WALT DISNEY PRODUCTIONS Presents "THE WATCHER IN THE 'IOODS"
Starring BETTE DAVIS as . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mrs . Ay lwood CARROLL BAKER as . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Helen Curtis DAVID McCALLUM as . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Paul Curtis LYNN-HOLLY JOHNSON as . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jan Curtis KYLE RICHARDS as . . . . . . . . . . . ... . . . . . . . . . . Ellie Curtis IAN BANNEN as ...••..... .. ..... . .......... John Keller RICHARD PASCO as . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Tom colley
FRANCES CUKA as . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mary Fleming BENEDICT TAYLOR as . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mike Fleming ELEANOR SUMMERFIELD as . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. Mrs. Thayer GEORGINA HALE as .. .. . . . . . . . . . .. ... Young Mrs. Aylwood Screenplay by BRIAN CLEMENS, HARRY SPALDING and ROSEMARY ANNE SISSON from the novel, "A WATCHER IN THE WOODS" by FLORENCE ENGEL RANDALL Produced by RON MILLER Co-Producer TOM LEETCH Directed by JOHN HOUGH Technicolor (R) Distributed by: Buena Vista Distribution Co., Inc. Recorded in Dolby Stereo (TM) Lenses and Panaflex Camera by Panavision (R) Rated: PG Running time: 1 hr., 23 min., 16 sec.
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-2Associate Producer HUGH ATTWOOLL Director of Photography ALAN HUME, B.S.C. Music Composed and Conducted by STANLEY MYERS Production Designer ELLIOT SCOTT Art Director ALAN CASSIE Editor GEOFFREY FOOT, G.B.F.E. Costume Designer EMMA PORTEOUS Set Decorator
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IAN WHITTAKER Additional Photography . . . . . . . . . . . . GODFREY GODAR, B.S.C. Production Supervisor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . BASIL RAYBURN Casting Director . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . • . , .... MAUDE SPECTOR Sound Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . JIM SHIELDS, G.B.F.E. Assistant Director . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . RICHARD HOULT Location Managers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . • . . . . RITA DAVISON PETER BENNETT Continui ty ...•.•••.....•.......•..•....•....• KAY FENTON
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Camera Operators . . . . . . . . . • . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . JACK LOWIN MALCOLM MACINTOSH Special Effects ....•.•.•................ JOHN RICHARDSON Photographic Processes ...............•.•... ROBIN BROWNE Stunt Supervisor ...•......... • . . . . . . . . . . . . VIC ARMSTRONG Make-up Chief .•••.•.•...................... ERNIE GASSER Make-up for Miss Davis •.................. JILL CARPENTER Make-up ...........•.•.•................. EILEEN FLETCHER HairdressingChief ••........................ JOYCE JAMES Hairdresser for Miss Davis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . BOBBIE SMITH Hairdresser ........•.•........•.......... BETTY SHERRIFF Sound Recordists . . . • . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . CLAUDE HITCHCOCK GERRY HUMPHREYS Final Seguence Final Sequence Designed by ....••••••. HARRISON ELLENSHAW Special Photographic Effects .. .. ART CRU ICKSHANK, A.S.C. BOB BROUGHTON Visual Effects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . DAVID MATTINGLY DICK KENDALL DON HENRY
( Filmed on location and at Pinewood Studios London, England
Contact:
Cheri Dubey Publicity Department
"THE WATCHER IN THE WOODS" Production No tes "The Watcher in the Woods" is one of the most haunting and power ful mysteries ever created by Walt Di sney Productions . The l egendary Bette Davis, who begins her second half century in films, highlights the cast of the s u spe nse thriller . Carroll Baker, David McCallum, Lynn-Holly Johnson and Kyle Richards star as an American family that encounters mysterious, strange and ominous p henomena when they move to the Eng l ish countryside .
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Also
fe-atured are Ian Bannen and the romantic British actor Benedict Taylor, who makes his American film debut. Executive pro ducer Ron Mi ll er gathered an impressive assemb l y of talent for "The Wa t cher in the Woods," co - prod u ced by Tom Leetch with Hugh Attwooll as associate producer .
