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An Old Classic Gets A Make-Over and the Race is On Again! "Race to Witch Mountain" Speeds on to DVD!

What happens when a tough, cynical cab driver teams up with two out-of this-world siblings for the adventure of a lifetime? A lot! The story begins when two normal looking teenagers, Sara and her brother Seth, get in to Jack Bruno's cab and ask for a ride into the desert. Jack will soon learn that these are no ordinary teens. The young duo possess special powers and are on a mission to stop evil forces from destroying the world!

See the trailer below:

"Race to Witch Mountain" is based on a 1975 film called "Escape to Witch Mountain." This new, updated version of the story stars Dwayne Johnson as Jack, AnnaSophia Robb as Sara and Alexander Ludwig as Seth. The cast also includes Carla Gugino, Tom Everett Scott and Chris Marquette. Watch for special appearances by Kim Richards and Ike Eisenmann who played the super siblings in the original movie.

Check out a couple more scenes from the movie!





There are several purchase options for this DVD release, but we highly recommend the 3-disc Blu-ray Combo Pack that comes with a Blu-ray disc, a DVD disc, and a digital file copy of the film that is great for those who want to watch the movie on their computers or portable video viewers. Bonus features on this set include deleted scenes, bloopers, and a tutorial on how to take your movies on the go. Exclusive to the Blu-ray combo pack are a Backstage Disney look at the similarities between this version and the original and a special D Box option for viewers with a D Box.

Check out these bloopers from the movie!



You can race right out and get the DVD at most places where DVD's are sold or you can order on-line and have it shipped right to your door by Clicking Here!


Thanks to Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment for these bonus interviews from a couple of cast members!

CARLA GUGINO INTERVIEW FOR RACE TO WITCH MOUNTAIN

What attracted you to Race To Witch Mountain?

For starters, I was a big fan of the original films. I had a motor home for many years as a kid, so I always related to the children in the original movie - although I didn't really relate to the alien part of their life. I thought the script was really good. Plus, I'm a big fan of [director] Andy Fickman, so when we sat down to talk about it, I decided we had to work together after only three minutes of conversation. I really wanted to do it - especially as I am a huge fan of Dwayne Johnson's, too. It was a really natural fit for me and I fell in love with the character, so I had to be involved.

What can you tell us about your character in the movie?

I play an astrophysicist named Dr. Alex Friedman. She's been discredited from several universities because she has decided that there is enough hard data to prove that there is alien life. That wasn't a popular notion for the respectable university she used to work for, so she's relegated to lecturing at a UFO convention in Las Vegas.

How did she end up lecturing at conventions?

Well, she's hoping that she'll get some support down there, but all the people want to talk about is crop circles and kooky theories. She's pretty much having one of the worst days of her life when Dwayne's character - Jack, a cab driver who drove her from Las Vegas airport to the UFO convention - walks in and says, "Hey, these two kids are aliens." She's thinks, 'Great, now I'm being made fun of.' But then she comes to realize that they are in fact aliens and it's the most exciting thing that's ever happened to her. It's the thing she's been waiting for her entire life and then she's swept away to help on the journey to save the world - or two worlds in this case.

You've played a lot of intelligent, scientific women in the past…

I've played an astrophysicist, a neurosurgeon, a rocket scientist and a contingency analyst - but what I love about playing Alex is that she is also a total goofball. I like the fact that when we meet her, she has gone from lecturing at Harvard and Stanford to speaking at a UFO convention in Las Vegas, but only because she truly believes in her information and findings. She believes in life on other planets, even if that makes her a pariah of sorts. I don't think she sees aliens as little green men - or even as two children - but she does believe there is life out there in the universe.

How different is this character to the scientific character you played in the television series, Threshold?

There's a totally different vibe to Alex. When I sat down with the director, he admitted he was a big fan of Threshold, but he wasn't looking for the same character. Tonally, this movie is very different and my Threshold character, Molly, was much more serious than Alex. I would say Alex is almost like Molly gone berserk. I think they could definitely be sisters, but they were extremely different to play. Much more so than I thought they would be.

Is Alex a bit of a nerd?

That was one of the things I really loved about playing that character - the fact that she is smart and she's got her act together to some extent, but when she's confronted with something that blows her mind, she becomes a kid. I definitely relate to the nerd in her.

