Common Sense Note

Parents need to know that The Watcher in the Wood is a 1980 Disney movie about an American family that moves to an old home in the English countryside where bizarre paranormal events start to occur. Though there is mild suspense and overly familiar horror movie tropes throughout -- glass and mirrors break for seemingly no reason, and there are abrupt cuts from a potentially scary scene to a close-up of a demon in a haunted house in an amusement park, for instance -- there also are scenes in which it appears an elderly woman is drowning a young girl and one in which a girl is thrown off an out-of-control horse that also causes a truck accident. The occult themes could be problematic for faith-centered families, as could a scene in which a church is on fire.

Sexual Content

Not applicable

Violence

A girl is thrown off a horse and, though uninjured, also causes a truck to veer out of control into an accident. A motorcycle explodes after the driver loses control, and it flies into the air, nearly killing one of the lead characters. A girl nearly drowns; a suspicious elderly woman appears to be holding her down in the water but actually rescues her. Mild horror suspense throughout: Mirrors and glasses break; abrupt cuts from a suspenseful scene to a close-up of a demon in a haunted house; a black cat jumps on a character.

Language

Not applicable

Social Behavior

As a "haunted house" tale with plot twists involving occult rituals undertaken by kids, there isn't much in the way of positive messages.

Consumerism

Not applicable

Drugs / Tobacco / Alcohol

Champagne drinking. A man is accused of being drunk.