I will be honest about this one--I really don't like the Disney live action films of the 60s and 70s. And, I never saw the original film "Escape From Witch Mountain". So why would I watch "Return From Witch Mountain"? It stars Bette Davis---and I'd watch anything with her in it...anything (except porn...EWWW!).The film begins with the two children from the previous film returning home with an adult of their species. The boy is a bit of a knucklehead and uses his amazing powers and then is sharply reminded NOT to do this again on Earth. However, moments later, a guy is falling to his death from a building and the boy uses his mental powers to stop the guy only a few feet from the ground--where he stays suspended! Needless to say, the folks watching (Davis and Christopher Lee) are amazed. And, since they are evil, they drug the boy and decide to take him with them to try to exploit him and his gifts. Then, they implant a mind-control device and turn the boy into their own personal weapon! However, his sister understands through her psychic connection with him that something is amiss--and she must go in search of him.The film includes a bunch of annoying little jerks who call themselves 'the Earthquake Gang'. Without them, the film might have had more appeal to older audiences but Disney was clearly trying to appeal to the kids. It also might have appealed more with less broad humor. It's a shame actually, as the idea of the film isn't bad and the special effects are awfully good for 1978. I was particularly impressed with effects such as the broken glass containing the gold, the UFO landing as well as the floating items (it looked pretty seamless). I also liked the gold going into the car--it was a clever little scene. Overall, it's a film strictly for kids but one the parents won't hate if they are forced to watch. Not exactly a glowing endorsement, but it is what it is--a kid's film from Disney. It's a shame, though, as Davis wasn't particularly good or useful to the film--Lee was clearly more interesting and integral to the film.

The intergalactic kids who charmed "Escape from Witch Mountain" (1975) - telekinetic Ike Eisenmann (as Tony Malone) and telepathic Kim Richards (as Tia Malone) - return to Earth for a vacation. They land their flying saucer at a deserted Rose Bowl in Pasadena. Elsewhere in Los Angeles, mad scientist Christopher Lee (as Victor Gannon) demonstrates his mind-controlling invention for greedy partner Bette Davis (as Letha Wedge) by commanding her vertigo-suffering nephew Anthony James (as Sickle) to scale a skyscraper. An accident causes Mr. James' to fall, but young Eisenmann has sensed trouble, and saves him from certain death.Impressed by the teenager's powers, Ms. Davis and Mr. Lee kidnap Eisenmann, drug him, strap him to a lab table, probe his chest, and take control of his mind with an ear contraption. Among other things, they want Eisenmann to levitate some gold from an exhibition. Left behind, young sister Richards tries to rescue her brother, with help from a truant gang of boys. They are pursued by educator Jack Soo, in his last film role. Mr. Soo wants kids to stay in school.If you haven't figured it out by now, this is an obvious production-line sequel to the unexpectedly imaginative and successful original. Writer Malcolm Marmorstein, who stirred up trouble in "Dark Shadows" and "Peyton Place", didn't get many opportunities to add a goat named "Alfred" his story lines. Everyone here deserved better.**** Return from Witch Mountain (3/10/78) John Hough ~ Bette Davis, Christopher Lee, Anthony James, Ike Eisenmann

"Escape to Witch Mountain" is not a perfect movie, but has a good plot, well-developed characters, and beautiful scenery. "Return from Witch Mountain", unfortunately, has none of those. In this contrived sequel, Tony and Tia are left to fend for themselves while on vacation in Los Angeles (all the better to save on the budget!), where they become mixed up with a mad scientist (Christopher Lee), his partner (Bette Davis), and various other Disney stock characters. What charms the original had are completely absent from this sequel, which seems to borrow every cliché from the scores of middling-to-bad Disney movies which littered the movie landscape in the 1970s.Much of the dialog is cringe-worthy; you'll actually be embarrassed watching it. You're better off re-watching the original.

I saw this film when I was about 10 years old and loved it. Now 30 years on, it is still one of my favourite films. I have just bought both 'Escape to witch mountain & Return from witch mountain for my kids as they love it as well. They sure don't make good old movies like this now.These films are a must when they are shown on TV. There are no swear words or violence which makes them suitable for all the family whatever the ages. Good family fun. My mum took me to the pictures to see this film and I always wanted to have 'powers' like Tony & Tia. Mind you the child in me still does. Perhaps thats why I have a passion for anything supernatural now.