Here Is A Brief Description.

Tony And Tia are sent to an orphanage after their Foster Parents Die. There they are discovered by Criminal Mastermind Aristotle Bolt. Who draws up fake documents saying that he is their Uncle so he can munipulate their powers for his own financial gain. Well the kids find out and they escape his highly guarded Mid 1800's Los Angeles Manchion. When they are escaping they meet a freindly Camper (Eddie Albert. Who helps them be returned to their Uncle Benie (Denver Pyle). This movie ends with a classic Disney car-chase.

Great Movie 5 Star Rating.


Superb and timeless.   September 18, 2003
 8 out of 8 found this review helpful

I like Escape To Witch Mountain better than any other Disney film. It's probably in the top 5 best kid-movies ever made for that matter. I'm now 36, but was 7 when I first saw it. I probably had a crush on Kim Richards back then but I clearly remember seeing the movie at the theater and loving it.

Looking at the dvd now.. the direction by John Hough is crisp and the effects, though not digital, have loads of SOUL, creativity and charm. When a car full of bad guys wrecks.. the fact that they show the 4 occupants safely getting out of the car is a nice touch (after all kids are watching this).. and that (and lots of other things in this movie) speak to the innocence that still actually existed for those of us lucky to be kids in the 1970s... there was still a common-respect in large parts of society.. kids could be kids .. and all the in-your-face junk that permeates much of the world of kids today was years away...

Back on the subject at hand...I watched the DVD (which is nicely loaded with extras) and was surprised by a couple of moments in the film that clearly ...we'll say INFLUENCED.. a certain Mr. Spielberg years later. One involves a menacing object being shown in a rear-view mirror (like Jurassic Park!). The 2nd is when the Winnebago eludes its chasers (I won't say exactly how!).... looking rather similar (shot for shot!) to a scene in E.T. involving a chase and bicycles. (This film is HUGELY suprior to E.T. by the way!)

But I don't want to get too bogged down in how other movies clearly ripped this great one off!

This film is amazing with it's memorable musical score, acting by Albert and the kids, mystery-unfolding storyline and warm, nicely-done conclusion. The open credit sequence is really good too. Perhaps most of all... it has something that gobs of movies today certainly DO NOT - a great story.

I plan to show it to my 5 year old neice this weekend!

Enjoy it!


Two kids searching for home.   October 13, 2003
 8 out of 8 found this review helpful

I just got my DVD copies of both films(This & Return from witch mountain.) This is a very good movie. It's about two kids who have supernatural powers. They can forsee the future, talk to animals, lift things in the air-and jump 15 feet in the air to catch a baseball.

However, they don't know how they got these powers. Where they born with these powers? The two kids Tony & Tia(Played by Ike Eisenmann & Kim Richards)are different from the other kids. After a confrontation with Truck(Dermott Downs), They discover a map inside of Tia's star case.

After saving the life of a man, he comes and claims to be thier uncle-they are forced to live with him. It turns out that his employer is none other than Mr. Bolt(Ray Miland)who wants to use them for his own ends. Tia smells rotten fish (Try Rotten eggs)-she senses very strongly-that Mr Bolt is not a very nice man and she senses danger if they stay at Mr. Bolt's Mansion.

Then, when they dine with Mr. Bolt(I never did say he wasn't a gentleman-just not a very nice one)Mr Bolt tells them that he knows about thier powers and tells them how to make it profitable. After going to another room, Tia & Tony overhear a coversation that MR. Bolt is planning to have them locked away on a deserted island. Tia & Tony then make plans of esacpe.

They do escape and are chased till the end of the film. Helping them is a crusty old man Jason O'Day(Well played by Eddie Albert)Who has a winnebego.

I must say that the Chemistry between Eisenmann & Richards worked so well, people think they are brother & Sister in real life. They are not related in real life. I think it's the acting talents of these two is what made it work so well. Dirctor John Hough(The legend of hell house)did a remarkable job on this film.

The special effects were great for it's time. Some of them were cheezy, but in those days(The 70's)they didn't have computors. But in my opinion, the powers these kids have is not the real story. The real story is that two childern are searching for home, and discovering who they really are. This is the story.

The DVD has some special features on it and an audio commentary by Kim & Ike and John Hough. It provides a lot of insight on how the film was made.


Disney wants your money but refuses to provide   June 19, 2003
 6 out of 22 found this review helpful

This DVD isn't even out yet but I can still tell you that it won't be worth buying. Hello?! Disney people?! Why don't you get a clue and quit re-releasing movies on DVD if there's not going to be anything else on it but the movie itself. Usually when people buy an old movie on DVD it's because they already own it on VHS but would like to see it digitally re-mastered in the original wide screen format. Not to mention that they would also like to see all the extra features and bonuses that are usually included on a DVD. The only extra feature you'll get with this DVD is watching your fingernails get ripped apart while opening the keep case. If you own the VHS, keep it. If you don't, buy it. But what ever you do, donyt waste your money on these poor quality DVDs slapped together by Disney. If the Disney company wants your money, make them earn it!