The Central New Jersey Home News from New Brunswick, New Jersey • 23

MOVIE REVIEW 'Watcher' has some delicious twists THE WATCHER IN THE WOODS, Starring Bette Davis, Carroll Baker, David McCallum. and Lynn-Holly Johnson. By TED SERRILL Home News movie reviewer name Karen backwards. A woman. Mary Fleming sees the name and blanches.

"Watcher" can be viewed as a bona fide mystery. Clues are provided. I tumbled to the answer shortly before it was revealed at the end, as would any buff of the fantastic. A device in the film is similar to one in a "Twilight Zone" episode aired recently. The movie itself is just about as good as the best "Twilight Zones." Hough, through his photographer Alan Hume, visually conveys terror and distress.

The woods near the house have dark, nightlike pools of shadow, although the sun shines brightly. An attack dog is filmed as a mouthful of flashing teeth, which I doubt is as simple an effect to accomplish as it might appear. Jan learns that Mrs. Aylwood's daughter Karen disappeared nearly 30 years ago while she and three other teen-agers were playing in an abandoned church. The disappearance came as a lightning from a summer storm struck the belfry, causing a fire.

What happened to Karen's body? Why are the other three so reluctant to talk about what happened? They include the shocked Mary Fleming, a secretive, tight-lipped owner of the attack dog (Ian Bannen) and Old Tom, a mental defective who lives in a ruins in the woods and is kind to animals But is he kind to people? The movie plays perhaps too commonly with image reversals. Is Mrs. Aylwood an evil old woman and is she really trying to drown Jan? Does Old Tom have rape or murder in mind? Yet, when Ellie in a trance warns her sister away from a spot where seconds later a motorcycle comes crashing down to explode, the mystery is given another delicious twist. A ghost that not only lives in the woods but is prescient? Most of the acting is routine. Baker is ridiculous as an English mother.

McCallum is given short shrift. The music is too loud, too ominous and over-tefegraphs what is to come. This is a fault common to most horror and terror films. Why can't producers realize this undercuts the suspense, not heightens it? Yet, and yet, there is a splendid scene in a hall of mirrors when the blindfolded Karen is seen again. And there is that great ending when the spirit what could it be? is finally seen in full, beyond its evidences of flashing, blue fire.

A splendid visual effect at the end. This movie will do as a tasty forerunner of "The Shining," which is to come next month, and could be the scariest movie of all. based on the content of the Steven King book. DAVID MC CALLUM short thrift The Disney organization in 'The Black Hole," with outstanding lack of feeling for good sense, managed to trample what might have been a good science fiction adventure. With Walt gone, who knows what they are capable of doing? What might they do with a potentially terrifying suspense fantasy? The pleasant surprise about "The Watcher in the Woods," based upon a book for young teens by Florence Engel Randall, is that the Disney organization for the most part managed to do it right.

Entertaining without let up and featuring a wonderful two-part ending, the picture might even be better than the book. I once tned a Randall novel and was bored. "Watcher" is rated PG only because it could be frightening to young children. I don't know if kids these days can be scared by anything on the big or small screen, but the film is scary, featuring a number of startling and sometimes eerie moments, some integral to the plot, some cinematic red herrings, so to speak, thrown in by director John Hough, whose strong point is a loving way with a camera. The credit sequence gets the picture off to a good start.

A little girl is picnicking in the woods with her doll. She sees something that sends her screaming. The blonde-tressed doll is picked up by nothing? and hurled against a tree and then set afire. The rest of the credits unroll as the doll blisters and melts. This is just an incident in the woods and the last we see of that little girl.

Enter a family looking for an isolated house in England where Helen Curtis (Carroll Baker) can write her children's books and husband Paul (David McCallum) can compose his music. They have two daughters. Jan, about 16, is played by Lynn-Holly Johnson. The younger, Eilie, is Kyle Richards who appeared. I think, in the "Witch Mountain" movies produced by Disney.