How much of a nerd are you?

Well, I'm an incredibly gullible person. I'm so bad that when I admitted this to a friend of mine, they said, "You know 'gullible' isn't even in the dictionary, don't you?" And I said, "Really?" As soon as I said it, I realized what was happening. I realized I was being even more gullible than usual - but that's how bad I am.

How much fun did you have shooting Race To Witch Mountain?

I had the time of my life with this film. Making a good movie is a lot of hard work, but it's easier when the creative connections are immediate - and that's what happened with this movie. It's a movie that appeals to all ages and there are some great characters involved. As soon as I read the script I knew there would be some great comedy in putting this discredited astrophysicist and an ex-con cab driver together to explore their two different perspectives on the world.

What was it like to work with Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson?

Working with Dwayne was a joy. There was no ego involved for each of us, so we could just settle down and have fun with the shoot. Our two characters are very different, but it's true when people say opposites attract. There was a lot of great energy to play between the two characters because of their differences and we had a lot of fun with it.

What made Andy Fickman the ideal director for Race To Witch Mountain?

When I first met Andy, I realized he was such a wonderful collaborator and creative force. He was already extremely well versed in UFO culture and the paranormal, which gave me a strong point from which to build my character. He was perfect.

What did you think of Fickman's approach to using more practical special effects instead of computer-generated special effects?

With this movie in particular, there's something great about the authenticity and the fact that it's a little bit messier. It's done really, really well. You can see that in the fight scenes, which are amazing and much more realistic because he went for a different approach.

You've had roles in Spy Kids, Sin City, Watchmen and now Race To Witch Mountain… What is the appeal of these sci-fi movies?

With Watchmen, my character was someone who starts at 25 years old and ages to 67 with full prosthetics. I remember thinking, 'Are you kidding?' I jumped at the chance to be involved because it sounded so wonderful. You know what? It's funny that I've ended up in two graphic novel - or comic book - movies like Sin City and Watchmen, but it hasn't been intentional. I just fell in love with each project.

Are you a big sci-fi fan?

It's funny because I was never a graphic novel or comic book person. For me, it's about a good story and good characters. When I signed up for Sin City, I had already worked with Robert Rodriguez on Spy Kids and I was really up for the challenge of doing a completely different character. I think it always comes down to how I relate to the character, who I'm working with and the vision of the director because that is ultimately what you're serving.

Did you do any alien research for Race To Witch Mountain?

The director was a great source of information on UFO culture, so he was a lot of help. It was also a lot of fun to meet the people during the UFO convention scene because many of them were real UFO enthusiasts.

Were there some colorful characters there?

It was very interesting to say the least! One person said to me that they are going to reveal on television the fact that we have found an actual alien. I said to him, "Wow, have you found it yet?" And he replied, "I can't speak about that right now, but I will tell you next year." I was like, "Okay… Great!" I hope he appears on television soon as I'd love to see his proof. I guess we'll just have to wait and see…


A Q and A With Dwayne Johnson

What's Race To Witch Mountain about?

Race To Witch Mountain is a huge action adventure that is going to blow people away. I play a guy called Jack Bruno, who is a Las Vegas cab driver and the story is about two kids who get inside his cab. They take him on the journey of a lifetime!

Sounds exciting! What happens?

Well, the two kids aren't quite what they seem. We soon learn that they are running away from the government, as well as an alien monster. We're all thrown into an amazing journey within the first 10 minutes of the film!

Cool! So what made you sign on for the movie?

I wanted to make a big family action adventure and this seemed perfect. There are some great car chases, as well as combat scenes, comedy and loads of amazing action. I'm really excited about it.

Are you a fan of action movies?

I love action movies, which is why I wanted to be part of one. I wanted to make sure that this movie was up there with the best of them. I honestly think it is.

What's your favorite action film?

There are two recent action movies that really stand out for me. The last Bourne movie is one of them and the last Bond movie is the other. I like the way they're shot in a very energetic and real way.

What makes the action scenes stand out in Race To Witch Mountain?

For starters, there's an amazing alien monster for me to fight. This thing kicks butt!

Eek! Does this mean you hurt yourself shooting the film?

