense for the film's intended young adult audience. The studio hired Rosemary Anne Sisson, and later Gerry Day, to rework the screenplay. During production, Ron Miller, who was the CEO of Disney at the time, clashed with director Hough and the crew, advising them to dial back the intensity of some of the more frightening scenes in the film.

When the movie premiered in April 1980, both audiences and critics were underwhelmed by the ending of the film, which many viewers felt provided an abrupt and incomplete conclusion to the suspenseful story. The climax of the movie shown during the initial release of the film included some effects work that had been rushed in order to get it completed on time. Due to the negative response to the film, Disney actually pulled it from theaters, and had special effects wizard Harrison Ellenshaw develop a new ending. The studio also hired director Vincent McEveety to shoot several new scenes for the movie, and the eerie original opening sequence was cut from the film.

The Watcher In The Woods was re-released in October 1981, and was marketed by Disney as an intense thriller that would have you spending "ninety minutes on the edge of your seat." The new version of the film was only moderately successful, and along with other highly touted Disney productions like The Black Hole, didn't live up to the studio's box-office expectations. For many years, the movie was hard to see, as it was rarely screened on TV, and after an initial release on VHS in the 1980s, was unavailable until some recent DVD and Blu-ray re-issues. In 2017, there was a new (non-Disney) remake of the film produced for Lifetime Television, starring Anjelica Huston, and directed by Melissa Joan Hart.

Part of the problem with the film is that it's never sure whether it wants to be an old school supernatural thriller or a science-fiction tale, as the plot features elements of both genres. This is especially evident in the original ending for the film, which is available for viewing on the DVD and Blu-ray editions. I think it's an interesting movie, which is worth a look for Disney fans, as well as genre devotees who are curious about the studio's attempts to try something different when they were primarily releasing family fare in theaters. While the The Watcher In The Woods isn't available for streaming on Disney+, you can find DVD and Blu-ray releases of the film online, and there are some YouTube videos of the various endings. Here's a look at the trailer for the film: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3DFacqQp8uw.

Marc Platt's "No AI: Plattinum Approved"

Here at Eclectic Avenue, I've regularly covered the exceptional music of singer-songwriter Marc Platt. He consistently knocks it out of the park on his stellar albums; his previous work includes such terrific releases as Colors of the Universe, That Mid-Life Crisis, and The Golden Ticket. Following the excellent Runaway Train, which was issued earlier this year, his latest album, No AI: Plattinum Approved, is yet another impressive record.

Platt's music is reflective, thought-provoking and powerful. As listeners, the insightful lyrics of "No Way To Live" "Dark Clouds," and "Sad Thought of Being Alone," allow us to both connect with and empathize with Marc as a person, and an artist. We've all experienced feelings of love, loss, joy and sadness, and I think you'll deeply feel the soul-baring emotion inherent in songs like "It's Father's Day Again" and "Those Shades of Grey."

The production (also by Platt) on No AI: Plattinum Approved is low-key, which is a perfect fit for these poignant, folk-inflected songs, from the austere "The Giving" to the contemplative "Sad About A Girl." Speaking of folk, the album also includes a cover of "Very Last Day," a tune composed by Paul Stookey, originally recorded by Peter, Paul and Mary, and later covered by none other than The Hollies. Platt's top-notch version of this remarkable song deftly illustrates his fondness for 1960s pop, rock and folk.

No AI: Plattinum Approved is a fantastic record, featuring Platt's masterful, acoustic flavored guitar work, emotion-infused vocals, and superb songwriting. It's an album that will definitely grow on you with subsequent spins. I think it will quickly become one of your favorites. You should definitely visit https://marcplatt.bandcamp.com/album/no-ai-plattinum-approved, to check out and purchase the album. You'll also find several of his previous releases at bandcamp as well. I highly recommend taking a deep dive into the wonderful music of Marc Platt.