Director John Hough elicited the
eerie mood of the fi l m from his vast experience of films including 1126347
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THE CAST BETTE DAVIS, who has graced the stage and screen with her legendary performances for more than half a century, stars in "The Watcher in the Woods" as a reclusive, eccentric Englishwoman
who mourns the strange
disappearance of her daughter and enlists the help of a visiting American family to solve the 30- year-old enigma and confront its bizarre otherworldly manifestations . The winn er of two Ac ademy Awards, Miss Davis has received eight Academy Award nomination s and s tarr ed in more than 80 films. Most recently, she received Emmys for her e xuberant TV performances in "White Mama" and "Strangers:
A Mo ther and Daughter . "
In 1 977, Miss
Davis was honored with the AF I Achievement Award . She has starred in a vast repertoire of c l assics including "Of /
Human Bondage I
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"The Letter,
liThe Great Lie,
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"Danger o us,
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HAl l About Eve II
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IIJezebel,
liThe Little Foxes,
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"Dark Victory,"
"Now Voyager,
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"What ever Happened to Baby Jane?," "Hu s h, ... Hush, Sweet Char lott e," "Return From Witch Mountain" and "Death on the Nile ." "The .Watcher in the Woods" is Miss Davis ' second film for Walt Disney Productions and for dir ecto r John Hough.
CARROLL BAKER, screen sex symbol of the 1950s, stars as Helen
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Curtis, the mother of the vacationing American family in "The Watcher in the Woods ."
In 1956, Miss Baker won prominence for her role as an
erotic child-bride in Elia Kazan's controversial "Baby Doll."
Among
her other films are "Giant," "The Big Country," "Station Six Sahara," "The Ca rpetbaggers," "Harlow," "Sylvia," "The World is Full of Married Men" and Andy Warhol's "Bad."
DAVID McCALLUM has starred in many films and TV series, but is most popular for his performance as Illya Kuryakin in the TV series "The Man From V. N.C .L. E."
Other popular performances include "Colditz," "The
Invisible Man," " Kidnapped" and "Sapphire & Steel . " films include "Frankenstein: Treasure."
His most r e cent
The Tr ue Story" and "King Solomon's
In 1977, he appeared in Neil Simon's "California Suite" on
stage.
LYNN-HOLLY JOHNSON, at th e age of 22, is considered one of the screen ' s most promising young actresses .
She stars as 17-year-old Jan
Curtis, the catalyst in "The Watcher in the Woods," haunted by the "Watcher" and driven to so l ve a 30-year - o ld mystery .
After an impressive
career as an amateur ice skat er, which included winning the 1974 national nov ice free skating silver medal, she joined "Ice Capades" as a featured skat e r.
In 1978, Lynn made her motion picture debut in a starring role
in "I ce Castles" and recently starred in "For Your Eyes On ly."
IAN BANNEN, star of numerous majo r British stage, TV and motion picture productions, portrays the dour, brooding John Keller, still
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bitter and guilt-ridden after nearly 30 years over the mysterious disappearance of young Karen Aylwood .
KYLE RICHARDS is a movie and TV veteran at the age of 10, including regular appearances in "The Little House on the Prairie" TV series and in such feature films as Disney's "Escape to Witch Mountain," "Ha lloween," and "Death Trap . "
In "The Watcher in the Woods," she plays Ellie, Jan's
exuberant 10-year-old sister, who becomes bewitched by the "Watcher" and falls prey to related strange and mysterious incidents.
One of Britain's most dist i nguished s tage actors, RI CHARD PASCO ,
has an impressive repertoire of acclaimed performances including the Royal Shakespeare Company.
In "The Watcher in the Woods," Pasco plays
the simple but gentle wood -dwell e r, Tom Co ll ey, the la st person to see Karen Ay lwood b e fore her mysterious disappearance.
