Escape Into Disney Fun!

"Escape to Witch Mountain" is a deliciousy scary Disney fantasy based on the novel by Alexander Key. The TV remake was a travesty, please skip it and watch this "old" one, which stars cute Disney tykes Kim Richards and Ike Eisenmann, along with the immensely likeable Eddie Albert as Mr.O'Day, a gruff old widower with a heart of gold.

Tony and Tia Malone can't remember where they came from or what happened to them when they were very small; all they remember is living with a sweet old lady, now deceased, whom they called Granny Malone. Upon Granny's death, the kids are sent to the Pine Woods Orphanage, where they are labeled as weirdos by the other children due to their rather "unusual" abilities. Tia, it seems, can talk to her brother telepathically, and both children can make objects move around by themselves and so on. When these powers are discovered by a crazed millionaire who wants to use them to take over the world, the children are kidnapped by a man posing as their uncle and taken to a great big mansion in the middle of nowhere. They are given everything they want, but they know, largely due to their ESP, that this man is NOT their uncle and that they must run for their lives. Assisted by Mr.O'Day, who finds them hiding in his camper, the kids find their true relatives, who happen to be aliens, and at the end are picked up by a flying saucer. It looks pretty realistic; you can't see strings or anything.

For its time, this was a very clever Disney movie, and even now I believe children will find it most entertaining. It's exciting, with a fast-moving plot and decent special effects, plus a smart bear and an even smarter cat named Winkie. Watching it brings back pleasant memories of the good ol' days of Disney, when all Disney films were rated G and guaranteed to be safe family viewing.