Escape to Witch Mountain (film) Tony Malone, 13, and his sister Tia, 11, orphaned by the loss of their foster parents, live in a children’s home. But their incredible psychic powers attract rich and powerful Aristotle Bolt, who has his assistant, Lucas Deranian, adopt them as wards to exploit them. Terrified, they escape with the aid of a new friend, Jason O’Day, in his camper. Jason agrees to help them find Stony Creek, a town on a cryptic map in Tia’s possession. Pursued by Bolt, Deranian, and the police, the youngsters are jailed but once again escape. As time runs out, the children remember they are castaways from another planet and are soon led by one of their own kind, Uncle Bene, to a flying saucer which blasts off for the sanctuary of Witch Mountain, leaving their captors below far behind. Released on March 21, l975. Directed by John Hough. 97 min. Stars Eddie Albert (Jason), Ray Milland (Bolt), Donald Pleasence (Deranian), Ike Eisenmann (Tony), Kim Richards (Tia), Walter Barnes (Sheriff Purdy), Reta Shaw (Mrs. Grindley), Denver Pyle (Uncle Bene). Based on the book by Alexander Key. The music score was by Johnny Mandel. The film was shot around Monterey and Palo Alto, California, including a Victorian mansion at Menlo Park for the Pine Woods orphanage. Aristotle Bolt’s kingly abode Xanthus was filmed in a $3 million replica of a Byzantine castle built by Templeton Crocker between 1926 and 1934 from lava rock from Mt. Vesuvius and materials gathered all over Europe. The castle overlooks the beach at Pebble Beach. Other location scenes were shot at Carmel Valley, Big Sur, and the town of Felton in the Santa Cruz Mountains. The many special effects in the film were created by Art Cruickshank. Released on video in 1980, 1985, and 1993. See also Return from Witch Mountain and Race to Witch Mountain.
