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Something Wicked This Way Comes (1983)

 -  Drama | Family | Fantasy  -  29 April 1983 (USA)
6.6
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Ratings: 6.6/10 from 4,591 users  
Reviews: 63 user | 33 critic

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

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(screenplay), (novel)
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Title: Something Wicked This Way Comes (1983)

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Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
...
Charles Halloway
...
Mr. Dark
...
Mrs. Nightshade
...
Tom Fury
Vidal Peterson ...
Will Halloway
Shawn Carson ...
Jim Nightshade
Mary Grace Canfield ...
Miss Foley
Richard Davalos ...
Mr. Crosetti
Jake Dengel ...
Mr. Tetley
...
Dr. Douglas
Bruce M. Fischer ...
Mr. Cooger
...
Mrs. Halloway
...
Dust Witch
Brendan Klinger ...
Cooger as a Child
James Stacy ...
Ed, The Bartender
Edit

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. Written by Mayla Kalrist <mayla@sojourn.com>

Plot Summary | Add Synopsis

Plot Keywords:

boy | carnival | circus | lightning | mirror | See more »

Taglines:

What would you give a man who could make your deepest dreams come true? See more »


Certificate:

PG | See all certifications »
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Details

Country:

Language:

Release Date:

29 April 1983 (USA)  »

Also Known As:

Cos paskudnego tu nadchodzi  »

Filming Locations:

 »

Box Office

Budget:

$19,000,000 (estimated)
 »

Company Credits

Show detailed on  »

Technical Specs

Runtime:

Sound Mix:

Color:

(Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1
See  »
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Did You Know?

Trivia

The lines "And in despair I bowed my head / "There is no peace on earth," I said, / "For hate is strong and mocks the song / Of peace on earth, good will to men." / Then pealed the bells more loud and deep: / "God is not dead, nor doth He sleep; / The wrong shall fail, the right prevail / With peace on earth, good will to men" is from "I heard The Bells On Christmas Day" by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. See more »

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. See more »

Quotes

Charles Halloway: I know who you are. You are the autumn people. Where do you come from? The dust. Where do you go to? The grave.
Mr. Dark: Yes. We are the hungry ones. Your torments call us like dogs in the night. And we do feed, and feed well.
Charles Halloway: To stuff yourselves on other people's nightmares.
Mr. Dark: And butter our plain bread with delicious pain. So, you do understand a little.
Charles Halloway: You are known in this town. My father knew you.
Mr. Dark: Your father? The preacher? That half-man?
Charles Halloway: He lived on goodness.
Mr. Dark: Tasteless fare. Funerals, bad marriages...
See more »

Connections

Spoofed in South Park: Something Wall-Mart This Way Comes (2004) See more »

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User Reviews

 
Not even closely brilliant as the book, but still worthwhile...
9 May 2009 | by (Philippines) – See all my reviews

Ray Bradbury published the novel already in 1962. It was hailed for many reasons as a masterpiece of the macabre, as an allegory of adults reminiscing childhood memories, as an allegory of children reminiscing adult memories... etc. The movie, although not a masterpiece, is all that and more. Certainly, the movie is not supposed to be seen by a very young audience. Not only because its scary from time to time, but mainly because a very young audience will not appreciate or comprehend it anyway. Never mind its a "Walt Disney-movie"... Even the Walt Disney Studios took some risks back then by producing a movie which could have become an immortal classic... Based upon Ray Bradbury''s novel Something Wicked This Way Comes and starring Jonathan Pryce (as Mr. Dark), famous for his roles in Brazil (1985), Ronin (1998) Tomorrow Never Dies (1997), Evita (1996) and Jason Robards as Charles Halloway, its very much a masterpiece directed by Jack Clayton (The Innocents, 1961) and very close to the novel. Ray Bradbury also wrote the screenplay for this movie. I guess this is very much one of a kind: produced by Walt Disney of which nobody expects a "dark movie" to come out and still aiming at a general audience... Well, the general audience did not get it and the movie did not do too well at the box office... Word has it that Christopher Lee wanted to play the part of Mr. Dark and Ray Bradbury himself wanted Christopher Lee to play that part, but thats only what word has to it. Is it true or not ? Maybe the movie's box office appeal would have benefit from Christopher Lee's presence, at least in Europe because Christopher Lee was a VERY big name there in those days and still is of course. Never mind, the movie still stands on its own. To my guess, it will become one of those "near-classics" which "few" people ever saw but which become very slowly more and more popular because of hear-say from people who actually saw it. Photography is excellent, special effects (for those days) are State-of-the-Art, atmosphere is brilliant, acting is very well executed by most actors, screenplay is top-notch because Ray Bradbury who already knew how to write a screenplay before if, for no other things then Herman Melville's Moby Dick (John Huston, 1956), certainly knew how to put his own novel into a screenplay... What makes this movie stand out, I guess, is exactly that: the way Ray Bradbury put his own novel into a screenplay and the way the director Jack Clayton and the director of photography Stephen H. Burum adapted it... Walt Disney was known long before to put disturbing images into kids and adults minds: Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937), Fantasia (1940), Pinocchio (1940) etc. They lingered into minds almost immediately. Maybe the images of Something Wicked This Way Comes may take a bit longer to linger. If for no other reason then that the movie is not widely seen anyway... I am sure it will become a neglected classic in the future... and hopefully will benefit from that sorry-full denomination (as well as from a wider release on DVD) to become more widely seen and appreciated...

www.bloggen.be/chev


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