Escape to Witch Mountain (1975)

User Rating:

6.2/10   

Director:

John Hough

Writers:

Robert M. Young (screenplay)
Alexander Key (book)

Release Date:

21 March 1975 (USA)

Genre:

Fantasy | Family | Adventure | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

Escape To The Unknown!

Plot:

Two mysterious orphan children have extraordinary powers and are chased by a scheming millionaire. But where do these kids really call home?

Plot Keywords:

Millionaire | Escape | Orphan | Widower | Helicopter Accident

Cast

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

Runtime:

97 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.75 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Photophone Sound Recording)

Certification:

Iceland:L | Germany:o.Al. | Canada:G (video rating) | 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:

Big Sur, California, USA

Company:

Walt Disney Productions

Trivia:

Final film of Reta Shaw.

Goofs:

Continuity: When the gun is hovering in front of Deranian and his driver, it hovers in front of the camper. After the camper drives away in the cut back to the gun it still shows the camper behind the gun.

Quotes:

Tia Malone: Tony, we've got to get out of here, please.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The Blair Witch Mountain Project (2002)

A Close Encounter For Eddie Albert

One of the Magic Kingdom's most charming fantasies occurs as a two children from outer space try to return home in Escape To Witch Mountain. The place mentioned in the title is a rendezvous point where they have to reach.

Ike Eisenman and Kim Richards are two lower grade school kids who've been placed in an orphanage because their foster parents have died. Those parents are the only ones they've ever known. Richards has memories of being rescued from a body of water though.

These two have remarkable powers that they have to be careful about showing off. But some precognition has them warning Donald Pleasance about not getting in a car that shortly has an accident. Pleasance works for tycoon Ray Milland who wants those children and will stop at nothing to see he gets possession of them.

The kids get wise to Milland and Pleasance and run off, but Milland gets the law on his side and in pursuit of them. Their biggest stroke of luck is gaining the trust and confidence of Eddie Albert. He's a lonely and crusty old man, but those kids are charming and weave some magic that has nothing to do with their being aliens.

Escape To Witch Mountain provides Eddie Albert with one of his best later career roles. Albert works well with Eisenman and Richards and doesn't let the kids steal any scenes from him.

Some plot elements that would find themselves in the later and more acclaimed Cocoon are found in Escape To Witch Mountain. The special effects are before computer graphics took over, yet they are quite good. Two other performances to look out for are Walter Barnes as a greedy sheriff and Reta Shaw who runs the orphanage where the kids are first taken.

Escape To Witch Mountain is one of Disney Studios best products post the death of the founder Walt Disney. It should be seen in conjunction with the sequel Return From Witch Mountain.