Something Wicked This Way Comes (1983)

In a small American town, a diabolical circus and its demonic proprietor prey on the townsfolk.

Director:

Jack Clayton

Writers:

Ray Bradbury (screenplay), Ray Bradbury (novel)

Stars:

Jason Robards, Jonathan Pryce, Diane Ladd

2 wins & 7 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Jason Robards	...	Charles Halloway
Jonathan Pryce	...	Mr. Dark
Diane Ladd	...	Mrs. Nightshade
Royal Dano	...	Tom Fury
Vidal Peterson	...	Will Halloway
Shawn Carson	...	Jim Nightshade
Mary Grace Canfield	...	Miss Foley
Richard Davalos	...	Mr. Crosetti
Jake Dengel	...	Mr. Tetley
Jack Dodson	...	Dr. Douglas
Bruce M. Fischer	...	Mr. Cooger
Ellen Geer	...	Mrs. Halloway
Pam Grier	...	Dust Witch
Brendan Klinger	...	Cooger as a Child
James Stacy	...	Ed, The Bartender

Storyline

Can two young boys overcome the worst the devil himself can deal out? Wishes are granted, but twisted as only the esteemed Mr. Dark can make them. Based on the Ray Bradbury novel.

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Plot Keywords:

boy | carnival | circus | lightning | mirror | 

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Taglines:

Something frightening. Something strange. Something different.

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Genres:

Drama | Family | Fantasy | Mystery | Thriller

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Certificate:

PG

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

29 April 1983 (USA)

Also Known As:

Cos paskudnego tu nadchodzi

Filming Locations:

Morrisville, Vermont, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$19,000,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Walt Disney Productions, Bryna Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

95 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

In Anchor Bay's DVD, the end of the theatrical trailer (which shows the film's title) has been cropped. The rest of trailer is in 1.85:1, but that last shot is around 2.35:1, which has caused confusion among fans. This aspect ratio change in the trailer was done by Disney to mask off Disney/Buena Vista names. Disney did not allow its name anywhere on the DVD package.

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Goofs

When Jim Nightshade buys the lightning rod with cash and coin, he has a Lincoln Memorial penny, which wasn't minted until 1959. The story is set earlier.

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Quotes

Charles Halloway: [to Mrs. Nightshade] For God's sake, go home! The man meeting you here isn't your husband!

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Connections

Referenced in Britain's 50 Greatest Comedy Sketches (2005)

User Reviews

Disney noir? A wonderful adaptation.

It was almost too much to hope that someone would make a movie version of Ray Bradbury's outstanding fantasy novel 'Something Wicked This Way Comes' that did justice to it, but director Jack Clayton did. He and his cohorts managed to capture all the dark, ominous portents and mysterious, mystical happenings that fill Bradbury's book.

Set earlier in this century, a carnival comes to a small town at a strange time of year, October. But then it's a mighty strange carnival, one that fulfills the fantasies--and fears--of the town's residents. Two young boys, Will Halloway and Jim Nightshade (Vidal Peterson and Shawn Carson) find out the foreboding and forbidden secrets of the carnival, as does the tired, prematurely old man (Jason Robards) who is Will's father.

As has been noted, there probably isn't another film with the Walt Disney name on it that is as dark as this one. It may be too frightening in parts for very young children and too disturbing at times for slightly older ones. A person's enjoyment of the film would be helped considerably by reading the book beforehand, much like Kubrick's '2001...' Besides those already mentioned, some of the good performances in the movie come from Royal Dano, James Stacy, and Jonathan Pryce as Mr. Dark.