Escape to Witch Mountain

Escape to Witch Mountain was originally a science fiction novel written by Alexander Key in 1968. It was made into a film by the Disney corporation. The original version was released in 1975, directed by John Hough. A remake directed by Peter Rader was released in 1995.

Related Topics:
Science fiction - Alexander Key - Film - Disney - 1975 - Peter Rader - 1995

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The story is about two orphans, Tony and Tia, who have moderate paranormal abilities. After their "granny", the elderly woman who took them in when they were very little, dies, they are placed by social services in a juvenile detention home under grim, unwholesome conditions. Both have repressed memories of their past, but discover clues -- a map and a huge amount of money -- hidden in the bottom of a leather box owned by Tia. When a man claiming to be the brother of their deceased father shows up at the detention center to take custody of them, they instinctively know he is not their uncle and has ulterior motives. With the assistance of a tough-nut inner-city Irish priest, the pair run away, following the map's route leading towards the Blue Ridge Mountains. As their memories begin to return, they realize that they are actually of extraterrestrial origin, and in the end they find their way to their own people.

Related Topics:
Orphan - Paranormal - Blue Ridge Mountains

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As with most of Alexander Key's stories, the embattled protagonists find that most of the people they meet are untrustworthy, greedy and hateful. This plotline somewhat resembles the fiction of Zenna Henderson and there is some speculation that Key was influenced by her writings.

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In the film version, the children are adopted by a millionaire who plans to use their abilities to his own purposes. They escape from his clutches and are helped toward their destination by a crotchety Irish widower who is initially reluctant to let these two juvenile hitchhikers into his life and Winnebago camper. The story has been considerably cleaned and lightened up from the original novel, and the children's powers have been amplified to the point of absurdity.

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A sequel was made in 1978, titled Return from Witch Mountain, starring Bette Davis and Christopher Lee. Author Alexander Key had nothing to do with this film, though he did write a second novel based on the film's screenplay. The plot concerns Tony and Tia visiting a large city when their trip is interrupted by a vision of a falling man. Tony leaves Tia in their taxi while he goes to investigate, and ultimately saves the man's life. His intervention is witnessed by an evil scientist, who kidnaps him and uses drugs and a mind-control device to make Tony his slave. Tia befriends a Disneyfied "gang" whose members help her search for Tony. In the end, Tia must free Tony and prevent both a major gold robbery and a nuclear power plant incident.

Related Topics:
1978 - Return from Witch Mountain - Bette Davis - Christopher Lee - Alexander Key

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