Rating: 
Summary: Dark's Pandemonium Carnival!!
Review: I remember seeing this film when I was just a toddler and I remember being creeped out by it. Having seen it just recently as an adult, I can't understand why it bothered me. It's a harmless, fun little movie. This is a film based on the short story by Ray Bradbury. He also wrote the screenplay for the movie as well. The movie takes place at the turn of the century in a small, picturesque burg of Green Town. It looks like it could be somewhere in New England. It is October and the town and film has a very rustic, fall look. It looks real good. We meet two best pals named Will Halloway and Jim Nightshade. Both have father 'issues'. Jim's dad took off and Will's dad, the town librarian Charles Halloway(The always wonderful Jason Robards), is an older fellow with a bad heart. He feels bad that because of his condition and age(I'm guessing Robards was around 60 here, but the character might of been younger)he can't do the normal father/son thing with Will. He is also haunted by an incident a few years back that had someone else rescuing Will in a river while he only stood at the river bank and watched. The father/son arc between him and Will is touching and well done. It is the heart and soul of this film. Things turn weird when a strange man in black named Mr. Dark(Jonathan Pryce)shows up in town with his mysterious traveling carnival called "Dark's Pandemonium Carnival". This new attraction isn't what it seems to be. After some snooping around, our two young friends discover that Mr. Dark is truly evil. He lures innocent people in and feeds off their misery and pain. These people, in turn, become part of the traveling carnival. Once Mr. Dark sees the two boys witnessing something they shouldn't, they become his main targets. This being a Disney film, it is not violent, bloody, or scary. The father/son relationship runs through the whole movie and is the centerpiece. I also like how this film shows off the simple fun and adventures you had when you were a little kid. How these two boys get into mischief and stuff. It's like seeing yourself in your town during your childhood getting into things. I always like that in movies. The small town and it's quaint town square and nearby fields and woods are choreographed very nicely. Makes it really look like fall in whatever year it is supposed to be. Our main actors are all good. Especially Robards(naturally), and Pryce(as always). Pryce really gives off bad, evil vibes as Mr. Dark. A very mysterious presence. Robards was one of the best. I could just listen to his voice all the time. The young boys as Will and Jim are just fine, but they are nothing to write home about. Diane Ladd has a supporting role that is pretty much nothing. Same can be said for "Foxy Brown" star Pam Grier as the Dust Witch. Even though it's a small and ill fleshed out role, she brings mystery and beauty to the role. If only it were used for a bigger and more meaningful role. This is a nice little movie that is suitable for anyone of any age to watch. Especially on those cold, windy October nights. Having seen it again for the first time in 15 years or so, I realize what a pretty good movie it is. Wished I had re-discovered it a bit sooner. Check it out.
Rating: 
Summary: Bradbury's parable of DREAMS turned into NIGHTMARE...
