Escape to Witch Mountain *** (1975, Eddie Albert, Ray Milland, Donald Pleasence, Kim Richards, Ike Eisenmann) – Classic Movie Review 8188

Director John Hough’s 1974 children’s film Escape to Witch Mountain is an engaging and entertaining Walt Disney Productions live action mystery-fantasy adventure, starring Eddie Albert, Ray Milland, Donald Pleasence, Kim Richards and Ike Eisenmann.

It is based on the book by Alexander Key, in which two orphaned youngsters, Tia and Tony (Kim Richards and Ike Eisenmann), possessing strange special supernatural magical powers, are drawn to an alien encounter that they hope will bring them to safety from wicked billionaire Aristotle Bolt (Ray Milland).

A good cast works hard to help to make it enjoyable, it is a lovingly crafted production, attractively shot in Technicolor by Frank V Phillips, and the special effects (by Art Cruickshank and Danny Lee) are up to snuff in this quality entertainment that was popular enough for an even better 1978 sequel, Return from Witch Mountain, also with Richards and Eisenmann and Denver Pyle as Uncle Bene, and directed by Hough.

Also in the cast are Walter Barnes, Reta Shaw, Alfred Ryder, Lawrence Montaigne, Terry Wilson, George Chandler, Dermot Downs, Don Brodie and Paul Sorenson.

Escape to Witch Mountain is written by Robert Malcolm Young, based on the book by Alexander Key, is shot in Technicolor by Frank V Phillips, is produced by Ron Miller and Jerome Courtland, is scored by Johnny Mandel and designed by John B Mansbridge and Al Roelofs.

© Derek Winnert 2019 Classic Movie Review 8188

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