(c) Disney

Whereas Apple was filled with homespun humor in a familiar period setting, Escape to Witch Mountain was quite a departure for Disney. Basically a contemporary supernatural thriller, it was actually released at just the right time; able to capitalize on the then current UFO craze that was sweeping the nation, Escape became a surprise hit for the Studio, inspiring them to create the sequel, Return from Witch Mountain, three years later. But more on that one later …

Escape finds our two young heroes Tony and Tia (Ike Eisenmann and Kim Richards - both perfectly cast as psychic siblings) on their way to an orphanage following the deaths of their foster parents (yes, even in live action, Disney kids never have parents). But we soon learn that these are not your normal kids … they have super powers! Tony can levitate objects and Tia can talk to animals, among other talents that soon find them under the malevolent care of millionaire Aristotle Bolt (Ray Milland) and his creepy minion Deranian (Donald Pleasance). Bolt’s plan is to use Tony and Tia’s fantastic powers for his financial gain, but the dynamic duo escape to find their own destiny, somehow tied to the mysterious flashbacks Tia is constantly experiencing. Along the way, they stow-away aboard the RV (!) of gruff-on-the-outside, good-hearted-on-the-inside Jason O’Day (Eddie Albert), who helps them find their way to the mysterious Witch Mountain.

Years before The X-Men entered mainstream pop culture, Escape touches on the now often-used allegory of burgeoning super powers to represent the blossoming of adolescence (see Buffy the Vampire Slayer or Smallville for even more examples). And although the cheesy optical effects on display are now more laughable then awe-inspiring, the film still retains a distinct retro likeability, due mostly to refreshingly underplayed performances of the cast.

(c) Disney

Which, alas, cannot be said of the follow-up, Return from Witch Mountain, a film so devoid of inspiration one wonders why such acting heavyweights as Bette Davis and Christopher Lee were attracted to the project to begin with.

Return begins with Tony and Tia (Eisenmann and Richards again) taking what appears to be a ‘vacation’ from Witch Mountain (what a wasted opportunity that we are never allowed to see this mystical location for ourselves) to, of all places, downtown Los Angeles. They are sidetracked on their journey when Tony is kidnapped by Lee’s evil scientist Dr. Victor Gannon after he and Davis’ gold-digger Letha witness Tony’s telekinetic rescue of the hatchet-faced Sickle (pock-marked screen baddie Anthony James). Desperately trying to locate her missing brother, Tia inexplicably shacks up with a pint-sized street gang who go by the name of the ‘Earthquake Gang’ - a quartet of snot-nosed would-be punks who collectively are about as threatening as a small house pet.

Meanwhile, Victor and Letha quarrel over how best to exploit the talents of their new prisoner: while Victor marvels at Tony’s power of “molecular mobilization�? (whatever that is), Letha just wants a quick pay day. Which leads to a laughable scene wherein these would-be crooks attempt to rob a display of gold from a museum … in a station wagon! It only gets worse from there, including an obligatory car chase (complete with Starsky and Hutch-esque ‘boom-chick-a-wow-wow’ disco music playing over the soundtrack) and a daring rescue led by … a billy goat.

This movie takes itself so seriously, it isn’t even “Bad Movies We Love�? kind of bad. Lee and Davis never quite cross the line into outright camp (which would have at least made it interesting), although Davis does come close, such as when she attempts to gain the kids’ trust by offering them “candy … and soda … and ice cream!�? The biggest mistake made is separating the two true stars of the movie, Tony and Tia, for the bulk of the story; Eisenmann literally (and, to be fair, justifiably) sleepwalks through his role, and poor Richards has to deal with the awful ‘Earthquake Gang’ subplot, a concept that is woefully out-of-date in this day and age of urban street violence (its perplexing to think that the idea of a ‘cute street gang’ was ever a valid story choice, even twenty-five years ago). And, as with every other fantasy sequel, there are more special effects … that in Return somehow come off even cheesier then those in Escape.

The Disney Studios continued to crank out questionable live action fare throughout the late ’70s and early ’80s (Unidentified Flying Oddball, The Devil and Max Devlin, Condorman and that ultimate symbol of being ‘behind-the-times‘, The Black Hole); it wasn’t until 1983’s Never Cry Wolf and 1984’s Splash (which signified the beginning of the Touchstone brand of ‘adult’ Disney films) that the Studios live action films began regaining some modicum of respect from audiences and critics alike. But, as witnessed with at least The Apple Dumpling Gang and Escape to Witch Mountain, the slate of films Disney produced during the 1970s still has it fare-share of quality wheat amongst the shaff.