hollywood_jack The novel Something Wicked This Way Comes has long been a favorite of mine. So too has this movie. A great story about growing up and growing old. And perhaps the best representation of Autumn in the history of narrative fiction. If you enjoyed the adaptation of It that was released this year, then you really need to check this out. i have a sneaky feeling Mr. King read this book several times before he plotted out that story. Although it's not a perfect movie, it is a movie with atmosphere, a great cast, and a great script. Jason Robarbs is never bad....I'll wait while you find a movie where he isn't amazing. And by God Johnathan Pryce is one of the best villains in movie history here. I can't recommend this movie enough.

Stephen Hitchings Bradbury's Something Wicked This Way Comes is a classic, and possibly his best work. This film should have been a great success, with a good cast, and especially with Bradbury himself writing the script from his own novel, but alas, it was not. Several reviewers have suggested that it should be remade with modern special effects. This may be a good idea, but the effects were generally pretty good for the early '80's, and in my opinion the major problem lies elsewhere.Ultimately, this is a suspense film with very little suspense. This is particularly obvious in the climactic scenes in the library, which should have dripped with suspense, but actually felt flat. Which presumably points to the director and perhaps the editors. This is surprising, as Jack Clayton had a fairly high reputation and made some very good movies, but perhaps he was just no good in the suspense genre. Whatever the reason, this was a reasonably good movie which should have been much better.

johnstonjames by 1983 a collaboration between Disney and author Ray Bradbury was long overdue. Bradbury had admired Disney for decades and even had a few personal meetings with Disney. since both were highly respected you would think they would have been paired earlier cinematically but it was probably felt that Bradbury wouldn't make for a family film or good Disney. Disney seldom did horror or sci fi, so exploring author Bradbury would make for a whole new venture.1983 was probably when the Disney studios was mature and ready but ironically they were cutting back on Disney live action releases and were in the process of shutting down the Disney back lot in Burbank. 'Something Wicked' was one of the last live action films to be filmed on the Burbank backlot and Disney ranch using the same techniques for production as the old school live action films produced by Walt himself. it was lucky that they got to film a Bradbury movie on the original lot and the way Walt did and under the Disney production banner.not only was it a good thing that the Bradbury film got to be conceived by the Disney old school but it also turned out wonderfully and was a excellent adaptation of the book, and yes, i have read the book.knowing the book i'm sure it wasn't a easy task to bring off. the book is not only too dark for a Disney film, but it is also very descriptive with over half of it being description and literary prose. what works well in descriptive form doesn't always easily translate to quick, precise visuals that move a film along as cinema. the finished result here is so good because it manages to convey the literary importance of the book without compromising itself as quick moving cinema. the literary aspect is well preserved but the film also moves fast enough as not to be too long for cinema audiences and not too long for children and the family viewers which should be Disney's target audience. the film is beautifully atmospheric which gives homage to the literary element as well as elegantly photographed and directed. it is a class act all the way.is it scary? well yes, i think so. it's not too scary for kids or Disney, but scary enough to justify itself as horror. things also move quicker and are less subtle than the book so the Dark circus itself comes off as more homicidal and aggressive in snatching away it's woeful victims than even the book described.excellent adaptation of a difficult source as well as classic Disney and very good cinema. a must for anyone interested in the final films from the original Burbank studio and the old school staff.

scarletminded Maybe it is because I grew up with this movie, that I love it so. Especially watching it around this time of year. It drips Autumn and all its beauty and decay. Sure, the sets look like movie sets, but I feel this adds to the storybook like quality of the piece. I have read the book too and do see how someone in love with the book might be upset at this retelling. It doesn't bother me though and I will tell you why.The atmosphere of this movie is amazing. The director, who also made The Innocents which is another favorite horror movie of mine, knows how to craft an image. The acting is all good. Mr. Dark, Jonathan Pryce, is my favorite, stepping out as the evil carnival owner just a scant few years away from Brazil, even though I never knew him in this movie until it was pointed out to me. Ah, acting and a beard makes all the difference. I would marry Mr. Dark, but then I am a Gothic minded girl who wouldn't mind the Dust Witch in the entourage. I really think happiness is over rated too, take me with you! I suppose, this wasn't the point of the book or movie, but I digress. The child actors are good, really, no one acts horrible in this movie. It adds to the theater like quality of the movie, its dreamy and murky. I never knew Pam Grier of Coffy fame was the Dust Witch. Again, the power of acting and character actors can take it to the next level. I have no idea why this movie would get a "rotten" rating on Rotten Tomatoes, yet the audience rating is 63%, goes to show you how the movie is actually loved. The scene with Mr. Dark tearing out pages in a book to show Will's father's life passing by is wonderful, in fact, Jonathan Pryce, does a bit of a running monologue for the most part and makes it believable. Add the carnival and all its craziness and the Dust Witch in her shroud, setting fashion standards for the gothlings to come, it is a formula win for me.I wish the scene with the Dust Witch in her balloon could have been added. It would have been cool to see. Or Mr. Dark being killed by happiness, which we all know is the best way to kill a goth. I wonder how the original cut of this was before special effects were drizzled all over it. I almost have to see the film Hysteria now because Jonathan Pryce looks like an older Mr. Dark in it. Growl!