Sutliff's Shimmering "Only Ghosts Remain"

Power pop fans are absolutely passionate about the artists they love. If you ask a dyed in the wool power pop loyalist to rattle off some of their favorites, you'll probably get answers that include the likes of the Raspberries, Big Star, Jellyfish, Shoes, The Rubinoos, and a host of others. One of the shining lights of the Southern power pop movement was Bobby Sutliff, who co-founded (with Tim Lee) cult favorites The Windbreakers, a Mississippi based band that released several well-regarded albums during the 1980s and 1990s, with the help of such luminaries as producer Mitch Easter and guest star Richard Barone, of Bongos fame. Bobby also released several solo projects, including the remarkable Perfect Dream (2003).

Sadly, Bobby passed away last year. To commemorate his musical legacy, JEM Records is releasing a special edition of one of Sutliff's finest albums, 1987's Only Ghosts Remain. This special edition, entitled Only Ghosts Remain Plus, will include all 11 tracks from the original disc, as well as 11 bonus tracks from throughout his career, selected by Bobby's family and friends. Produced by power pop luminary Mitch Easter, Only Ghosts Remain is full of melodic, introspective songs that will not only get stuck in your head, but will make you smile, touch your heart and have your reflecting on your own brushes with the ups and downs of life and the often thorny pathways of love.

Bobby's phenomenal guitar work, excellent vocals and sharp lyrical gifts shine through on emotionally resonant tracks such as "Second Choice," "Couldn't Help Myself" and "Same Way Tomorrow." Only Ghosts Remain Plus will delight, astound and thrill power pop fans. In it's original form, Only Ghosts Remain is simply one of the best power pop releases of the 1980s. But the Plus on this fantastic re-issue is the sensational bonus tracks, which include songs from several of Bobby's other solo albums, including Perfect Dream, On A Ladder and Bitter Fruit. These extraordinary tunes include "Change The Way," "The Color of Your Eyes" and "One Way Ticket."

If you're a fan of Bobby's work, these remarkable songs will remind you why he's beloved by power pop fans and fellow musicians alike. If you're new to Bobby's music, listening to the shimmering melodies of Only Ghosts Remain Plus will hopefully inspire you to check out his oeuvre with The Windbreakers, and the rest of his solo catalog. Only Ghosts Remain Plus will be released on September 22nd on JEM Records. Here are links to "Same Way Tomorrow" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3kwm0fovT-g, and "Couldn't Help Myself" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VtSG8EZvauU. Kudos to JEM Records for keeping Bobby's work alive in the hearts and minds of the power pop faithful, and hopefully introducing his work to a new generation of fans.

Springsteen's Transformative Musical Power

Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band took the stage this past Saturday for the second of a pair of shows at Gillette Stadium. Bruce and the band provided the crowd with a serious blast of high energy rock and roll, performed with all the heart, soul and boundless energy fans have come to expect from a Springsteen concert. Throughout the three hour show, we were treated to a favorites heavy set featuring much loved tunes like "Prove It All Night," "The Promised Land," "Backstreets," "Badlands," and "Because The Night." Also sprinkled throughout the show were some were some well chosen deep cuts, including a terrific version of "Kitty's Back," and a rough and ready, badass run through of "Johnny 99."

The Boss and the rest of the group were in fine form, with Nils Lofgren and "Little Stevie" Van Zandt providing explosive guitar work, Jake Clemons offering up some red hot saxophone, and multi-instrumentalist Soozie Tyrell and backing vocalists Curtis King and Michelle Moore also giving the audience some memorable moments. The E Street Band is a well-oiled machine at this point, and Springsteen is such a generous leader, that every member of the ensemble had a chance to shine throughout the night. For fans, it's a truly communal experience attending an E Street show, where everyone in the audience sings, shouts and chants along in joyful unison.

While there wasn't as much between song chat as there often is at a Springsteen show, he did take some time out to talk about, love, life, friendship and loss. During the concert, he performed several songs from the album Letter To You, including "Last Man Standing" and "Ghosts," which recall his friend and former bandmate George Theiss, who died in 2018. Springsteen and Theiss were both in the New Jersey based band The Castiles in their younger days. With the passing of Theiss, Bruce is the last surviving member of the group. His touching renditions of the selections from Letter To You, including the title track, and the evening's final song, the acoustic "I'll See You In My Dreams," were reminders of the emotionally resonant power of his music. Bruce hasn't lost one iota of his near-mystical skills to enthrall, thrill and captivate an audience.

Springsteen has always interacted with his fans on a deeply personal level. It's not just about the incredible songs, the insightful and thoughtful lyrics, or the incendiary live performances. There's a transformative power to his music that sparks a powerful response. The emotions and feelings he explores in his work are things we can all relate to, and that sense of empathy and understanding allows us to form a unique bond with him. My late wife Gloria was a passionate Springsteen fan. She felt a powerful connection to him through his songs that elevated her love of his music, and sharing her transcendent experience made me even more of a Springsteen fan. I don't know how many more large scale tours Bruce will be doing at this point, but if you get the chance to see him live, don't miss out. It's truly a one of a kind rock and roll experience.

Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band Setlist 8/26/23 
Lonesome Day 

No Surrender 

Ghosts

Prove It All Night 

Letter To You 

The Promised Land 

Out in the Street

Candy's Room

Kitty's Back 

Nightshift

Atlantic City

Johnny 99

Mary's Place

Last Man Standing

Backstreets

Because The Night

She's The One

Wrecking Ball

The Rising

Badlands

Thunder Road

Encore 1: 

Born To Run

Rosalita (Come Out Tonight)

Seven Nights To Rock

Glory Days

Dancing In The Dark

Tenth Avenue Freeze Out

Encore 2:

I'll See You In My Dreams

Ron Shelton Visits "The Church of Baseball"

As both a baseball fan and a movie aficionado, Bull Durham is one of my favorites. The 1988 film, written and directed by Ron Shelton, and starring Kevin Costner, Susan Sarandon and Tim Robbins, is a delightful comedy set in the world of minor league baseball. In addition to the talented star trio, there's a wonderful supporting cast, including Robert Wuhl and Trey Wilson. The movie was Shelton's directorial debut, and its success was followed by several more sports themed films, including Cobb, White Men Can't Jump and 1996's Tin Cup, which also starred Costner.  But it all started with a small-budgeted film about a romantic triangle, with baseball as the backdrop to the story.

Shelton has written an in-depth account of the production of Bull Durham, entitled The Church of Baseball: The Making of Bull Durham, and it's a fascinating read. Shelton actually played in the minor leagues, and used his real life experiences to add depth to his colorful tale about life, love and the love of baseball. He'd previously written the screenplays for a couple of films that didn't catch fire at the box office, but he really wanted to get his baseball film produced by a Hollywood studio. The Church of Baseball is the fascinating story of Shelton's often challenging journey to get the film made.

The process of getting Bull Durham produced and ultimately released was a journey littered with the usual Hollywood roadblocks, including thick-headed studio executives, financial issues and casting problems. One executive wanted Anthony Michael Hall to play the Tim Robbins role, despite the fact that Shelton's experience with Hall's audition was less than positive. At various times during the filming, studio personnel wanted to re-shoot portions of the film, cut important scenes from the script, and even replace Shelton with another director.

Shelton's retelling of the film's pre-production, production and completion is an absorbing story, related in a low-key, conversational style, almost as if you're sitting at the bar with him listening to the story. It's a compelling tale that's as much about Shelton himself as it is about his adventures dealing with the Hollywood machine. There's a lot of great inside information on the making of Bull Durham, but there are also some funny, moving and illuminating autobiographical reminisces about Shelton's own life experiences, which informed his work on the movie. If you're a fan of Bull Durham, or Shelton's other films, The Church of Baseball: The Making of Bull Durham is a must read.

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds: The Musical?