I'll tell you one thing for sure: When that alien punches me in the face, I flew across the room. Not only did it hurt - because I'm hitting walls for real - but it's also great action. You're going to love it when you see it.

Do you get to do many stunts in the movie?

I love stunts. Thankfully, I was allowed to do everything I wanted to do in Race To Witch Mountain, which made me very happy. What did I do? I did all of the great car chase sequences and I did all of the fighting scenes with the soldiers and the monster alien. It was a lot of fun.

We've got to ask… Do you believe in aliens?

Of course I do. It would be extremely arrogant to think we were alone in this universe. I've always been fascinated by aliens and UFOs - and I learned a lot about them while making this movie.

What did you learn about them?

The director, Andy Fickman, is a wealth of knowledge on aliens and UFOs. I learned so much about them by spending four months with him. He had so many videos and books on the subject that it was like he took us all on a course.

Talking of learning… What were you like in school?

I had a wild and vivid imagination at school. I always wanted to laugh and have fun, so I ended up being the class clown. I was a bit of a joker.

Did you do well at school?

I think I learned the value of applying myself later on in life. In high school, I was a decent student. I was a C-grade student, so I guess I was very average. When I got to college, it took me a couple of years to adjust - and that's when I started to apply myself to studying.

Did you want to be an actor when you were at school?

I wasn't interested in acting, but I was always interested in entertaining. When I was 8 years old, I loved Harrison Ford in Indiana Jones and Star Wars. I loved his characters because they were cool and quick-witted.

So how did you catch the acting bug?

I was never in a school play, so it wasn't at school. I did a lot of athletics at school, which took up all my time. I got into sports and became a professional [American] football player. After that, I became a wrestler, which is what led me into acting.

What other actors did you look up to when you were a child?

As well as Harrison Ford, I loved people like Elvis and Richard Pryor. These were the people I used to look up to and the people I thought I could be one day.

Do you have any advice for youngsters who want to become stars?

I'd say that there's no substitute for hard work. You don't have to be the smartest, the brightest or the most brilliant person in the room - but you do have to work your butt off. There's no substitute for that.

Photos Provided by: Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment




Two Disney Darlings Star in One Great Movie! "Princess Protection Program" Comes to DVD!

Selena Gomez enchants teens every day as wizard "Alex Russo" on "Wizards of Waverly Place." Demi Lovato captured kids attention in "Camp Rock" and cracks them as "Sonny" on her series "Sonny With A Chance." The talented teens team up in a new original Disney Channel movie called "Princess Protection Program" and you can already own it on DVD!

Watch the trailer for the film here:



Carter Mason (Gomez) is your typical teenager living in a small town in Louisiana. The fact that her Dad is a special agent in an international Princess Protection Program is just a normal, every day thing for Carter until her Dad literally brings his work home with him.

Rosalinda Marie Montoya Flore (Lovato) is a member of the Royal Family of the small country of Costa Luna. When a military take-over threatens her safety, Mr. Mason and his colleagues maneuver to whisk her to safety until the country is no longer under attack.

The safest place for Rosalinda seems to be where Mr. Mason can keep a close eye on her and where better than his own home to do that? Unfortunately, that means moving a total stranger into his own daughter's bedroom while the family pretends that she is a visiting cousin.

Meeting:



Newly named Rosie, Rosalinda most learn how to blend in with this new American culture and it falls upon Carter to show her the ropes. Suddenly, Carter sees that she might just take a lot of things for granted. These two polar opposites are either going to become mortal enemies or the best of friends. Either way, they will certainly teach the other a thing or two along the way.

Another clip from the film:



Deemed "The Royal B.F.F. Extended Edition" the awesome DVD release comes with a free "B.F.F." necklace and features bonus material like the music video for "One and the Same," a song performed by Demi and Selena! It also includes a "Behind-the-Scenes" look at the making of the movie.

See some sneak peaks of the bonus material here:







You can pick up this DVD to add to your home video collection at most places where DVD's are sold. You can also order it on-line here:

Princess Protection Program: Royal B.F.F. Extended Edition

Check out Demi and Selena rockin' the red carpet at the Princess Protection Program Premiere in Canada!




Photos Provided by: Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment