Race to Witch Mountain: My Thoughts on the Original

Race to Witch Mountain, scheduled to be released on March 13, 2009 is a remake of an old Disney classic, Escape to Witch Mountain. Since seeing previews of the movie on television the other day, I have been reminiscing about the original, made in 1975. I really loved that movie. It had everything a young daydreamer could want. I think it was because of this movie that I was so quickly drawn to the WB's Roswellwhen it first aired.

Based on the book by Alexander H. Key, the story is about two orphans, Tony and Tia, who are lost here on Earth. They along with others of their kind arrived after fleeing from their dying planet. Through a number of adventures while following an old map discovered in Tia's "star case", the two use their alien abilities to become reunited with the loved ones they lost.

Looking back this movie left me with a number of strong impressions. First and foremost, I remember Tony's harmonica. He magnifies his powers of clairvoyance, telepathy, and telekinesis through it. The movie highlighted this connection when through the harmonica he drew the estate of Aristotle Bolt, a man they would come to know as their enemy. I always thought that was such a cool and interesting medium. It's just like a young boy, a warrior, to have a weapon. Maybe in some cases too, a bit like a security blanket. With a lack of confidence in his abilities typical of an adolescent boy, Tony focused them through something else, in order to protect himself from failure.

Then there was Tia. Such a cute girl. She had spunk and a gentle spirit. Her powers, although the same as Tony's, were on the whole more mature. Her use of clairvoyance and telepathy were slightly more advanced even if his telekinesis was more developed. She typically speaks to her brother using her "psychic voice" though he is unable to respond in kind. She has a great love of animals which is shown by her adopting a black cat named Winkie, and rescuing a captured bear during one of the twins more hair raising escapes from danger.

Finally, there was Aristotle Bolt. The nemesis. Hearing of Tony and Tia's powers, he hoped to exploit the two siblings to grow his fortune. Fortunately for our young heroes, they discover Bolt's true intentions and escape from his fortified mansion before they are sent away to a remote chalet. Once free, the two sneak aboard a Winnebago owned by one grumpy old man named Jason O'Day. (Who, for the record, was not the biggest fan of Winkie, until the end.) Eventually, the twins win him over and he helps them weed through their confused memories of the past, while encouraging their attempts to decipher the star case's map. Together they race to Witch Mountain in hopes of getting there before their pursuers.

Once at Witch Mountain they are reunited with their Uncle Bené and we learn that Tony and Tia were the first of many twins making their way back to Witch Mountain. The name of the mountain region was given to it by local townsfolk who named it based on the strange phenomena and paranormal activity associated with the area since the arrival of reclusive settlers. We know them to be the aliens.

It is an exciting and hopeful story of two children uncovering their past. It was fun and left a great impression on me as a boy. I don't think I will ever forget these twins. They left an indelible impression on my creative mind. With the new movie Race to Witch Mountain coming out soon, I just hope there is a new generation of kids whose imaginations are inspired as mine was.

Sources:

www.wikipedia.org

http://disney.go.com/disneypictures/RacetoWitchMountain/