Escape to Witch Mountain

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.

Having seen the new version of this film recently ("Race to Witch Mountain"), I cannot tell you how much of a pleasant surprise "Escape to Witch Mountain" was to me. The new version, in my opinion, lacks any kind of character development and is full of annoying characters that do nothing to help the movie. Essentially, the new version basically did away with the first 45 minutes or so of this film, which helped set up the story, develop the characters, and give us a better sense of why the kids are running away. Also, Dwayne Johnson is incredibly lacking in emotion and character compared to Eddie Albert in this movie. While I admit that most of the special effects in this film may seem cheesy by today's standards, they actually make the film even more fun to laugh at. This film came out of a couple of decades when Disney was at its height of live action movies, when even film of this type they turned out was at least worthwhile. This is an enjoyable movie, with good jobs of acting done by basically all of the characters. Appropriate for anyone in the family, exciting, funny, and likable.

***1/2 out of ****

I first saw Escape to Witch Mountain when it came out in 1975. Even though I was 22 at that time, I still remember the warm feelings that were in my heart when the movie was over. It made me feel like a little boy again! Over the years, I must have seen this movie at least 50 times, and I still get heart-warming feelings every time I view it. I have three children, (girls), and made sure that they saw it. They loved it! I originally went to see this movie because I was a fan of Donald Pleasence and Eddie Albert. It was'nt long before I became a fan of Ike and Kim as well. It would be terrific if Disney would do a sequel, (with Ike & Kim).

Alexander Key's popular pre-teen novel concerns two orphaned siblings with supernatural powers taken in by a nefarious millionaire (named Aristotle Bolt!) who wants to exploit their magical abilities for personal gain. Top-notch Walt Disney adventure for families has natural, non-precocious performances from young Ike Eisenmann and Kim Richards as the gifted kids, and their friendship with good-hearted traveler Eddie Albert is sweet but not sticky. The eerie flashbacks to the youngsters' early beginnings are well-captured by director John Hough, who is otherwise forced (perhaps for budgetary reasons) to skimp on genuine atmosphere in place of an elongated chase. Too bad the finale replaces emotion with effects, as these characters are quite remarkable. Followed by a fairly wan sequel, 1978's "Return From Witch Mountain", in which the special effects became the whole show. **1/2 from ****

Well, I'm from Spain so excuse my English. I'm not really an expert, but i have seen this film between 10 - 20 times when I was less than a teenager. I think if I could watch it now, I got sleep before second act starts. But, a kid can find so much interesting dreams to have in the future. YOU'RE SPECIAL!! That was exactly I thought each time i watch it. A Kid always want to be heard & considered by his parents & society. The power of the imagination, the "can do what i want" & the "not possible identification" with other powered heroes (too old, too far, too big or too dangerous) makes this film indispensable for kids.

Maybe this film was a FIASCO for Disney, but in Spain (and in other countries, i guess), many people considered it like a Bible of entertainment and easy cinema. Only in Hollywood! And with the inducement to see one of the later monkees component doing the levitation that never obtain with his music.

A classic.