ESCAPE TO WITCH MOUNTAIN

PLOT


The 1975 original movie, “Escape to Witch Mountain” centers upon two brother and sister characters, Tony and Tia Malone, who both have limited memories of their past. The children live in an orphanage, where we learn they both possess psychic powers that they try to hide, not always successfully, from the other children. Tony can telekinetically move objects with his harmonica, while Tia can communicate telepathically to Tony as well as with animals. She also experiences premonitions and, like her brother, possesses telekinetic powers.

The children fall into the wrong hands of a man pretending to be their uncle. They end up locked away in a mansion with an eccentric millionaire that wants to keep the kids to study their special abilities. They escape the mansion and find refuge in a
Winnebago owned by a grouchy widower named Jason O'Day. He helps Tia and Tony
escape to a mountain known as Witch Mountain, home to unexplainable phenomena.

Without giving too much away, that’s the plot in a nutshell.

POP

Okay. So here’s a favorite movie moment that POPS in my childhood memory. There's a scene where Tia and Tony first set eyes on their amazing bedroom. The room is huge, filled with all kinds of whimsical toys and games. There are giant stuffed animals, a marionette theater and they even have their own ice cream parlor. What kid wouldn't want an ice cream parlor in their room!?! After seeing this, I totally asked for my own ice parlor but ended up with one of those toy ice cream makers instead. Anyway, in a later scene, Tony pulls out his harmonica and uses his “magical powers” to make the marionettes dance. Tia joins them and daces along.

It's a great movie moment that I can remember watching wide-eyed with astonishment. When you are writing your screenplays, remember to insert those memorable moments your audience will remember with a smile.