Something Wicked This Way Comes (1983)

Director:

Jack Clayton

Writers:

Ray Bradbury (novel) and
Ray Bradbury (screenplay)

Release Date:

29 April 1983 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Family | Fantasy | Horror | Mystery

Tagline:

After he fulfills your deepest, lifelong dream...he'll tell you the price you have to pay.

Plot:

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

Plot Keywords:

Carnival | Young Boy | Lightning | Circus | Devil

Awards:

2 wins & 7 nominations

Cast

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
Angelo Rossitto	...	Little Person #1
Peter Risch	...	Little Person #2 (as Peter D. Risch)
Tim T. Clark	...	Teenage Boy
Jill Carroll	...	Teenage Girl
Tony Christopher	...	Young Ed
Sharan Lea	...	Young Miss Foley
Scott De Roy	...	Cooger as a Young Man
Sharon Ashe	...	Townswoman
Arthur Hill	...	Narrator (voice)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Phil Fondacaro	...	Demon Clown (uncredited)
Jerry Maren	...	(uncredited)

Directed by
Jack Clayton

Writing credits
Ray Bradbury		(novel)
Ray Bradbury		screenplay

Produced by
Peter Douglas	....	producer (as Peter Vincent Douglas)
Dan Kolsrud	....	associate producer

Original Music by
James Horner

Cinematography by
Stephen H. Burum

Film Editing by
Barry Mark Gordon
Argyle Nelson Jr.		(as Argyle Nelson)

Casting by
Virginia Higgins
Pam Polifroni

Production Design by
Richard Macdonald

Art Direction by
Richard Lawrence		(as Richard James Lawrence)
John B. Mansbridge

Set Decoration by
Rick Simpson

Costume Design by
Ruth Myers

Makeup Department
Gary Liddiard	....	makeup artist
Edie Panda	....	hair stylist
Robert J. Schiffer	....	creative makeup
Robert J. Schiffer	....	makeup artist
James R. Scribner	....	makeup artist (as Jim Scribner)

Production Management
Richard Learman	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Scott Cameron	....	additional second assistant director
Christopher Disney Miller	....	additional second assistant director (as Christopher D. Miller)
Dan Kolsrud	....	first assistant director
Lisa Marmon	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Yarek Alfer	....	sculptor
Dennis DeWaay	....	construction coordinator
Joseph Hurley	....	production illustrator (as Joe Hurley)
Jesse Silver	....	production illustrator
Alan Sims	....	assistant property master
Daniel Turk	....	foreman (uncredited)

Sound Department
Wayne Allwine	....	sound editor
Nick Alphin	....	sound re-recording mixer
Bruce Bisenz	....	production sound mixer
George Fredrick	....	sound editor
Robert Hathaway	....	sound supervisor (as Bob Hathaway)
David M. Horton	....	sound editor (as David Horton)
David M. Horton	....	special sound effects created by
Al Maguire	....	adr editor
Al Maguire	....	dialogue editor
Joseph A. Parker	....	supervising sound effects editor
Richard Portman	....	sound re-recording mixer
Richard Portman	....	sound re-recording supervisor (as Richard R. Portman)
Richard Portman	....	special sound effects created by (as Richard R. Portman)
George Probert	....	sound editor
Frank Regula	....	sound re-recording mixer (as Frank C. Regula)
Douglas J. Schulman	....	cable person
Roger Sword	....	sound editor
John Roesch	....	foley artist (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Peter Anderson	....	special photographic effects
Art Cruickshank	....	special photographic effects
Gary D'Amico	....	special effects
Lee Dyer	....	special effects
Harrison Ellenshaw	....	special effects consultant
Allen Hall	....	mechanical special effects
Willard Livingston	....	mechanical special effects
Stephen McEveety	....	special effects first assistant director (as Steve McEveety)
Phil Meador	....	special photographic effects
Hans Metz	....	mechanical special effects
Hans Metz	....	special effects supervisor
George Paine	....	miniatures
John Palmer	....	special effects: WonderWorks
Isidoro Raponi	....	mechanical special effects
Roland Tantin	....	mechanical special effects supervisor
Robert G. Willard	....	special effects technician (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Clint Colver	....	composite supervisor
Lee Dyer	....	special visual effects
Michael Lloyd	....	matte artist
George Muhs	....	visual effects
Jesse Silver	....	matte artist
Jesse Silver	....	visual effects matte department supervisor
Lynda Thompson	....	visual effects assistant scene coordinator
Michael Wolf	....	effects animation supervisor