Making his screen debut,
21-year-old newcomer BENEDICT TAYLOR is
seen as young, handsome Mike Flemming, who assists Jan Curtis as she tries to solve the mystery surrounding the "Watcher."
A juvenile stage
actor with the Royal Shakespeare Company, Taylor gained popularity with his two successive London productions of "Peter Pan."
THE LOCATIONS The dens e English countryside is revealed in "The Watcher in the Woods."
St . Hubert's Manor, a huge estate situated near Ivor Heath,
Buckinghamshire, was used as th e site of the Curtis' vacation dwelling.
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-5The house is the current home for two families who also share the estate's large wood and secluded pond. Ettington Park Manor, a Gothic mansion with 45 bedrooms and 44 acres of grounds is John Keller's castle in "The Watcher in the Woods." Located near Shakespeare's Stratford-Upon-Avon, the castle is being renovated into an exclusive English country resort.
An old stone chapel
(haunted, some say) at the side of the manor was also used as a set in the film. Scenes were also filmed at Pinewood Studios, London, and on locations in neighboring Buckinghamshire and Warwickshire. Special effects scenes were created in the sound stages at the Disney Studio in Burbank.
THE PRODUCTION Once the initial shooting of "The Watcher in the Woods" was completed in England, the Disney Studio in Burbank came alive. A unique visual concept was designed for the supernatural effects scenes by artist Harri so n Ellenshaw.
Harrison's numerous credits as
matte and special effects artist include "Star Wars," "The Empire Strikes Back," "The Black Hol e, " "The Man Who Fell to Earth" and "Big Wednesday." He is currently associate producer and co-supervisor on effects for Walt Disney Productions'
"TRON."
The special photographic effects were supervised by Art Cruickshank and Bob Broughton.
Art, who won an Academy Award in 1967 for "Fantastic
Voyage," i s director of miniature photography.
His numerous credits
include "The Black Hole," "Herbie Goes Bananas" and
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A veteran of special photographic effects for over 40 years, Bob Broughton has worked on every film produced by Walt Disney Productions since "Snow White" in 1937. Disney's ACES (Automated Camera Effects System), created for the intricate special effects shots of "The Black Hole," was utilized in the cosmic sequences of the film. Stanley Myers composed the score for the film.
Myers' list of
credits includes "The Deer Hunter," "Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz" and "The Martian Chronicles."
THE STORY Inspired by Florence Engel Randa ll's novel,
"A Watcher in the Woods,"
the screenplay was written by Brian Clemens , Harry Spalding and Rosemary Anne Sisson.
In color by Technicolor, the film was co-produced by Tom
Leetch with Hugh Attwooll as a ssoc iat e producer for executive producer Ron Miller.
John Hough directed.
Buena Vista releases.
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER RON MILLER joined Walt Disney Productions in 1 957 as an assistant director and an asso ciate producer on the weekly Disney TV series.
He
was na med a full producer in 1 967 with the theatrical f eature "Never a Dull Moment. "
Made executive producer in 1976, Miller's long list of
films include "The Rescuers," "Escape to Witch Mountain," "The North
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Avenue Irregulars," "The Black Hole," and "The Last Flight of Noah ' s Ark."
He is currently president and chief operating officer of Wa lt
Disney Productions and a member of the company's executive committee.
CO-PRODUCER TOM LEETCH began work for Di sney in 1955 and became an assistant director in 1961. Disney World."
His first dir ectoria l credit was "The Magic o f Walt
Others include "The Sky ' s the Limit," "The Year of the
Big Cat" and four hours of "The Whiz Kid" mini-serie s .
He was a ssoci ate
produc e r on the theatrical featur e "Freaky Friday" a nd produced "The North Avenue Irregulars"
(1978) and "The Apple Dumpling Gang Rides Again"
(197 9 ) and, most recently,
" Night Crossing"
(schedul e d for release in
1982) .
THE ASSOC IATE PRODUCER Like Bette Davis,
HUGH ATTWOOLL is a veteran of some 50 years in
the motion picture industry.
