Rating: 
Summary: "SWTWC" ... Teaching Allusion & Symbolism!
Review: For several years I have taught allusion, allegory, irony, and symbolism using "SWTWC" as a source to tie in all of these literary techniques together, as well as including the other more basic techniques. My students love having to decide what item is more harmful -- the Mirror Maze, the ferris wheel, or the carousel; which person is evil, only second to Mr. Dark; just how the carousel itself works -- is it making people older or younger at the whim of Mr. Dark or do these people have more "riding" on this carousel than just what they hope for; and how the Mirror Maze is able to reward individuals, yet turn around and punish them for those dreams. This movie is one which catches the imaginations of my students so that their own writing activities grow more fascinating as they try to include as much imagery and symbolism as they can!
Rating:
Summary: A fun and festive romp through a scary amusement park
Review: Halloway and Nightshade...cool names for young boys to have.I remember watching this movie back in school and having to write a report on all the imagery and allusions (and illusions) they worked into the plot... Lots of things to think about here. You can analyze the movie and it becomes the story of an old man's desire to be younger so he can do more with his son; a boys desire to be older and better than his best friend; another boy's desire to just have fun, spend time with his father, learn, grown, etc blah blah blah. But I analyzed this when I was in school...now it's just time to enjoy it. J. Pryce, while not doing his best work in this film, is the proprietor of dark's pandemonium. a hodge podge of exhibits in which each person sees some of their most personal desires, unfortunately those come at a price. the old and bitter teacher of the school longs for those days when she was young and beautiful, so her wish is granted in the mirrors. unfortunately this comes at a price and she goes blind after becoming that young and beautiful woman that she loved to look at. the carousel is of course the central theme of the movie. the carousel makes you older or younger based on which way it's turning. dark uses this to change his handyman into a little boy who goes to impersonate the teacher's nephew in town for a visit...it is later used for the destruction of dark. whenever i see the movie i'm reminded of the song ulysses from dead can dance. it sounds like a haunted carousel spinning around and around, so while you're reading this review, go check out some albums from dead can dance :) at any rate...a dark picture, sometimes the scenes on the dvd are very dim and you can't see very well...so don't watch the movie in a bright room or during the day. besides, you should always watch haunted movies in the night anyway, with maybe one candle burning behind you for effect. enjoy :)
Rating: 
Summary: Yikes!
Review: How much of what you hold dearest would you be willing sacrifice for your fondest wish? But then that wish goes awry...
Rating:
Summary: Evil Nightmares
Review: i had nightmares about this movie for years and years. i never realised what it was from, or even that i had ever seen this movie. i had a recurring dream about a certain evil carrousel... it wasn't until i was in high school and read the book by ray bradbury that i realised my evil merry-go-round dream was a part of literary history. i found out that the book had been made into a movie, and found the movie, only to see my age-old dream played out exactly as i'd remembered, with the lightning strikes and all. so perhaps i am biased, but this film is one of my favourites now.
Rating: 
Summary: An Okay Movie
Review: I have to admit that I haven't read the Ray Bradbury novel, so when I'm judging this film, I'm basing it on the film itself (which is what most people would be doing anyway). This film is okay. It's not over the top scary, and it's not boring. There was an obvious attempt to make the people around the boys have deeper characters so you can understand why they suffer the fates they do. Unfortunately, they are very two-dimensional and you neither feel sadness or glee over what happens to them.
One thing I found strange about this film was the tarantulas scene (the one where the green mist follows the boys home and suddenly there are tarantulas in the one boy's room). Has anyone noticed that the boys seem older in that scene? It looks like they must have hit puberty because their voices are deeper and they are obviously taller/larger. I wonder if they filmed that scene a year or so later to make the film even more disturbing? It certainly stands out like a sore thumb, especially when the scenes before and after show the boys with their pre-pubescent voices and heights.
Overall, this is a movie that you'd probably want to rent first before going ahead and buying it.
One more thing - it's too bad that Anchor Bay didn't include a 'making of' featurette. I noticed when looking on the IMDB for information about the film that there was a 'making of' featurette shown on TV back when the film was first released.
Rating:
Summary: One of my favourites!
Review: I have watched this film every October since it first came out on video, so you can see what a fine piece of work I think it is. The opening scenes perfectly sum up the spirit of autumn for me: the narration (accompanied by James Horner's wistful and beautiful score) along with the photography of the October landscape conjure up a rather melancholy longing for the past. There are some great scenes showing the different ways people deal with their own private sadnesses and regrets. (And it makes you think, if the dark carnival came to your town, what would you wish for? On which longings of your own would the carnival feed?) The film is particularly suited to viewing in October, but it isn't a Halloween story, and can be enjoyed year-round. Watch the film, but by all means view the LETTERBOXED version! Even though the black bands on the top and bottom of the screen are minimal (the film wasn't shot in a very widescreen aspect ratio), the letterboxed edition shows much more of the original film frame than does the standard tv version--it makes a big difference (I've done a direct comparison of the two versions)...Highly recommended!
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: Wicked and creepy ,it came my way
Review: I saw this film when it was first released, and at that time i was managing a cinema in our town, and remember so vividly wondering if the censors had fallen asleep during their watching of this film, especially as they had given it a P.G cert which in effect made it an open market for the kids.
Now i thought the film was supurb, but so sinister and creepy, in fact i recall being more un-nerved by it, than some of the then ' Horror ' films around. certainly i felt it was unsuitable for many under 12 year olds. However, for me the film has a strange enchantment even though i still feel it is so sinister, i am pleased to have added it to my film collection.
Rating:
Summary: Classic story of good vs. evil
Review: I saw this movie upon it's debut in theaters several years ago and it remains one of my all time favorite horror films. A classic story of good vs. evil. In this case, evil comes in the form of Mister Dark and his Pandamonium Circus.Your every desire can be fulfilled, but, at what cost? This film is a must see for young and old alike.
Rating:
Summary: Bradbury's Best, and Disney's Too
Review: I was never a great fan of Ray Bradbury's writings, but I loved
Something Wicked This Way Comes and looked for the movie on DVD regularly until it was issued. The movie does full justice to
the book, and the special effects, while not spectacular (and
probably not intended to be) bring the story to life in a way
not often achieved. The basic theme is selling one's soul to
the devil, not very original in the abstract, but Bradbury's treatment of the theme, and Disney's rendering of it in terrifying color, bring the story orders of magnitude beyond
the ordinary. The lightning, a key element of the story, is,
alas, a bit phony in the strokes, but the white-lighting of the
landscape by the flashes are very realistic. As a lover of
thunderstorms, I count this movie worthwhile for that alone.
Not having re-read the book for many years, I had to watch the
movie more than once to get a full grip on the plot details. I would have liked more special features than just the theater trailer, but you can't have everything, and this disc comes with
wide-screen and full-screen versions.
|
