Three years later,
same director (John Hough), same two actors as the children (Kim Richards,
Ike Eisenmann), same actor as the uncle (Denver Pyle) and more powers. But
best, Christopher Lee and Bette Davis as the villains with aspirations to
be powerful and rich. I had thought Davis was in the first film which is why
I watched that one. But here she is. I am not sure if there is a medical term
for this, but I have a need to see sequels even if the first is only ok.
I still have to catch Dune II, Mission Impossible whatever it is and a bunch
of Spider Man films. This one was easy as it was loaded on the same hard
drive and my mobility isn't great these days. I didn't think it was as interesting
as the first one though the stakes are higher. The destruction of Los Angeles.
Some in America might have been rooting for that.
Tony and Tia went flying away at the end
of the first film. In a spaceship helmed by their uncle. They and others of
their kind live on Witch Mountain, but like teenagers everywhere they have
vacation and decide to spend it in L.A. The uncle lands the ship on the 50
yard line of the Rose Bowl and sends them off on their own. Unchaperoned in
LA! It takes them about five minutes to discover once again that human adults
suck.
Christopher Lee has invented a device that
when planted behind the ear allows him to control that person. After seeing
Tony save a man falling, he kidnaps him and controls him. Bette is his partner
in crime. Tia meets up with a gang of not so tough kids and they try to rescue
Tony and save LA from being blown up. With the help of a goat and the wonderful
Jack Soo, as the one good adult. Another theme that we have seen in X-men
and other mutation/superhero films is the danger of powers in the wrong hands.
Their powers are much greater than in the
first film. Both Lee and Davis get a lot of screen time and considering the
film are suitably evil. Neither has ever given a bad performance no matter
how bad the film. There is one further sequel, Beyond Witch Mountain in 1982
which brings back Eddie Albert from the first film but otherwise all different
actors. I was hoping it would be about the military and ICE fearing their
powers trying to conquer Witch Mountain. I mean they are illegal immigrants.
But it doesn't seem so.
Beyond Witch Mountain
Director:Robert Day Year; 1982 Rating: 1.0
An extremely lame third part in the Witch Mountain trilogy. It was actually
just a Disney TV episode coming in at less than an hour and they didn't even
bother to make sense chronologically. In the first Escape to Witch Mountain
Tony and Tia are small children with mutant like powers. They sense that
home is in Witch Mountain and try to get there with the help of Eddie Albert.
The wealthy Mr. Bolt is after them for nefarious reasons. In the end their
Uncle saves them. Then in Return from Witch Mountain, Tony and Tia are teenagers
and come to visit. Brought by their uncle. In that one Christopher Lee and
Bette Davis are the villains.
In this one Tony and Tia are small children
again and the Uncle (played this time by Noah Beery) dies but tells them
to find another alien boy who doesn't know what he is. How could he die if
he is with them as older children? They find Eddie Albert and go in search
with Bolt (Efrem Zimbalist Jr this time) after them. Just dreadful. Considering
how many people love the first two films, it is just odd that they made so
little effort. It ends with an opening for a TV series that never came.
