Escape to Witch Mountain (1975)

Director:

John Hough

Writers:

Robert M. Young (screenplay)
Alexander Key (based on the book by)

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:

Escape | Millionaire | Widower | Uncle | Orphan

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
Paul Sorensen	...	Sgt. Foss
Tiger Joe Marsh	...	Lorko
Harry Holcombe	...	Capt. Malone
Sam Edwards	...	Mate
Dan Seymour	...	Psychic
Eugene Daniels	...	Cort
Al Dunlap	...	Deputy
Rex Holman	...	Hunter No.1
Tony Giorgio	...	Hunter No 2
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Mervin W. Frates	...	Bolt's Butler (uncredited)
Lance Kerwin	...	Boy in green-striped shirt (uncredited)
Kyle Richards	...	Young Tia (uncredited)
Alfred Rossi	...	Highway Patrol Officer (uncredited)

Directed by
John Hough

Writing credits
Robert M. Young		(screenplay) (as Robert Malcolm Young)
Alexander Key		(based on the book by)

Produced by
Jerome Courtland	....	producer
Ron Miller	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Johnny Mandel

Cinematography by
Frank V. Phillips		(director of photography) (as Frank Phillips)

Film Editing by
Robert Stafford

Art Direction by
John B. Mansbridge
Al Roelofs

Set Decoration by
Hal Gausman

Makeup Department
Robert J. Schiffer	....	makeup artist
La Rue Matheron	....	hair stylist (uncredited)
Lynn F. Reynolds	....	makeup artist (uncredited)

Production Management
Frederic W. Brost	....	unit manager (as Fred Brost)
John D. Bloss	....	production manager (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Jerry Ballew	....	second assistant director
Frederic W. Brost	....	assistant director (as Fred Brost)
William R. Poole	....	assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
George Jenson	....	illustrator (uncredited)
Joseph Kuri	....	assistant prop man (uncredited)
Bob McLing	....	property master (uncredited)
Al Williams	....	property master (uncredited)

Sound Department
Frank Regula	....	sound mixer
Herb Taylor	....	sound supervisor
Ronald R. Cooper	....	mikeman (uncredited)
Lee Strosnider	....	sound mixer (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Art Cruickshank	....	special effects
Danny Lee	....	special effects
Hal Bigger	....	special effects (uncredited)
David Domeyer	....	special effects (uncredited)
Hans Metz	....	special effects (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Alan Maley	....	matte artist (uncredited)

Stunts
Jerry Brutsche	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Carl Boles	....	gaffer (uncredited)
Jack Holton	....	best boy (uncredited)
Lloyd Isbell	....	key grip (uncredited)
Cecil Luske	....	second assistant camera (uncredited)
Jim Luske	....	first assistant camera (uncredited)
Essil Massinburg	....	second grip (uncredited)
Sterling Smith	....	still photographer (uncredited)
Ron Vargas	....	camera operator (uncredited)
Dennis Young	....	grip (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Chuck Keehne	....	costumes
Emily Sundby	....	costumes
Lynne Albright	....	costumer (uncredited)
Kent James	....	costumer (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Louis Terrusa	....	assistant editor (uncredited)

Music Department
Evelyn Kennedy	....	music editor

Transportation Department
Gerald R. Molen	....	transportation captain (uncredited)

Other crew
Edle Bakke	....	script supervisor (uncredited)
Henry Cowl	....	animal handler (uncredited)
Bill Degeneres	....	craft service (uncredited)
Howard 'Dutch' Horton	....	location manager (uncredited)
Dan Novack	....	first aid man (uncredited)
Leonard Shannon	....	unit publicist (uncredited)
Jay Younger	....	utility man (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Walt Disney Productions (presents)

Distributors

• Buena Vista Distribution Company (1975) (USA) (theatrical)
• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1980) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• Walt Disney Home Video (1993) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Buena Vista Home Entertainment (2004) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Buena Vista International (1977) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Buena Vista Home Entertainment (BVHE) (2003) (USA) (DVD)
• Buena Vista Home Entertainment (BVHE) (2006) (USA) (DVD)
• Gativideo (????) (Argentina) (VHS)

Also Known As:

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) | 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:

Big Sur, California, USA

Company:

Walt Disney Productions

Trivia:

Bruno the Bear was only alert for about ten minutes a day, with which the production crew had to carefully schedule with the children's two-hour work schedule.

Goofs:

Factual errors: The gasoline attendant is shown filling up the Winnebago through the heater exhaust. The gasoline fill cap on this model is on the other side of the vehicle, just behind the rear wheel. Were the attendant to peer through the window on the driver's side, there would be no "perfect" place for the children to hide and still hear Jason when he re-enters the vehicle.

Quotes:

Tia Malone:Tony, do you hear the dogs?
Tony Malone:No. How far?
Tia Malone:Oh, 20 miles.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Disney Through the Decades (2001) (V)

Pretty good then, and still good now

A long time ago, I was into books. This isn't a light phrase, I took out multitudes of them from the library. Alexander Key wrote a neat novel called "Escape to Witch Mountain" about a priest named Father O'Day who helps two siblings return to their people. It was a very good book, and I knew when I bought the book from the Book Fair that it was a reprint to endorse the movie. However, at that time, my movie-experiences were minimal. It took several years for me to actually be able to see the movie (when Disney first brought out the Disney Channel, iirc) and I was a bit surprised at the liberties that were taken with Key's book. The priest became the widower, and the beat up car became the RV. Bolt was not in the book, but he was an interesting main-villian, and I enjoyed the movie. My son, who is now 6 (Tues this week) enjoys watching it on VHS as much as I do!

Return was not as good--it was a "let's make money by doing a sequel" but it was cool too. As that 5th grader, I knew what it was to be outside the norm, and I wanted to have the same powers that Tia did, so I guess that's saying something!

I too place this movie with Parent Trap, Candleshoe, and Freaky Friday. Good movies that I don't have to worry about my child "catching" wrong words from! **** out of 5.