Return from Witch Mountain (1978)

This review may contain SPOILERS.One praiseworthy note before the coming necessary diatribe: Christopher Lee, who played the antagonist, succeeded admirably in this movie; despite wading through the cinematic muck, he came out clean.For true fans of this movie's actors or admirers of the original movie (Escape to Witch Mountain), this sequel may be worth watching. MAY. For anyone else, uh...no. This sequel is all about the "How could theys." How could Disney have approved such a lame script (the dialog sounds like it could have been thought up by the actors on the set)? How could director John Hough have gone from applying fine skills in working with children, in the original, to practically ignoring them and focusing on his classic camera angles (on the DVD commentary, he's full of praise for his "brilliance")? And how could the formerly delightful Kim Richards and Ike Eisenmann (who, in all fairness, was asked to be unconscious or silent through most of the movie) have gone from riches to rags in acting ability and cuteness? (Could the answer be...acting lessons?) The answers to all of these questions are truly beyond me. But, the root of the problem might lie in Disney's choice of producers: they must have been the lamest, most inept, and least caring in the history of Disney. And that's saying something! There's more: Bette Davis. What a shame that Disney would disrespect her by surrounding her with garbage and expecting her to dress it up. Instead, this brilliant actress unavoidably "rose" (read "fell") to the level of her cast, director and writers.A brief synopsis of the "plot" (it can hardly be called that): Tony (Eisenmann) and Tia (Richards) are back from the mountain. They have undefined plans, run into trouble, and, well, they survive it. You'll find this summary more interesting than the movie. But...I'll tell you why I can review it. I watched it all the way through. You see, I am, indeed, a true fan of the original. Can't you see the teardrops of disappointment on this page?

Sir Christopher Lee as the mad scientist and Bette Davis as Cletha play the mad scientist and his business partner in a plot to take over the world and make money. Anthony James plays Sickle, Cletha's nephew and only living relative. One day, they go searching for a perfect location and end up with gold. Sickle has the mad doctor's commands in his ear and he hurts him if he doesn't do exactly what he wants like climbing to the roof of a building in a deserted Los Angeles area. He's about to fall but is saved by Tony, a boy with special abilities. Tony and his sister, Tia, were headed to return home but their cab ran out of gas. The cab driver goes to get gas. Tony sensing trouble tries to stop and saves Sickle's life. Unfortunately, Tony is tagged and taken away. They have other plans for him. It's not a bad film and the special effects are way outdated but the acting isn't bad and the cast does make it worth watching.

This is a fine sequel to one of Walt Disney's better family projects Escape from Witch Mountain. The adult stars are Bette Davis and Christopher Lee as an old dowager financing a mad scientist in some nefarious experiments.These two happen on the alien kids from Witch Mountain, Kim Richards and Ike Eisenman, when the kids are on holiday to Earth once again. They kidnap Ike after seeing an example of his powers of levitation and seek to use him and fit him with a mind control device that Lee's been perfecting.Lee's dreaming some big dreams and Davis has some more mundane schemes like a trip to some gambling house or racetrack. Both of them looking like they are having one grand old time hamming it up for the cameras.Of course the film wouldn't work at all if it were not for the winning personalities of Richards and Eisenman. Both come across as real kids, not sure of the extent of their own powers rather than Hollywood juvenile actors.The whole of the film is Richards pursuing and trying to rescue her brother and in the process she recruits a gang of juveniles escaping from a truant officer played by the ever deadpan funny Jack Soo. Eventually Soo joins forces with the kids and proves of some help.Both Escape to Witch Mountain and this sequel are fine family entertainment, some of the best that Disney studio produced.

I saw this film when I was about 10 years old and loved it. Now 30 years on, it is still one of my favourite films. I have just bought both 'Escape to witch mountain & Return from witch mountain for my kids as they love it as well. They sure don't make good old movies like this now.These films are a must when they are shown on TV. There are no swear words or violence which makes them suitable for all the family whatever the ages. Good family fun. My mum took me to the pictures to see this film and I always wanted to have 'powers' like Tony & Tia. Mind you the child in me still does. Perhaps thats why I have a passion for anything supernatural now.