History Main / EscapeToWitchMountain

* ''Film/EscapeToWitchMountain'', the 1974 film adaptation.

[[redirect:Literature/EscapeToWitchMountain]]

A 1968 {{science fiction}} novel by Alexander Key, who also wrote '''The Forgotten Door'''. It has been made into a film by {{Disney}} three times, in 1975, 1995 and 2009.

Tony and Tia Malone are decent, intelligent kids, but have a bad record, partly because they have grown up in a slum, and partly because Tia ignores rules and common sense whenever she sees an animal in distress (she once broke into a store to free a trapped kitten, so she has a record).

They conceal the fact that they have PsychicPowers, and that Tia can talk (her voice is pitched beyond the range of most people's ears, other than Tony's).

They do not know where they originally came from; they have lived with Granny Malone, who was struck and killed by a car the day before the story opens. Because of their record, they are then packed off to an OrphanageOfFear, and begin trying to make a serious effort to remember their past. Their only clue other than their own memories is Tia's "star box" - a leather box on a strap with a curious double star design on the lid, which she has had as long as she can remember and which she always carries (since it contains the pencils and paper she uses to communicate with people other than Tony). A chance encounter with an elderly nun gives them another clue - she recognizes the design on the box as something she once saw on the letterhead of a letter, looking for children with "unusual abilities". She cannot quite remember who wrote the letter, but from what she does remember, the children eventually come up with the name "Castaway".

Tia later finds a map to Witch Mountain - which is in the Blue Ridge Mountains - and a lot of cash concealed beneath a false bottom in her "star box".

Matters come to a head when a man comes to the OrphanageOfFear claiming to be their uncle - Lucas Deranian, whom Tia recognizes as the man who originally left them with Granny Malone, and who she dislikes and distrusts on sight. The kids run away after being told that he is now their IllegalGuardian, heading for Witch Mountain. When they finally reach their destination it's discovered that they were originally from an alien planet. They had to come to earth to survive a planet-wide disaster, so the grownups built a colony on Witch Mountain.

In the sequel, the slightly older Tia and Tony are now on vacation. They arrive at Los Angeles for a visit. When Tony uses his powers to prevent an accident, he gets into the hands of Dr. Gannon, a ruthless scientist who's constantly striving for power over the world. He puts a device into Tony's brain that allows him to control his will. Tia gets help from a kids gang to free Tony and save the Earth.


!!Tropes seen in this story and its adaptations include:
* AlienAmongUs: What the Castaways turn out to be.
* AllOfTheOtherReindeer
* AlternateContinuity: The ''Beyond Witch Mountain'' film ignored the first sequel.
* AnimatedCreditsOpening
* BadassPreacher: Father O'Day.
* BaldOfEvil[=/=]BeardOfEvil: Bolt and his henchmen have one or the other.
* BigBad: Aristotle Bolt
* BigBrotherInstinct: Tony in the movie.
* ChekhovsGun: During their escape in the film, thunderhead and the gate guard's cat allergies.
* ChildrenAreInnocent
* CorruptCorporateExecutive: Bolt.
* CuteKitten: Winky in the film.
* TheDragon: Lucas Deranien
* EverythingsWorseWithBears: Averted; the kids use a bear to help them escape from Bolt's henchmen.
* FriendToAllLivingThings: Tia.
* GreenAesop
* GrumpyOldMan: Jason O'Day in the film, becomes CoolOldGuy
* HalfIdenticalTwins: Tia and Tony
* HeartwarmingOrphan
* HumanAlien
* HumansAreBastards
* IllegalGuardian: Lucas Deranian
* MagicMusic: Tony's psychic powers are a lot stronger when he plays his harmonica.
* MosesInTheBullrushes
* NoGoodDeedGoesUnpunished: The twins catch Bolt's eye after they save one of his men.
* OrphanageOfFear
* OrphansOrdeal
* OrphansPlotTrinket: the star box
* ParentalAbandonment: The kids' only guardian was killed in a car accident the day before the story opens.
* PinkGirlBlueBoy: In the movie, Tia's bed is decorated pink.
* PsychicPowers: Tony can visualize far away places and see what is happening there. He and Tia both have telekinesis (although hers is mostly used for opening locks).
** MindOverMatter
** {{Seers}}
** SpeaksFluentAnimal
** {{Telepathy}}
* SuperHumanTrafficking
* SurveillanceAsThePlotDemands
* TraumaInducedAmnesia: Although Tia has a near-perfect memory, she cannot remember anything prior to their arrival at Granny Malone's.
* UnusuallyUninterestingSight: In the movie, anyway, the kids at the orphanage seem to get over the shock of seeing psychic powers very quickly.
* WitchHunt

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<<|{{Literature}}|>>
<<|SpeculativeFiction|>>

* HairOfGold: The twins in the movies.

Matters come to a head when a man comes to the OrphanageOfFear claiming to be their uncle - Lucas Deranian, whom Tia recognizes as the man who originally left them with Granny Malone, and who she dislikes and distrusts on sight. The kids run away after being told that he is now their IllegalGuardian, heading for Witch Mountain. When they finally reach their destination it's discovered that they where originally from an alien planet. They had to come to earth to survive a planet-wide disaster, so the grownups built a colony on Witch Mountain.

** TheDoctorDolittle

Matters come to a head when a man comes to the OrphanageOfFear claiming to be their uncle - Lucas Deranian, whom Tia recognizes as the man who originally left them with Granny Malone, and who she dislikes and distrusts on sight. The kids run away after being told that he is now their IllegalGuardian, heading for Witch Mountain. When they finally reach their destination it's discoverd that they where originally from an alien planet. They had to come to earth to survive a planet-wide disaster, so the grownups bulit a colony on Witch Mountian.

In the sequal, the slightly older Tia and Tony are now on vacation. They arrive on Los Angeles for a visit. When Tony uses his powers to prevent an accident, he gets into the hands of Dr. Gannon, a ruthless scientist who's constantly striving for power over the world. He puts him a device into the brain that allows him to control Tony's will. Tia gets help from a kids gang to free Tony and save the Earth.

* CuteKitten: Winky in the film.

* EverythingsCuterWithKittens: Winky in the film.

Matters come to a head when a man comes to the OrphanageOfFear claiming to be their uncle - Lucas Deranian, whom Tia recognizes as the man who originally left them with Granny Malone, and who she dislikes and distrusts on sight. The kids run away after being told that he is now their IllegalGuardian, heading for Witch Mountain.

A 1968 {{science fiction}} novel by AlexanderKey, who also wrote ''TheForgottenDoor''. It has been made into a film by {{Disney}} three times, in 1975, 1995 and 2009.

A 1968 {{science fiction}} novel by AlexanderKey, who also wrote ''TheForgottenDoor''. It has been made into a film by {{Disney}} twice, in 1975 and 1995.

* [=~Chekhov's Gun~=]: During their escape in the film, thunderhead and the gate guard's cat allergies.

* [=~Everything's Cuter With Kittens~=]: Winky in the film.
* [=~Everything's Worse With Bears~=]: Averted; the kids use a bear to help them escape from Bolt's henchmen.

* [=~Orphan's Ordeal~=]

A 1968 {{science fiction}} novel by AlexanderKey, who also wrote ''TheForgottenDoor''.

* AdaptationDecay: The films.

* Magic Music: Tony's psychic powers are a lot stronger when he plays his harmonica.