Review: In SOMETHING WICKED THIS WAY COMES Ray Bradbury has created aparable that asks WHEN do desires become obsessions and HOW do dreamsbecome nightmares? The story is told from the viewpoint of two young boys, Will and Jim...blood brother "doubles"...whose guileless curiosity allows a "creepy" Halloween adventure to become an allegorical exploration on the nature of TEMPTATION. Jason Robards plays the common man struggling to be a good man and a good father. Jonathan Price plays Mr. Dark, the devil incarnate, who offers illusory gifts of beauty, wealth and fame to prospective "victims" willing to trade life and salvation for meretricious glamour. Mr. Dark's "bread & circuses" PANDEMONIUM (from John Milton's "Paradise Lost")CARNIVAL becomes a restless way-station of despair for souls who must "eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence" to survive. In many aspects the film is as successful as Bradbury's novel of the same title (a rare accomplishment). In one regard the movie may even be more successful. The characters in the film are presented as essentially good, kind people. The dreams they live for are ordinary (No one wants to be Napoleon; Helen of Troy or Bill Gates). Nonetheless, the fine line between a worthy goal and an all-comsuming desire can sometimes be crossed without a person's realization. The Devil realizes, however; and in SOMETHING WICKED THIS WAY COMES, Ray Bradbury demonstrates Evil ready to pounce on an unwary dreamer who forgets that "being good is a fearful occupation." The novel has long been recognized as a classic. The film...scripted by Bradbury...I believe is underrated. There are "scary" scenes, but nothing gross and Bradbury admirably controls what easily might have been. Pam Greer, for example, plays the wonderfully seductive role of THE SPIDER WOMAN (anti-Mother figure). In the novel, this character is called THE DUST WITCH,whose role in the book is both more dramatic and subtle yet lacks the "glamour of evil" that the film adaptation seems to accent with its focus on image and illusion. I believe the film is a minor masterpiece; a frightening fable that tells how evil can easily triumph when "ordinary" goodness is not valued or defended. Bradbury was not engaging in hyperbole when he chose his title from the Three Witches' curse-in-greeting to MACBETH: Something Wicked This Way Comes is about the fundamental battle for good against evil. And BEING GOOD IS A FEARFUL OCCUPATION......(The movie is both!)
Rating: 
Summary: Genuine Horror from Disney via Anchor Bay Comes
Review: Based on the best-selling 1962 novel by venerable SF and horror writer Ray Bradbury--who also penned this cinematic adaptation--1983's SOMETHING WICKED THIS WAY COMES is the unabashedly nostalgic story of two young boys, Will Halloway (Vidal Peterson) and Jim Nightshade (Shawn Carson), who engage in a battle of wills with Mr. Dark (Jonathan Pryce), the nefarious proprietor of a preternatural carnival that that literally blows into the boys' hometown one brisk October night (circa 1940). When Will and Jim discover that Dark and his troupe of midway miscreants are hiding some evil secret that might endanger the town, the boys take it upon themselves to uncover the truth and protect their friends and neighbors.Some viewers are surprised to learn that this somber film is a product of the Walt Disney Company. Though there are the lovable small-town characters that one expects from Disney, it is admittedly rare to find a Disney flick with an incorrigibly evil character such as Mr. Dark (obviously the Devil in all but name). It is also unusual for a Disney film to have such a grim atmosphere, at least one that is not regularly punctured with puerile comedic relief, but SOMETHING THIS WAY COMES has a consistently spooky ambiance and an earnestly frightening plot, both of which elevate it to the level of a genuine horror film DESPITE its Disney label. The performances in SOMETHING WICKED THIS WAY COMES are top-notch. Jonathan Pryce is deliciously wicked as the enigmatic Mr. Dark--genre fans might recognize Pryce as the actor playing Governor Swann in the 2003 blockbuster PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: THE CURSE OF THE BLACK PEARL--and Jason Robards does a fine turn as the wise librarian father of young Will. Vidal Peterson and Shawn Carson, the two young actors portraying Will and Jim, are relative newcomers whose lack of substantial experience is an asset rather than a liability, as it actually adds to the realism of their characters' youthful innocence. Some of the seasoned actors that fill supporting and background parts also contribute greatly to the quality of the film. The gorgeous Pam Grier, star of several popular "blaxploitation" flicks in the 1970s, plays the carnival's witch-like fortune-teller; Diane Ladd plays Jim Nightshade's mother, a woman who is