After not seeing this Disney classic after 40 years during its repeated runs on HBO, I decided the 50th anniversary would be a good time to dust off the DVD. Top notch performances by legends Eddie Albert, Ray Miland, and Donald Pleasance and breakout performances by Kim Richards (my 70’s crush) and future “son of Kahn” Ike Eisenmann add to the fun. What makes this film stand out from typical Disney films of the time is a palpable and unsettling sense of dread throughout the story. As with all Disney films, there is a happy ending, but getting there takes going through some very dark themes including abandonment, manipulation, and betrayal. The effects department did what they could with the technology of the period which adds to the charm, especially the scene with the marionettes dancing on their own. This film is notable for Legend of Hell House director John Hough relying on his horror chops and not shying away from some darker, more adult themes.