Born in 1 9 14 in Scotland, Hugh entered the
movie business in 1928 as a camera assistant .
Since "Kidnapped" in
1959, he has worked as associat e producer on all Disney productions made in England.
His films include "The Legend of Young Dick Turpin," "The
Fight ing Prince of Donegal," "Only When I Larf," "Guns in the Heather," "David Copperfield, " "Jane Eyre,
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I1Kidnapped,1I
"Diamonds on Wheels,
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"Persecution," "Ride a Wild Pony," "One of Our Dinosaurs is Miss ing," "The Littl e st Horse Thieves," "Candleshoe," "Unid entified Flying Oddball," and now "The Watcher in the Woods."
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THE DIRECTOR JOHN HOUGH, a British screen and television director with an eye for the mysterious, returns to Disney Productions for "The Watcher in the Woods."
Hough also directed "Escape to Witch Mountain" and "Return
From Witch Mountain." Born Nov. 21, 1941, in London, Hough began his film career as a trainee in the sound department of Merton Park
Studios (now defunct) .
Once in possession of his union card, he switched both job and studios, joining Elstree as an assistant director.
Over the next five years, he
advanced to second unit director and finally achieved full directorship credit with "The Avengers" TV series, which he directed for 18 months. His films include "Dirty Mary, Crazy Larry," "The Legend of Hell House," "Treasure Island" "Brass Target.
(Orson Welles),
"Twins of Evil," "Sudden Terror" and
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THE STORY American composer Paul Curtis (DAVID McCALLUM), his wife Helen (CARROLL BAKER) and their two daughters -- 17-year-old Jan (LYNN-HOLLY JOHNSON) and 10-year-old Ellie (KYLE RICHARDS) : -- move to England for the summer where he is to conduct his own opera at a music festival. They rent a large old home in the forest from an eccentric recluse, Mrs. Aylwood (BETTE DAVIS), who lives in a nearby caretaker's cottage. Jan is " apprehensive about the forbidding house and her fears are confirmed by a series of terrifying events
including the appearance
of the ghostly image of a blindfolded girl in her mirror and the growing conviction that someone or something is watching her from the surrounding woods. #26347
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Ellie buys a puppy from neighbors Mrs. Flemming (FRANCES CUKA) and her 19-year-old son Mike (BENEDICT TAYLOR) and oddly names it "Ne rak," a name she insists was whispered to her.
We learn that Mrs. Aylwood had
a daughter Jan ' s age who disappeared many years before and her name was Karen -- "Nerak" spelled backwards . The next day as Ellie and the puppy scamper into the woods, Jan is overwhelmed with fear of an invisible threat.
After a frantic search,
she discovers her sister and the puppy frolicking near a pond .
Bewitched
by a glistening circ le of light that mysteriously appears in the water, Jan falls in , becomes tangled in underwat e r debris and is saved from drowning by Mrs. Aylwood. Mrs . Aylwood reali ze s that the eerie experiences are somehow connected to her daughter's disappearance 30 years before . In a flashback,
she r e luc tantly unveils the story of when a blind-
folded Karen was initiated into a "secret society" by thre e of her playmat es in the estate's chapel.
Suddenly lightening struck the tower, ig-
niting the altar, and Karen seemed to evaporate in the ensuing flames and smoke. Mo re bizarre incidents and the gr9wing ominous presence of the unknown force compel Jan to stage a re-enactmen t of the fateful night with Karen's now-grown playmates -- Tom Colley (RICHARD PASCO), J ohn Keller (IAN BANN EN) and Mrs . Flemming (FRANCES CUKA) . What happens next in the ruins of the desolate chapel provide a terrifying and totally unexpected conclusion as Jan unlocks the secret kept hidden for more than a quarter-century by "The Watcher in the Woods." II II II 1126347
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British actor BENEDICT TAYLOR makes L YNN路HOLLY JOHNSON feel at home while filming Walt Disney Productions' " The Watcher in the Woods" in England. The film also stars Bette Davis, Carroll Baker, David McCallum , Ian Bannen, Kyle Richards and Richard Pasco. The film was co-produced by Tom Leetch with Hugh Attwooll as associate producer for executive producer Ron Miller. John Hough directed from a screenplay written by Brian Clemens, Harry Spalding and Rosemary Anne Sisson based on the book by Florence Engel Randall. Buena Vista releases . (079路51 路 24) P .. minion " hereby
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~ul"".
end new...,.p... l0 .eproduce thl, picture on condition th" It i. eCCOmp,"ied bV " Cl MCMLXXXI W,1t 01,", .... Production ....