raising her son alone after both were abandoned by the boy's father; and Ellen Geer, daughter of the late Will Geer of TV's THE WALTONS, portrays the mother of Will Halloway. Horror fans might recognize the late Royal Dano in the role of Tom Fury, the lightning-rod salesman. During his lengthy career, the ubiquitous Dano appeared in such genre favorites as Hitchcock's THE TROUBLE WITH HARRY (1955), 7 FACES OF DR. LAO (1964), and KILLER KLOWNS FROM OUTER SPACE (1988); and also in episodes of genre TV shows like LOST IN SPACE, NIGHT GALLERY, AMAZING STORIES, and TWIN PEAKS. Although the script does not have the same scope and attention to detail found in the novel, Bradbury has still done an exceptional job of translating to screenplay the novel's eerie essence and moral subtext. And director Jack Clayton does almost as well in visually interpreting Bradbury's script. He generates the perfect atmosphere for some genuinely creepy moments, and he is also quite adept at evoking Bradbury's primary theme of innocence lost. SOMETHING WICKED THIS WAY COMES generates most of its chills and scares the old-fashioned way--through atmosphere, suggestion, good plotting, and great characterization. Unfortunately, the flick was originally released during the peak of the first big wave of slasher films in the early 1980s, and it was therefore unfairly ignored by moviegoers and panned by critics. But thanks to the cool folks at Anchor Bay, this little beauty has a new lease on life via DVD. Anchor Bay's disc is short on extras, offering only the theatrical trailer and the option of viewing in either pan-and-scan or 1.66:1 Letterbox formats. But the digital transfer looks nearly pristine--even when viewed on a widescreen HDTV-- with only a few minor defects from the source print noticeable. In keeping with the subject matter, the film was shot with dark tones and subtle hues, and these come through wonderfully on the DVD. Serious collectors of horror films on DVD won't want to let this genre gem slip away.
Rating:
Summary: Something 'Worthwhile' has this way come
Review: Excellent film adaptation to Mr. Bradbury's whimsical book by the same title. The film is cast in the autumn (the autumn of life?) and a small town around turn of the century America (our dream of what America should be?). Two boys, Will Halloway and Jim Nightshade are excited to hear of a carnival coming to town (remember our youth when autumn always brought some sort of carnival to your town?). However, this carnival is no ordinary one. It's proprieter, Mr. Dark, offers people what they desire most -- at a fearsome price. Jim and Will discover the underlying nature of Mr. Dark, his menions and the carnival and end up as quarry for the mysterious, sinister man. Will's father, Charles Halloway - the town librarian - is an unlikely hero who faces his own fears and temptations to protect the two youths from Mr. Dark. Not really bloody or scary, I'd say the theme of this movie (that of facing the realities of life) creates uneasiness because of the familiar setting and its dealing with normal everyday people and their dreams/wishes. The movie is well done and entertaining. Certainly worth a look. You might consider before allowing younger children to view it - it would probably give them dreams. ~P~
Rating: 
Summary: Love Bradbury! ...not so much love for film adaptation -
Review: Director, Jack Clayton, The Innocents, [an excellent film...] Something Wicked This Way Comes (1983) -- Staring Jason Robards and Jonathan Pryce. This screenplay adaptation (1983), by the author, of his own novel Something Wicked This Way Comes, is good only during scenes with Robards and Pryce (these scenes are VERY good) yet, the plot is motivated by the actions of the characters of the two boys, Will Holloway and Jim Nightshade who, were inadequately cast (it's hard to find good child actors). Along with not being shot very well (Director of Photography, Stephen H. Burrum [the writer of this review simply can't tolerate the day-for-night scenes.]), it also seems that, 10 to 18 pages of the original script are missing from the final cut (the whole Tom Fury, B-Story), and much of the special effects scenes are cut in such a way as to reveal they didn't work and had to be cut out &/or around; how sad. The story simply falls apart! Somehow, a BEAUTIFUL script ended up as a film that, "had to be saved." Such, is the way of Hollywood. Something Wicked This Way Comes, is available in paperback, ISBN: 0380729407 based on the screenplay, Dark Carnival by Ray Bradbury, based on the short story, The Black Ferris (1948), by Ray Bradbury available in ISBN 0-394-51335-5
Rating:
Summary: More Than it Appears - Worthy of The Twilight Zone