Stunts
Gary Combs	....	stunts
Scott Land	....	stilt walker
Bobby Porter	....	stunts
George Robotham	....	stunts
Pat Romano	....	stunts (as Patrick Romano)
Charles A. Tamburro	....	stunts (as Charles Tamburro)
Jeff Viola	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Carl Boles	....	gaffer
Elliot Davis	....	camera operator
Jan Kiesser	....	additional photographer
Michael R. Marquette	....	first assistant camera
Peter McEvoy	....	set lighting technician (uncredited)

Animation Department
Wm. Allen Blythe	....	animator (as Wm. Allen Blyth)
Ed Coffey	....	animator
Gail Fox	....	animator
Allen Gonzales	....	animator
John Norton	....	animator
Darrell Rooney	....	animator
Scott Santoro	....	animator
Ron Stangl	....	animation production coordinator
David Halver	....	rotoscope artist (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Tony Faso	....	costumer: men
Jennifer L. Parsons	....	costumer: women (as Jennifer Parsons)
Jack Sandeen	....	costume supervisor

Editorial Department
Axel Hubert	....	assistant editor (as Axel Anton Hubert)

Music Department
Greig McRitchie	....	orchestrator
Shawn Murphy	....	score mixer
Dennis Ricotta	....	music editor
Jack Wadsworth	....	supervising music editor
James Horner	....	conductor (uncredited)
Greig McRitchie	....	composer: additional music (uncredited)
Greig McRitchie	....	music arranger: Beethoven (uncredited)

Other crew
William L. Arance	....	airbrush artist (as W.L. Arance)
Edle Bakke	....	script supervisor
Susan Becton	....	production coordinator
Mark Harden	....	animal trainer
Bill Kilduff	....	optical supervisor
Jeanie Sims	....	creative consultant
Richard Sullivan	....	scene planner (as Richard T. Sullivan)
Charles A. Tamburro	....	aerial coordinator/pilot
Bayard Veiller	....	production coordinator
Cardon Walker	....	production coordinator

Production Companies

• Bryna Productions
• Walt Disney Productions

Distributors

• Buena Vista Distribution Company (1983) (USA) (theatrical)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (USA) (DVD)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (USA) (VHS)
• Buena Vista International

Special Effects

• Stan Winston Studio
• Symmetricon (special kaleidoscopic effects)
• Van der Veer Photo Effects (additional visual effects)
• Visual Concepts Engineering (additional visual effects)

Other Companies

• Animal Actors of Hollywood  supplying Tarantulas
• People of Vermont  special thanks for their help and cooperation

Runtime:

95 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Iceland:16 | Australia:PG | France:-12 | UK:PG | USA:PG

Filming Locations:

Morrisville, Vermont, USA

Company:

Bryna Productions

Trivia:

This was the last Disney movie to be released under the "Walt Disney Productions" banner. Later in 1983, the banner was replaced by "Walt Disney Pictures."

Quotes:

Charles Halloway: [quoting Shakespeare] By the pricking of my thumbs, something wicked this way comes.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Ugly Betty: Something Wicked This Way Comes (#2.6)" (2007)

Spooky flick with something to say to youngsters

This movie is based on Ray Bradburys novel Something Wicked This Way Comes. From what I hear the movie is very very different from the book, which by the way, I haven't read. So I want be comparing this movie to the book. The book is said to be more frightening then the film, but I guess thats understandable considering that this was a film produced by Walt Disney Pictures. Still, I found many good things in this movie.