The large house is a bargain. "What's the catch?" they ask. "Maybe there's a ghost." Maybe. The owner is one Mrs. Aylwood.

who lives in the caretaker's cottage, and is played in an appropriately witchy mood by the aging but still assertive Bette Davis. Jan imme- diately senses something strange. There is an affinity, perhaps a sense of recognition between her and Mrs. Aylwood, and there is something about the woods. "Are you sensitive? Do you sense things?" asks the old woman.

Odd things begin happening immediately. Jan looks out a window. A blue light flashes in the woods and the window cracks. The crack is triangular. Jan looks in a mirror and she cannot see her reflection.

She then does see the image of a blindfolded girl of her age. but not herself. The mirror breaks, again a triangular break. While the movie observes some of the conventions of the haunted house genre, these are not usual occurrances. and are refreshing.

Ellie herself must be a sensitive; she seems possessed at times. She mutters in sleep, "must open door." What door? Down in the village, something comes over Ellie and on a dusty window she writes the reviews 'Colored Girls' opens at Crossroads thater Review of ALL THAT JAZZ AH That Jafi is more tttan auto-d'OoraDfiical. it's Dovrive'v incestuous What olher ord can oe used 'or a movrt; in which (he ipad aclor. Rov is made to look and act ccMv choreographer Boo Fosse, who wrote and directed this movie 'bout riii loves, the pressure ot his work and tits heart attack. Dancer Ann Reiking, Fosse's "over when he his coronarv.

effect Diavs herselt Fosse makes no attempt to disguise his emulation of this mad but not maddening rrnx of realism and oream tanrasv iin dance. Hope lange. who once was a Foose utrt friend, appears frequently as an anyei of death and Schemer's hard hvmg protagonist orolagon-tl lak es time off evcrv so often to visit her in a dream dressing room to talk about his wav of tiv-tog And whv he lives so close to the wire Open-heart surgerv can bf seen briefly and, at lenght, a pria'-usmaonc fmat dance num- ft- prLitVh'V TtOfy KRAMER VS. KRAMER Mother walks out on young son and husband. Father continues to raise son.

Mother later wants son back and goes to court This simple plot is fleshed out witn the nuances of life in a manner that makes the hopes and fears of Ted and Joanna Kramer and their 6-vear-old son Binv reat. The acting bv Duslin Hoffman. Mervl Streeo and young Justin Henry is whonv convincing, so tuned to avoid the maudlin under writer-director Robert Benton that one is persuaded this is reality, not a movie fiction. "Kramer vs Kramer" is fitted with moments that seem tust right. It is about the maturing of parents as much as what's right tor a child whose parents are divorced.

The final court scenes are the most hignlv charged moments, but the earlier bulk ot the movie, as father and son approach a mutual understanding and communication, is absorbing in its detail. (6. II. 13. 26.

30 37 361 NEW BRUNSWICK Crossroads professional black theater company will present Ntozake Shange's "For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow is Enuf" beginning tonight. The show will run through May 18 at the company's loft theater at 320 Memorial Parkway. Producing director Rick Khan will direct the production that features women of the resident company and three additions: Dana Hollowell, Leah Louise Bass and C.C.H. Pounder. The show is a collage of monologues in prose and poetry performed by seven actresses.

They depict the experiences of black women, over a wide spectrum, and the pieces run the gamut from comedy to tragedy. Performances are Wednesday through Sunday nights at 8 m. and Sundays at 3 p.m. Further information and reservations are available at 249-5560. urban sophisticates, with a dimension of seriousness not often found in playwright and screenwriter Neil Simon's works.

The reason is that the picture is, in effect, about Simon and his second wife, actress Marsha Mason. James Caan plavs the Simon-role while Mason plays herself. The names and biograon-ical details are changed, but the story is basically the same-Simon's wife died, before fullv recovering from her loss, he meets Mason and after a whirlwind courtship, they marry. Then the despair at his loss and realization he still loves his late wife set in again and the new marriage is endangered. Nearly three-quarters of the film is good fun, replete with Simon's bright one-liners.