THE SEARCH ... Bette Dewis portrays an eccentric recluse seeking her long lost daughter in Walt Disney Productions' " The Watcher in the Woods ." The suspense thriller also stars Carroll Baker, David McCallum, lynn -Holly Johnson , Ian Bannen. Kyle Richards , Richard Pasco and Benedict Taylor. In color by Technicolor, the film was co produced by Tom Leetch with Hugh Attwooll as associate producer for executive producer Ron Miller. John Hough directed from a screenplay written by Brian Clemens, Harry Spalding and Rosemary Anne Sisson from the novel by Florence Engel Randall. Buena Vista releases . (079路28路10) Permission Is hereby gnnted t o magazines and newspapers t o reproduce th is picture on condition Ihat It Is accompani ed by " CI MCMLXXXI Walt O I..,.V Produ cti on . ...
THWARTED .. . Mrs . Aylwood (BETTE DAVIS) is hindered from e re,cue ettempt by little Ellie (KYLE RICHARDS) in thi' soone from Wilt Disney Production,' " The Watcher in the Wood . ... The suspense thriller also Itln Carroll Baker, David McCallum. Lynn-Holly Johnson, Ian Bann." , Richard P.soo and Benedict Taylor. In color by Technicolor. the film was co1>l'oduced by Tom LHtch with Hugh Attwoollas . ssociate producer for executive producer Ron Miller . John Hough d irected from I screen路 play written by Brian Clemen., Harry Spalding, and Rosemary Anne Silson from the nove' by Florence Engel RancHll . Buena Vim r.leases. (079路35-4) PermIssion Is hereby grllnted t o mllgulne. lind newspllpe,s to re produc.e t his picture on condition that It Is Iccompllnled by ' 'C MCMLXXXI Wett OIIn.V Production ....
THE LEGENDARY BETTE DAVIS stars in Walt Disney Productions' "The Watcher in the Woods." The suspense thriller also stars Carroll Baker, David McCallum, Lynn -Holly Johnson , Ian Bannen, Kyle Richards , Richard Pasco and Benedict Taylor. In color by Technicolor, the film was co-produced by Tom Leetch with Hugh Attwooll as associate producer for executive producer Ron Miller. John Hough directed from a screenplay written by Brian Clemens, Harry Spalding and Rosemary Anne Sisson from the novel by Florence Engel Randall. Buena Vist a releases. (D79-160-16CI Permission Is hereby q,anled to magazines .nd newspapen 10 reproduce thl, Pictu re on condition th.t II Is accomp.nled by .~ MCMLXXXI W. lt Disn.y Production.. "
THREE GENERATIONS .. . Carroll Bakor, Batul Davis and Lynn·Holly Johnson face u""xplainable occurrences in Walt OiSn<IV Productions' "Tho Watcher in the Wood!." The suspenso thriller also stars OllYid McCallum, Ian Bannon, Kyle Richards , Richard Pasco and Banodict Taylor. In color by Tachnicolor, the film was co-produoed by Tom Leetch with Hu\t1 Attwooll as associate produoar for executive produoer Ron Miller. John Hou\t1 directed from a screenplay writuln by Brian Clemens, Harry Spalding and Rosemary Anno Sisson from the novel by Florence Engel Randall. Buena Vista rei...... (079·161·14C) Pwrmlwon Is hereby .",nt.a to m.,adnet and _WSCNper, to r,producelhls pktur. on condition Ihat It Is I,com"",n"" by''O MCML)(XXI Walt DlIney "'Dd... ellon .. ··
