IMDb RATING
5.4/10
6.5K
YOUR RATING
Young married couple Phillip and Kate Sterling, who have a newborn son named Jake, don't realize that their new nanny Camilla is a magical nymph who sacrifices infants to an evil tree.Young married couple Phillip and Kate Sterling, who have a newborn son named Jake, don't realize that their new nanny Camilla is a magical nymph who sacrifices infants to an evil tree.Young married couple Phillip and Kate Sterling, who have a newborn son named Jake, don't realize that their new nanny Camilla is a magical nymph who sacrifices infants to an evil tree.
- Awards
- 3 nominations
Natalija Nogulich
- Molly Sheridan
- (as Natalia Nogulich)
Barry Herman
- Dr. at Birth
- (as Dr. Barry Herman)
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaJenny Seagrove was unhappy with the film's constant re-writes, and wanted to make a completely different film. She said to The Guardian in 2007: "It was about this druid nanny who became a tree. I begged Universal to make it about a real nanny who kidnaps babies. 'No, no, we can't do that,' they said, 'the thirty somethings in America won't come and see the film.' I said, 'I think you're completely wrong; this film is total fantasy, and it's just awful.' Two years later The Hand That Rocks the Cradle (1992) was released, so I rang up my friend at Universal and he said, 'Don't. Don't even talk about it, you were right.' "
- GoofsAs the tree is being cut down, the movie keeps cutting back to Camilla, showing what damage it is doing to her. When the guy finishes cutting down the tree, there is a shot of Camilla and her left leg breaks off and she falls to the ground. The two shots immediately following, of the mother tackling her and then of Camilla being thrown out the window, both show her with her legs still intact.
- Quotes
Phil Sterling: You take your hands off my baby!
- Alternate versionsThere are two versions of "The Guardian": the theatrical cut, credited to William Friedkin, and a modified cut, credited to "Alan Smithee". The Alan Smithee cut has never been released on video but has been shown on cable. It includes new scenes including another scene in the hospital; different dream sequences; a scene of the nanny waking the wife up and alternate angles for other scenes. Also, the ending of the cable cut is different and omits much of the gore.
- ConnectionsFeatured in Siskel & Ebert: Miami Blues/Vital Signs/Lisa/Chattahoochee (1990)
- SoundtracksPalau
Music by Not Drowning Waving (as Not Drowning, Waving)
Lyrics by David Bridie
Performed by Not Drowning Waving (as Not Drowning, Waving)
Courtesy of Mighty Boy Records
Featured review
the tree from hell!
I remember seeing the edited version of this film years ago on cable and thinking. Gee, that was weird. Finally now though, the original version of William Friedkin's film is out. Frankly, given its ludicrous plot, the film isn't bad. There are some good scares here. The scene where Camilla's wolves stalk Runcie in his glass house is great. Scary, violent and real. Unfortunately, its the best scene by far.
The cast is really good in this "nanny from hell" story. Jenny Seagrove is sexy, yet spooky. Cary Lowell and Dwier Brown are fine. The supporting work from Miguel Ferrer and Brad Hall is top-notch.
The plot is just too silly to be true, so this doesn't work that well and too many scenes are just dumb. The punks at the park, the chainsaw versus bloody tree, etc. The music is bad and the photography sucks. So why give this a shot? Because its by a master film-maker and and, if your'e really into film, you can see about 3 or 4 different endings they could have used. Fun on a dark, rainy night.
The cast is really good in this "nanny from hell" story. Jenny Seagrove is sexy, yet spooky. Cary Lowell and Dwier Brown are fine. The supporting work from Miguel Ferrer and Brad Hall is top-notch.
The plot is just too silly to be true, so this doesn't work that well and too many scenes are just dumb. The punks at the park, the chainsaw versus bloody tree, etc. The music is bad and the photography sucks. So why give this a shot? Because its by a master film-maker and and, if your'e really into film, you can see about 3 or 4 different endings they could have used. Fun on a dark, rainy night.
Helpful•84
- windypoplar
- Oct 16, 2006
- Permalink
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Details
Box office
- Gross US & Canada
- $17,037,887
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $5,565,620
- Apr 29, 1990
- Gross worldwide
- $17,037,887
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