RETURN FROM WITCH MOUNTAIN

US, 1978, 89 minutes, Colour.
Kim Richards, Ike Eisenmann, Christopher Lee, Bette Davis.
Directed by John Hough.

Return From Witch Mountain is a sequel building on the original, Escape to Witch Mountain. Kim Richards and Ike Eisenmann portray a young brother and sister who come from outer space. The brother has supernatural powers. After taking refuge in Witch Mountain, the brother and sister visit New York and are captured by the ruthless Doctor Gannon. He wants world control. The film has the advantage of having Christopher Lee as Doctor Gannon and Bette Davis as Letha, his assistant.

This is Disney material, done with some flourish, entertaining for younger audiences. The direction is by John Hough who directed a range of films from Hammer Horror’s Twins of Dracula and Legend of Hell House to more ordinary films like the Mills and Boon-style films A Hazard of Hearts and Duel of Hearts.

1. Entertaining Disney fare? Its relationship with the original and its success? For family audiences, children, adults? The adventure elements? The contemporary setting - with fantasy, special effects? The challenge to the children and their winning? Adult villains? The relationship of this kind of film to television series e.g bionic men and women?

2. The importance of the special effects and their entertainment? Their being placed throughout the screenplay? Science fiction overtones, fantasy? The focus on the children, their extra-terrestrial background, their visit to ordinary Los Angeles? Danger, help - especially from the Earthquake Gang? Themes of evil control, holding the world to ransom? The conventional plot handled entertainingly? Bright score? The importance of the stars, especially Christopher Lee and Bette Davis?

3. How much does the film presuppose the original? How well can it stand alone? The popularity of films about visitors from space? Superhuman powers and scientific jargon? The confrontation with the evil genius, with the greedy woman? Adult stupidity versus children's ingenuity? The dash of realism with the nuclear terrorist confrontation at the end?

4. Tony and Tia as attractive hero and heroine? Their uncle Bene bringing them to Earth? His casual arriving for them at the end after all their adventures? The trip, the irony of their visit? Tony and his kindness and being used? Tia and her friendship with the gang? The extra comedy with Mr. Yokomoto and his van?

5. Tony and his using his powers to save Sickle? Dr. Gannon's fascination? The demonstration? Kidnapping and testing Tony? Letha and Bette Davis' style? Her greed and using him for the robbery of the museum? The fur~ their experiments? The ransom of the plutonium centre? The battle against Tia? Their communicating throughout the film? Their being turned against each other? The final working together against evil?

6. Tia and her being lost, meeting the Earthquake Gang, the garbage tip, the shelter, the search, the museum confrontation? The kidnapping? Alfred the goat? Mr. Yokomoto and the chase? The rescue and the confrontation? An adventurous heroine?

7. The kids in the Earthquake Gang: Muscles, Crusher. Rocky, Dazzler? The gentle satire in their characterisations? School, toughness. fights and rescue, especially with Tia's help, their glasses, the final success and their achievement? Baiting Yoyo?

8. Mr Yokomoto, Yoyo and his bus, the various crashes, chase sequences, fixing his bus?

9. The taxi-driver and his talk, the goat and the crashing?

10. Christopher Lee as yet another arch villain? The suave but malevolent scientist, testing Sickle, kidnapping Tony, the museum sequence, his plan for ransom? His being left up in the air at the end?

11. Bette Davis and her greed, gambling, the museum plan, her nephew Sickle and his fear of heights? Their being up in the air at the end?

12. Sickle and his sinister appearance, being used in the experiments? The garbage? The test with Tony? The special effects at the robbery? The drama at the plutonium reactor?

13. The focus on children, imagination, power, heroics, rescues? What if ...?

14. Successful entertainment, Disney style, for a wide audience?