Review: I've read through several reviews and find myself in agreement with fans of this film. It is truly one of the most underrated films in Disney's library. Whether Disney has disowned it is questionable and I suspect there is a connection behind the scenes with Anchor Bay, just as there is (or was?) with Miramax Films. The key to this film is that Bradbury captured the tone and flavor of his book perfectly. While nowhere near as complete as the book and the story told therein, it is, nonetheless, complete in and of itself. There's nothing missing for those who haven't read the book. But, if you liked the movie, go find a copy of his book and read it one dark and stormy night. If you've seen some of the weird science before in other films, most likely it was because Bradbury wrote about it first. He is and was the Stephen King of his generation with such strange tales as The Illustrated Man and The Martian Chronicles (both are actually linked anthologies of his short stories). If you haven't read the description of the film, it is a story about Middle America early in the first half of the Twentieth Century and two boys sharing their childhood. One comes from a respected, if unexciting family and the other from a less than honorable setting. Yet they live beyond their differences and hold on to their own special fantasies and memories in a Norman Rockwell sort of way. Life was simpler then than it is now, and yet it has its dark side, as the boys soon find out. Mr. Dark's Carnival has come to town in as mysterious way as it did in another time, many decades before, affecting all who became involved. The film is deliciously handled with a flare that defies description, probably because Bradbury graced it with his retelling through the screenplay. Coupled with the compelling music that adds flavor and color to the outstanding cinematography, the film draws us into a Twilight Zone of the familiar and macabre. The film is treated as one for children. It decidedly is not one for little ones who are half-awake, and yet the story is more disturbing to those who will think upon the hidden messages that are as old as time itself and what every parent dreads... What is to become of us? What is to become of our children? This is the very heart of the fear that is so omnipresent once the carnival arrives that dreadful night. Don't just watch this story once. See it twice, but not on the same night. Give it some time to develop in your subconscious, and then, one autumn night, when the leaves are turning color, give it another look, ignoring the cliches it has spawned in other, later and lesser stories.
Rating:
Summary: Disney does horror... really!
Review: No need to repeat the plot you can read about that plenty below. This review is for parents. Something Wicked This Way Comes is very scary. Not only have the censors totally misjudged this film but it is still classed as a children's movie! What rubbish! This is horror through and through, although albeit it can still be watched by kids but most adults will think twice about what they have just shown to them. PARENTS SHOULD WATCH THIS BEFORE SHOWING IT TO THEIR KIDS. This is not your average "darker" childern's flick like the Dark Crystal or the Black Caldron. It is much darker than that. I also remember a very graphic hand crushing scene.
Rating:
Summary: This movie is the bomb
Review: For PG this is one awesome scary movie!!! I loved this movie as a kid and I stilll love it today!
Rating:
Summary: A rare version of the book
Review: Ray Bradbury is one of the greatest writers of all time - and I don't mean just science fiction. His poems are some of the best around with their internal rhythm and universal themes. The book opened like the movie - a glimpse of an America of the past. We are in middle Americana on a late summer day and it's time for the county fair. Will and Jim, best friends, are excited about the upcoming event. Will's dad is the old, unexciting librarian who becomes a hero to his son. This is a great tale for the whole family since it is not drenched in obscenity nor blood. It's not really a whodunit since we all know that the evil Mr. Dark is the bad guy. The ending is magnificent and the respect Will has for his dad - and the new self-respect his dad has for himself - makes this movie a morality story as well as an engrossing tale.
Rating:
Summary: I, on the other hand, loved this movie.
Review: Not having read the Bradbury story on which this is based, I didn't compare the movie to the story. And, not being so technical a movie critic (such as the photography and casting), I didn't have any problem with the casting or cinematography. I just liked the movie as it is. OK, so maybe the bad guy is a hubba-hubba in my view, but it is the kids and Jason Robarts who make the movie. If you like this movie, you might try to find a copy of Lady in White, too. That is another little known terrific movie, also set in the past in a small town.
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