Okay, dim the lights, grab your favourite worn-out armchair, and let's rewind the tape back to a time when Disney wasn't just about animated musicals, but also served up some seriously fun, slightly strange sci-fi adventures. Remember Tia and Tony, those telekinetic kids from beyond the stars? They came back, and this time, they ran smack into two of Hollywood's most legendary figures having an absolute blast. We're talking about 1978's Return from Witch Mountain, a sequel that swapped the eerie mystery of the original for bustling city chaos and a pair of villains almost too good to be true.
### When Bette Met Christopher... For Disney?
Let’s be honest, the absolute magnetic pull of Return from Witch Mountain comes down to two names: Bette Davis and Christopher Lee. Seeing these cinematic titans, known for intense drama and iconic horror respectively, hamming it up as scheming baddies in a Disney flick? It felt delightfully surreal back then, and it’s pure gold now. Davis, as the avaricious Letha Wedge, chomps on the scenery with the kind of glorious gusto only she could deliver, dripping avarice and barking orders. Lee, as her intellectual partner-in-crime Dr. Victor Gannon, brings his signature imposing presence and velvety menace, plotting to harness Tony’s powers for world domination (or at least, significant personal gain). You can almost picture them between takes, perhaps sharing a wry smile about the sheer, delightful absurdity of it all. Their dynamic is the undeniable engine of this sequel, elevating it from a standard kids' adventure into something far more memorable. It’s reported that Davis, ever the professional, took the role seriously, but Lee apparently embraced the slightly campier aspects with relish, having enjoyed working with director John Hough previously on Hammer films.
### City Streets and Psychic Feats
After the more isolated, atmospheric setting of Escape to Witch Mountain (1975), director John Hough (who helmed both films, fresh off gritty hits like Dirty Mary, Crazy Larry) plunges our favourite alien siblings, Tia (Kim Richards) and Tony (Ike Eisenmann), right into the heart of 1970s Los Angeles. The plot kicks off almost immediately: Tony, showing off his powers to stop an accident, gets kidnapped by Dr. Gannon, who slaps a mind-control device on him. This separates the siblings for much of the film, giving Tia her own quest – navigating the bewildering city and rounding up a gang of lovable young delinquents (the "Earthquake Gang") to help rescue her brother.
Kim Richards and Ike Eisenmann slip back into their roles effortlessly. Richards conveys Tia's gentle nature and connection to animals (remember her "verbo-kinetics"?), while Eisenmann gets to play both the controlled pawn and the powerful hero. Their earnestness remains key to the film's charm. The shift to an urban landscape allows for different kinds of set pieces – chases through busy streets, navigating imposing skyscrapers, and a memorable sequence involving a museum exhibit and a hefty amount of gold. It feels bigger, maybe a bit brasher than the first film, trading some of the original's poignant mystery for more straightforward action-comedy.
### 70s Effects and Adventure Galore
This was the era of practical effects, and Return from Witch Mountain delivers them with gusto. Tony levitating a villain's car (with the villain still inside!), Tia communicating with a goat, objects flying across rooms – it’s all done with wires, clever camera angles, and that specific brand of 70s cinematic magic that feels tangible, even if you can occasionally spot the seams. The sequence where Tony, under Gannon’s control, causes chaos at the museum, culminating in the levitation of a security guard entangled in display ropes, is pure Saturday matinee fun. It might look a bit quaint compared to today’s CGI spectacles, but there’s an undeniable charm to knowing those were real objects (mostly) being manipulated on set. The screenplay by Malcolm Marmorstein, who also penned the original, keeps the adventure moving at a brisk pace, focusing on peril and rescue over the deeper themes of alienation explored in the first film.
Retro Fun Fact: That iconic building where Dr. Gannon has his high-tech hideout? That's the famous Bradbury Building in downtown Los Angeles, a location used in countless films, perhaps most notably later in Blade Runner (1982). Seeing it here, used as the lair for Bette Davis and Christopher Lee in a Disney movie, just adds another layer of quirky film history. Another fun tidbit: Apparently, Bette Davis wasn't initially keen on the script but was persuaded by her grandchildren who were fans of the original!
### Still Worth the Trip?
While Escape to Witch Mountain felt a little more mysterious and perhaps emotionally resonant, Return from Witch Mountain doubles down on the action and broad comedy, largely thanks to its legendary villains. It's less about finding belonging and more about pure, unadulterated chase and rescue. It might not have quite the same staying power as the original for some, lacking a bit of its heart, but it’s undeniably entertaining. The presence of Davis and Lee makes it a fascinating watch, a unique collision of Hollywood royalty and Disney family fare. It spawned a less-remembered TV movie sequel Beyond Witch Mountain in 1982 (with Eddie Albert reprising his role from the first film) and was eventually rebooted with 2009's Race to Witch Mountain, but this 1978 entry holds a special, slightly goofy place in the canon.
For those of us who caught this on a flickering CRT screen, maybe during a rainy afternoon movie slot or on a cherished rental VHS tape, it was pure escapism. Seeing kids with amazing powers take on ridiculously over-the-top adult villains? That was primo stuff. It might feel a little dated now, the pacing distinctly 70s, but the core adventure and those incredible villain performances remain a joy.
Rating: 7/10
Justification: Return from Witch Mountain earns a solid 7 for being a genuinely fun, fast-paced sequel fueled by the truly unforgettable, high-camp performances of Bette Davis and Christopher Lee. While it sacrifices some of the original's depth and atmosphere for more straightforward action, the charm of the returning leads, the enjoyable 70s practical effects, and the sheer novelty of its villains make it a highly entertaining slice of retro Disney sci-fi. It’s a worthy, if slightly sillier, follow-up.
Final Thought: It's the kind of movie that reminds you how wonderfully weird and surprising mainstream cinema could be back then – who else but Disney in the 70s would pit telekinetic alien kids against Bette Davis and Count Dracula? Pure VHS Heaven.