The balance is more engrossing than mion! be expected because She handsome couple is so intelligent and good-hearted that their plight is elevated a higher plane usual, removing "Chapter Two" from mundane soao ooera level (3. 39 3 50, 5:10, 7 30, 9:30. HAZLET 12 Route 35 Drive-In Theater "ffolkes." 7, 10 30 8 45 13 UA Cinema One a-d Two "Little Darling." 1 30 3 30, 5.30, 7.30, 930. II. Knmer vs Kramer." 2.

4, 6. 8, 10. LINDEN 14 Linden Twin I Personal." 2. 4. 6.

"Foxes." 1.30. 3 30. Nothing 8. 10 II. 5 35, 7.25.

9 25. MANVILLE 15. Manville Cinema "10 2. 7:30, 9:30 METUCHEN 16. Forum Theatre: "Foxes." 7.15, 9:15.

MIDDLETOWN 17. UA Cinema 1-2-3 I. "Simon." 2, 4, 6, 8. 10. II.

"Sitting Ducks." 2, 4, 6. 8. 10. Ml. "Being There." 2, 4:30, 7, 9 30.

NEW BRUNSWICK IB. Art Cinema: "Sizzle." (X) 2, 5:20, 8:40. "Sensuous Vixens." (X) 7:35. 10:50. "Triple Hit." 3:15.

(MS, 9:50. "Rocky Horror Show." midnight. NORTH BRUNSWICK 19. North Brunswick Drive'-ln: will blow vour mnd Wav be not that, buf if's fascinating With years ol distance. "AH That Jan" might be considered masterful (9.

25) BEING THERE This is a fabie about a middle-aged non-entilv and 'otal innocent named Chance and how he comes potentially to influence the fate of the ortd It was written bv Jerry Kosinski, based on his novel, and stars Peter Sellers in a wonderful performance, never dull or irritating as the simoie-rrmded mover of American leaders who shouldn't be simple minded, and vet A fiim Frank Capre might once have done, and expertly directed bv Hal Ashbv, "Being There" is a fonnv aid Deceptive satire of men's foolishness tnai as captivating and heart-warm! ig as anyone could wish Just marveious. Don't miss tt (S, 17, 40) CHAPTER TWO Tt-s is si'ck about III "Foes 1 50 4 15, 7 945 IV "The F.trrt Floor 7 10, 4 10. 7 30 9 50 V. "Ttie Fog 2 20. 4 30.

7 45. 10 8 Tjr nci Cinema I "Sitting Ducks' 2. 4. 6. 8.

10, tnidnght II "llolkes I 30. 3 30, 5 30, 7 30, 9 30. 1130. Drive in. Closed lor the season.

EDISON 9 Memo Park Cinema I. "All That Jazz 1. 3 15. 5.30. 7.40.

9 50. "Creature From The Black Lagoon" midnight, 130 am. II. "Serial 1:45, 3.30. 5:15, 7, 8:35, 10:15.

"Richard Pryor In Concert." midnight. 10. Plainfield-Edison Theatre: 1. "Silting Ducks." 2, 3.45, 5:30. 7:15, 9, 10:15, 12:15.

II. "ffolkes." 2, 4, 5:50, 7:50, 9.45, 11.30. Drive-In: "Mannequin." 7, II. "Buster Billy." 9. FRANKLIN 11.

Rutgers Cinema. I. "Kramer vs. Kramer." 1:30, 3.30, 7:40. 9:55.

II. "Simon." 2, Movie times "Penilentiarv." 7, 10 25. "Which Wav Is Up 8 15 OLD 8RI0GE 20 Mao. son Cinema I "Simon 7 30 9 Personal." 7 30, 9 25. 21 Sayre-Woods Tneaire, ParMn: "Pleasure Shoo" tx) 2, 4 15, 6 IS.

9. Pleasure Cruise." (XI 3. 520. 7 4S. 9 50.

PERTH AMBOY 22. Maieslic Thestre: "Sex Roulette" (XI and "Christy" (X) continuous showing noon to 1 1 m. 23. Strand Theater: "Mystique." (XI 2. 4:25.

6:50. 9 15. "Slip Up." (X) 3 15, 5.40, 8.05. PRINCETON 24. Princeton Playhouse: "Mr.

