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Escape to Witch Mountain (1975)
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Overview
User Rating:
Director:
Writers:
Release Date:
21 March 1975 (USA)
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Tagline:
Escape To The Unknown! more
Plot:
Two mysterious orphan children have extraordinary powers and are chased by a scheming millionaire. But where do these kids really call home? full summary | full synopsis
NewsDesk:
(5 articles)
Tiff '09 Review: 'Under the Mountain'
(From FEARnet. 18 September 2009, 10:02 AM, PDT)
DVD release inspirations including I Love You, Man
(From BoxWish. 24 August 2009, 3:45 AM, PDT)
(From FEARnet. 18 September 2009, 10:02 AM, PDT)
DVD release inspirations including I Love You, Man
(From BoxWish. 24 August 2009, 3:45 AM, PDT)
User Comments:
A nostalgic pleasure that is badly dated but also refreshingly free of ill-will or menace
more (47 total)
Cast
(Cast overview, first billed only) | Eddie Albert | ... | Jason O'Day |
 | Ray Milland | ... | Aristotle Bolt |
 | Donald Pleasence | ... | Lucas Deranian |
 | Kim Richards | ... | Tia Malone |
 | Ike Eisenmann | ... | Tony Malone |
| Walter Barnes | ... | Sheriff Purdy |
| Reta Shaw | ... | Mrs. Grindley |
| Denver Pyle | ... | Uncle Bene |
| Alfred Ryder | ... | Astrologer |
| Lawrence Montaigne | ... | Ubermann |
| Terry Wilson | ... | Biff Jenkins |
| George Chandler | ... | Grocer |
| Dermott Downs | ... | Truck |
 | Shepherd Sanders | ... | Guru |
| Don Brodie | ... | Gasoline Attendant |
Additional Details
Parents Guide:
Runtime:
97 min
Country:
Language:
Color:
Color (Technicolor)
Aspect Ratio:
1.75 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Mono (RCA Photophone Sound Recording)
Certification:
Iceland:L |
Germany:o.Al. |
Canada:G (video rating) |
USA:Passed (National Board of Review) |
Argentina:Atp |
Australia:G |
Canada:F (Ontario) |
Canada:G (Manitoba/Nova Scotia/Quebec) |
Chile:TE |
Finland:S |
Sweden:Btl |
UK:U |
USA:G |
Singapore:PG
Filming Locations:
Company:
Fun Stuff
Trivia:
Goofs:
Continuity: When they are running away from the dogs, Tia and Tony switch positions between shots (Kim Richards was afraid of the dogs, and at one point ran in front to get away from them).
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Quotes:
Lucas Deranian:
Look as far as you can see. Mr. Bolt owns everything in sight.
Tia Malone: Well, I can see the sky.
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Tia Malone: Well, I can see the sky.
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Movie Connections:
Featured in Making the 'Escape' (2003) (V)
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FAQ
Where did Tia and Tony come from?How much sex, violence, and profanity are in this movie?
Why was Jason O'Day so crusty at first?
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more (47 total)
Message Boards
Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for Escape to Witch Mountain (1975)| Recent Posts (updated daily) | User |
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| Tia's star case | GFlispter |
| Paris Hilton | mrs_george_harrison |
| is this the movie? | bardintraining |
| Who played Mr Duncan? | Beverwyk |
| Hi, sorry!x | L-Rankin |
| Also a bit confused... | ib99 |
Recommendations
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Tia and Tony are brother/sister and also orphans – but neither have any memory of where "home" was or what happened to their parents. Nor do they have any idea why they both have varying degrees of power over objects and people using only their minds. One person who does have an interest in them is Lucas Deranian, who witnesses their powers first hand, and his employer, the powerful Aristotle Bolt. Faking documents to "prove" he is their uncle, Deranian removes them from the orphanage and sets them up in their luxury new home with all mod cons, including hidden cameras to observe them. Obviously catching onto this scheme, Tia and Tony flee their new guardians and run away, with only a secret map a clue as to their home and destination.
Ahead of a remake next year, I watched this old-school Disney film recently, interested to see what I would make of it without having the memories of seeing it as a child (nostalgia being a common thread among those reviews that seem to love the film). What I found was a film that stays so focused on the principles of Disney live-action films of the time that it manages to summon up nostalgia even in those who did not specifically see this film. This is evident across the film as we have children more able than the adults around them, who have powers/gifts/knowledge that adults do not, love animals and get into wonderful adventures which involve danger but never a serious threat. The specifics are not that important but the plot is quite good as it allows the characters to have mini-episodes across the film.
Being over 30 years old, it is no surprise that the film is dated in terms of looks, presentation, effects and content but those with a nostalgia for a period when kids films didn't have to come preloaded with cynicism and sassy kids will easily forgive this. For the majority of us though it will still feel limited by how dated it is, while at the same time providing a sort of cheesy entertainment value that comes from "old-school" pleasures. That said, it still a pretty wooden affair, with the child actors not having a mean bone in their body but plenty of "acting" and clunky explanatory dialogue to work with. I understand why Eisenmann and Richards are sort of cult figures off the back of this but they are pretty wooden and without a lot of character to speak of. They do the job but their basic turns are part of dating the film. I was a bit disappointed by Pleasance as I was looking for more in the way of menace from him, although Milland got the mix of comedy bumbling and being a baddie just right for this type of vehicle. Albert is good and works well with the two kids.
The effects are also dated – but in terms of what was possible but also (sort of connected) what was thought up to be done and how quite innocent it all was. So we get spinning coats, a friendly bear, flying flour bags, dancing puppets etc, all of which are of course quite cheap in terms of modern effects but at the same time are refreshingly free of menace or ill-will. Essentially the same can be said about the whole film because, despite feeling dated and a bit basic, it is good natured and nostalgic fun. The downside of this is that modern children will probably be roundly unimpressed by it in the face of the CGI-generated, self-aware and smart films that they have been served over the last decade or so. A nostalgic pleasure despite this though.