Its story is about two young boys who are the best of friends. Will and Jim. One day a strange Carnival roles into town. This carnival seems to grant peoples most ardent wishes, but at a price. When Will and Jim discover whats really going on with this carnival they decide to try and stop it.

This movie was a bit uneven. There were some good things and there were some bad. First lets start with the good. The movie managed to evoke the feeling of a spooky, old town in the 1930s. Little shops all around, everyone knows each other, they are all friends. It kind of reminded me of that little town in that 80s TV show Little House on the Prairie. Remember that one? So anyways, the sets were very well achieved, so Kudos to the art department. There's also some very very good atmosphere on this film. I loved how the wind was constantly blowing and there were dried leaves all over the place. You get this kind of autumn feel, where winter is right around the corner, but not here yet. Anyhows, all the atmosphere adds to a very spooky town and that helps the film since this is after all horror/fantasy film.

Yeah its horror, but its not too horrifying. Its a Disney movie after all so you will never see anything too horrifying. Though Ill admit some of the images towards the ending of the movie scratched on too scary for kids. So what we have here is a light horror movie thats perfect for kids on the 7 to 10 year old range.

I loved what the movie has to say. There's many good themes that are touched upon in this film. So in essence, even though its a dark horror tale, its a good film that will teach kids important things about life .So I applaud it for that. I can see what Bradbury was trying to transmit with this movie. Unfortunately, I inferred most of these themes on my own. The movie doesn't exactly do a good job of explaining it all and here comes my first negative point about this film.

The story can sometimes become a muddled mess. For example we know that the carnival is evil. And we know that people get in trouble whenever they give in to what Mr Dark is offering. But its never really clear what it is that the Carnival people want with the towns people. Is Mr. Dark the devil himself in search of human souls? I don't know because its never fully explained. Whos this Dust Witch and why does she help Mr. Dark? Why is it wrong for the towns people to wish for what they wish for? I mean I don't understand why the movie is trying to give this message like its wrong to desire these things when in fact, I see nothing wrong in the football player wanting his leg and arm back. Or the old teacher wanting to be young again and so forth. So, the true intentions of the Carnival and Mr. Dark are not clearly explained and we are left to come to our own conclusions as to who Mr. Dark is and what he wants. So I'm going to have to say that the script was a bit weak and could have done a better job at explaining things instead of generalizing so much.

The special effects are as good as can be expected for 1983 and they sometimes amazed me. All in all the effects were pretty decent for those days. But I honestly think that this movie could benefit from a remake. In fact Id go as far as to say that this movie is screaming for a remake, with better effects and a more fleshed out script.

Jonathan Pryce does a good job at portraying Mr. Dark. My only beef with him was that even though he spoke a sinister sounding dialog, he himself didn't come off as pure concentrated evil. I think they could have cast someone slightly more evil looking. Slightly more menacing. But I can chalk that up to Disney not wanting this movie to be too scary. Jason Robards does the best job as Wills father. A man tormented by a mistake from his past and a man fearing death and getting old. He is a tormented soul and it shows in Robards performance. Pamela Griers role as the Dust Witch was short and I think she was wasted in this role. Honestly anyone could have done it.

All in all, this film had its faults like the ones I mentioned above, but still managed to be rather good. Yeah, it was uneven; yeah it wasn't to clear in explaining certain plot points. But it still managed to evoke that sense of wonderment you have when your at that young age as the kids in this movie. If only Disney hadn't held back in showing this stories full potential. Oh well, who knows, maybe someone out there in movie land will take this movie in and remake it following more closely Bradburys story. From what I hear, its a chilling read that I will no doubt be doing sometime soon.

Rating: 3 out of 5