Klein." 7:30. "Head Over Heels." 9.35 25. Prince III: I. "Just tell Me What Vou Want." I. 6.

8.05. 10:10. II. "All That Jazz." 1, 5:45. 8, 10:15.

III. "Cruising." 1, 8:10, 10:05. 26. AMC Quakerbridge Cinema: t. "Lady And The Tramp II.

"Kramer vs. Kramer." III. "Die "Little Darlings." call theater al (609) 799- 9331 RAHWAY Old "Manneuum. Railway Theatre: 2. 3 40.

520. 7, 8 10. 10 10 ROCKY HILL 28. Montgomery Cinema: "Maria Braun." 5. 7.10.

9.10. SAYREVILLE 29. Cinema 9: "Hero Al Large." 2 30. 4 15. 6.05.

7:50, 9:35. 30. Ambov Cinemas Sixolex: I. "Kramer vs. Kramer." 12:15, 2 30.

4:45, 7:25, 9 55, midnight. 11. "Gilda." 12:20, 2:25, 4:25, 7:15, 1120. III. "Ladv And The Tramp," noon, 1:30 3, 4:20 5.35, 7:15, 6:45, 10:15.

IV. "Little Darlings." 12:15. 2:20, 4:20, 7.10, 9:20. 11:15. V.

"Manneouin." 12.30, 2 30, 4 30, 7, 8 45, midnight. VI. "Coal Miner's Daughter." noon, 2: IS, 4:30, 7:10, 9.40, 11:55. SOMERVILLE 31. Cort Theater: "And Justice For All." 3:35, 7:45.

"China Syndrome." 1:30, 5:40, 9:50. 32. Somerville Circle- I. "Kramer vs. Kramer." 1.30.

3:30, 5:30. 7:30, 9.30. II. "Night Scheme." 1:45. 3.45.

5:45. 7.45, 9.45. III. "Little Darlings." 2, 4, 6. 8, 10 33 Somerville Drive-In "Manneouin.

7, 10. "Gas Pump Girls 8 30 SOUTH PLAINF1ELD 34. UA Cinema: I. "Being There." 2, 4 20, 7, 9 30. II "Ladv And The Tramo 3 45, 7 15, 10.30.

"Island At The Too Of The World." 2. 5:15. 8 45. UNION 35. Lost Picture Show.

"Best Boys." 5:35, 7:45, 9.55. WATCHUNG 36. Blue Star Cinema: I "Kramer vs. Kramer." 1 30, 3 25. 5:20.

7.30, 9.45. II. "Little Darlings." 3:40, 5:25, 7.40, 9.45. "It Came From Outer Space." 2 p.m., midnight III. "Simon 2, 4.

6 8, 10 WOODBRIDCE 37. Ford Cinema Chapter II." 7.9:15. 38. Fox Theatre "Fatso 2 30. 4:15.

5:45, 7 30, 9 15. 39. Iselin Tneaire; "Mannequin." 7 30. 9. 40.

WjoJbridge Cinema: I. "Being There 2. 4 30, 7 25. 9:45. II.

Apocalypse Now" 1:30, 4.20, 7.10. 10. BELLE MEAO 1 Hitl'borouoti Cincrra "Simon 2, 7 20. 9 10 BOUNO BROOK I Brook It.e-it'e me Rose 7. 9 23 CARTERET 3.

Jerrrv Lewis Twin I "Foxes." 7, 45 II Meter II 7. 9 05 DUNE LLEN 4. Dunellen Theatre "Charter II 7:20, 9 20. "House Of Wat." 2 midnight EAST BRUNSWICK 5. Brunswick Souare: I "The Black Stallion." 2, 4 45, 7 15.

9 30. II "Being There." 2. 4 50, 7:25. 9 50. 6 Loew's Route 18 Twin: I.

"Little Darlings." 2 30. 4:25, 6 20, 8: 10, 10.05. tl. "Kramer vs. Kramer." 2.

4. 6. 8. 10. 7.

Movie Citv 5: I. "Chanter II 1.30, 4 05, 7 9 30 ll. "Hero AT Large." 1:40, 4:20, 7:10, 9.40..