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds has enthralled long-time fans throughout its first two seasons. This prequel series, featuring the adventures of Captain Pike and the crew of the USS Enterprise prior to the era of Captain Kirk, has successfully captured the flavor of classic Trek, utilizing a more episodic format akin to the original show. This fresh approach to modern Trek storytelling has allowed the series to showcase a variety of genres in individual episodes, including body-switch comedy, intense war stories, time travel adventures, and in one of the wildest stylistic swings in Star Trek history: a musical. “Subspace Rhapsody,” the penultimate entry of the series’ sophomore season, is a full on Broadway extravaganza, featuring original songs performed by the actors in character.

When the Enterprise investigates a subspace anomaly which has the potential to significantly boost communication signals, Uhura and Spock  decided to use music, when their experiments to obtain a reaction from the anomaly are unsuccessful. They definitely get a reaction: a wave washes over the crew, and suddenly everyone is compelled to sing about their feelings. Things start off with an ensemble number, followed by Captain Pike warbling about his relationship with fellow Captain Batel, in full view of the bridge crew. Spock and Nurse Chapel emote about their difficult relationship in separate songs, and both Number One and security chief La'an (Christina Chong) get to sing cool tunes as well. But its Celia Rose Gooding (who portrays Uhura) who gets to belt a show-stopping number toward the episode's climax.

The songs (composed by Kay Hanley and Tom Polce of alternative rockers Letters To Cleo) are well placed within the story, move things forward, and define the characters, just like the tunes in a traditional Broadway musical. The cast is clearly having a lot of fun, and they give it their all, though Tony nominee Gooding and musical theatre veteran Chong (who plays La'an) absolutely get to show off their top-notch musical chops. "Subspace Rhapsody" is a wonderful episode, one that could have easily gone off the rails, but director Dermott Downs (who also helmed a musical crossover between the CW's The Flash and Supergirl ) does a superb job, integrating the musical aspects of the story with the ongoing development of the show's storylines.

There are some nice Easter eggs contained in the episode, including a not-too surprising romantic revelation from Lt Kirk, and a career change for Nurse Chapel that will delight and intrigue Trek fans. There's also a nod to "Once More, With Feeling" the 2001 musical episode of Buffy The Vampire Slayer that's kind of the standard bearer for shows like this one. Even if musicals are not your cup of tea, I encourage you to give "Subspace Rhapsody" a try. It's a delightful change of pace for Star Trek, and another genre which Strange New Worlds has adeptly pulled off during its run. The show isn't afraid to switch gears from a dark-themed war story to a musical, and the upcoming season finale looks to be another stylistic shift. I give the cast and crew credit for taking chances within the Star Trek format, while telling entertaining and enlightening stories that are firmly in Star Trek's thematic wheelhouse. "Subspace Rhapsody" is now streaming on Paramount+.

Grey DeLisle's Retro Country "Baby"

Grey DeLisle is a wonderful singer and songwriter, and a veteran voice actor who's been featured in a plethora of animated TV series and films, including the Scooby Doo franchise and The Simpsons. She's also performed stand up-comedy, and released several acclaimed albums, working in multiple musical genres, including country, folk and children's music. I've written about some of her recent singles here at Eclectic Avenue, and DeLisle's latest release is one of her best. "Everybody's Baby," produced by the talented duo of Eddie Clendening and Deke Dickerson, is a refreshing blast of old-school country.

DeLisle's dynamic vocal performance anchors this retro country tune, and she's supported by the terrific work of Lelah Simon on stand-up bass, Bernie Dressel II on drums, and Dave Berzansky on pedal steel guitar. If you dig sassy and strong country ladies like Dolly Parton, Loretta Lynn and Tanya Tucker, then "Everybody's Baby" will absolutely be your cup of tea, or perhaps a shot of something stronger! This honky tonk tale about a gal showing her no good cheatin' guy the door is country music like it ought to be! DeLisle once again illustrates that she's a virtuoso in any musical genre she takes on, and I'm looking forward to her forthcoming album, which will be released later this year.

"Everybody's Baby" is available now wherever you get your music fix, including Apple Music and Spotify. Check out the song here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bt9CgdGzvMo. Classic country fans, this tune is definitely in your wheelhouse, so load it onto the jukebox and get dancing!