Where Were You In 1976? A Look Back at Bicentennial Cinema: ESCAPE TO WITCH MOUNTAIN (1975)

FREE (but grab a ticket!) Special ALL AGES matinee sponsored by the Palm Springs Public Library!
ESCAPE TO WITCH MOUNTAIN (1975) John Hough
Special pre-show of Bicentennial year goodies curated by Deserted Films at 2pm/ Film at 2:30pm

“Tony knows about people. He can see places they’ve been”

A FREE (but ticketed), all ages matinee! If you haven’t seen it since you were a kid, come see it on the big screen! Or, even better, come see it WITH your kids! We’ll have some fun stuff for the kids beforehand and will keep our intros brief and family friendly!

We love this 1975 film. And, while Freaky Friday from the very next year is, perhaps, the better known live action kids Disney Film, this one deserves another look. It’s got telekinesis, telepathy, and a couple of sequels! Bet you don’t see that coming!

Part of the XOXO Palm Springs Citywide Arts, Culture, and Music Festival

ABOUT THE SERIES:

The USA turns 250 years old in 2026. It’s a big birthday! Our series looks back at our last big birthday… the Bicentennial in 1976. What films were we watching? What were we thinking about?

Deserted Films, the Palm Springs Public Library, and the Palm Springs Cultural Center, have teamed up to bring you a unique selection of films reflecting what was on our ‘collective minds’ at the Bicentennial. Because looking back can help us make sense of now!

Folks talked a lot in 2026 about the “dark themes” running through the films being considered for Oscars…but 1976 brought us NETWORK, TAXI DRIVER, and CARRIE! It was a year of deep (sometimes brutal) self reflection. And a year of groundbreaking American cinema. We will dig into key films from the moment and offer up some surprises!

And, of course, Hollywood filmmakers were not alone in celebrating and questioning America at 200. Each feature film in our series will be accompanied by archival gems from Deserted Films or from our colleagues in the archival community to help set the mood: home movies of people celebrating the Bicentennial, as well as educational and sponsored films and other oddities from the same moment in American history.