The Guardian

1990
18
1h 32m

IMDb RATING

5.4/10

6.6K

YOUR RATING

Play trailer1:30

6 Videos

66 Photos

Supernatural Horror Witch Horror Drama Fantasy Horror Mystery Thriller

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 Druid 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 Druid 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 Druid who sacrifices infants to an evil tree.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

5.4/10

6.6K

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Awards
- 3 nominations

Videos6

Trailer 0:26

The Guardian

Clip 2:09

The Guardian: You Want To Come Out And Play?

Clip 2:06

The Guardian: Where Have You Been?

Featurette 1:12

The Guardian: Interview With Dwier Brown

Featurette 1:17

The Guardian: Interview With William Friedken

Photos66

+ 58

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Storyline

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Did you know

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Trivia
Jenny 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.' "

Goofs
As 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 versions
There 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.

Connections
Featured in Siskel & Ebert & the Movies: Miami Blues/Vital Signs/Lisa/Chattahoochee (1990)

Soundtracks
Palau
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

User reviews73

Review

Featured review

6/10

Whatever you do, avoid watching the edited version of this movie.

Somewhat creepy horror movie with a supernatural edge to it, kind of a more horror oriented "Hand that Rocks the Cradle". Basically, a couple with their first child hires a nanny with a very dark and disturbing secret. She has chosen this baby for a reason and it is not to simply make it hers. As far as horror movies it is somewhat good, it has some gore, a couple of tense scenes and some nudity. However, if you watch the cut version of this movie the whole thing changes to the point almost all the scares and creepy stuff is taken out. They seem to completely edit over the first scene involving the baby taken to the tree, a scene later with the mother makes it out that the child survived and is safe and sound. The regular version is not so chipper. The ending is screwed up to as it ends earlier and they basically cut out the final scene. I realize that you want to cut out some stuff so you can show your movie on the happy time family network, but in the end you should not edit a movie to the point its plot and meaning change. So for an okay horror movie with some creepy scenes and such give this movie a shot, for a pedestrian movie with basically no scares and all creepiness removed try and find the cut version of the film.