Watchers (1988)

Director:

Jon Hess

Writers (WGA):

Dean R. Koontz (novel)
Bill Freed (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

December 1988 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Horror | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

Secret experiment, Unstoppable monster, Deadly mistake...

Plot:

Based on a novel by Dean Koontz. A boy takes in a stray dog, later finding out that its an ultra-intelligent runaway from a genetic research lab...

Plot Keywords:

Dog's Eye View | Government Coverup | Genetic Mutation | Pick Up | Barn

Awards:

2 nominations

Cast

Michael Ironside	...	Lem Johnson
Christopher Cary	...	T.V. Newscaster (as Christopher Carey)
Graeme Campbell	...	Man on Boat
Dan O'Dowd	...	First T.V. Reporter
Lala Sloatman	...	Tracey (as Lala)
Corey Haim	...	Travis Cornell
Dale Wilson	...	Bill Keeshan
Blu Mankuma	...	Cliff
Colleen Winton	...	Deputy Porter
Duncan Fraser	...	Sheriff Walt Gaines
Barbara Williams	...	Nora Cornell
Lou Bollo	...	Man by Stream
Jason Priestley	...	Boy on Bike
Matt Hill	...	Boy on Bike
Andrew Morkey	...	Boy on Bike (as Andrew Markey)

Runtime:

91 min | Germany:87 min (DVD version)

Country:

Canada

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Certification:

Argentina:18 | Iceland:16 | Australia:M | UK:18 | USA:R | West Germany:16 (cut) | West Germany:18

Filming Locations:

Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

Company:

Canadian Entertainment Investors II

Trivia:

Paul Haggis wrote the original screenplay. By the time the movie was greenlighted, the Writer's Guild Strike hit and Haggis refused to do any further writing on the movie during the strike. Production was passed to Canadian producer Damien Lewis who rewrote the script. Haggis read the script and took his name off it - taking credit instead as "Bill Freed", his WGA pseudonym, and insisted Damien Lee take credit for his work.

Movie Connections:

Followed by Watchers III (1994)

Wonderful book - Horrible movie

I, too, have read the novel "Watchers" many times. It is a masterpiece of story-telling by Dean Koontz about how love transcends all boundaries - including that of species. Even the "monster" was given a soul that pierced the horror. By the end of the book you knew that animals think and feel and that a dog is more than just cute.

The movie "Watchers" offers no clue that anyone involved has even read this book. We need another teen slasher flick like we need another Linda Tripp. The dog could give acting lessons to the rest of the cast. Simply awful and I am embarrassed for Mr. Koontz.

However, two years later, it seems as if someone else thought that this novel deserved better. "Watchers II" - although unable to hold a candle to the book - at least came closer to the original storyline. Decidedly not Oscar material, "Watchers II" is, however, at least 47,000 times more watchable than it's predecessor.

Final words - read the book and open your heart.