UNSUSPECTING FAMILY . .. Dnid McCallum, Lynn-Holly JohnlOn, Kyl. Rich.rds.nd Carroll Blk.r .r. UNWIr. of the billrr' happenings they will ,xperience when they move to the English countryside in W.1t Disney Productions' '~ Witcher in the Woods." The suspense thriller .110 stirs Bette [)avis, I.n Blnnen, Rich.rd Pasco .nd Benedict Taylor. In color by Techn ioolor, the film W8S c:o..produced by Tom Leetch with Hugh AttwooU IS .ssociate produClr for executiv. produClr Ron MiII.r. John Hough directed from a screenplay written by Bri. n CI.mens, Harry SPilding and Rosemary Anne Sisson from the novel by Florence Engel Randall . Buena Vista rei ...... (079路38路241 Permlulon Is hereby gUlnted to mapzl nes and newspapers to reprod uce t h is p lctu r. on con dition that It Is accompanied by' 'C M CMLXXX I Welt D ianev' ProductlonL "
HAUNTED .. . Lynn路Holly Johnson, Bette Davis and Kyle Richards are victims of mysterious occurrences in Walt Disney Productions' "The Watcher in the Woods." The suspense thriller also stars Carroll Baker, David McCallum, Ian Bannan , Richard Paseo and Benedict Taylor. In color by Technieolor, the film was eo-produced by Tom Leetch with Hugh Attwooll as associate producer for executive producer Ron Miller . John Hough directed from a screenplay written by Brian Clemens, Harry Spalding and Rosemary Anne Sisson from the novel by Florence Engel Randall. BUII\I Vista reillses. (D79路164路2CI Per mlulon Is h ereb y gnn te d to magul nes and
news pa ~n
to repr oduc e t h is p ictu r e o n cond iti o n t hat It Is accompa,nled b y ''0 MCMLXX X I Welt Disney Production .. ..
CONCERNED MOTHER . •. H.I.n (CARROLL BAKER) comfort. daughter Jan (LYNN·HOLLY JOHNSON) oft... boing tormented by stronge and mysterious occurrences in this scene from Wilt Disney Productions' 'The Watcher in the Woods ," The suspense thriller also ltars Betti Dlyi., David McClllum, I.n Bannen, Kyle Richard •• Richard PaICO.nd Benedict Taylor. In color by Technicolor , the film was co·produced by Tom Leetch with Hugh Attwooll as associate producer for executive producer Ron, Miller. John Hough directed from a screenplay written by Brian Clemens, Harry Spalding and Rosemary Anne Sisson from the novel by florence Engel Randall. Bu.na Vista r.I ...... (079·77·12) ~rmlsslon II her eby granted to m.gulne, and
newsp'j)IIu t o repro d uce this picture on condition thlt
it Is accompanied by " 0 MCMLXXXI Welt Disnev ProductlonL"
SECRET CEREMONY ... Strlnge mlnifestations occur when Lynn -Holly Johnson , standing blindfoled atop a stone coffin, attempts ro reliYe a secrel society's initiation ritual with Richard Pasco, lin Bannen and Frances Cuka in this scene from Walt Disney Productions' ' 'The Witcher in the Woods _" The suspense thriller also stars Bette Duis, Carroll Baker, Oayid McCallum, Kyle Richards and Benedict Taylor _ In color by Technicolor, the film was co'1lroduced by Tom Leetch with Hugh Attwooll as associate producer for executiYe producer Ron Miller . John Hough directed from a screenplay written by Brian Cleme ns , Harry Spalding and Rosemary Anne Sisson from the noyel by Florence Engel Randall . Buena Vistl releases. (079-113路27) Permlnlon 15 hereby grllnted to mlgazlnes Ind newspllpers to reprodu ce Inls picture o n cond ition Ihlll It Is accomplnled b y'''Cl MCML.XXXI Welt Disney ProductionL"
A MASTERPIECE OF SUSPENSE!
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