(2013-05-18 12:39:40)

The Scariest Kids Movie Ever Made

This review is from: Something Wicked This Way Comes (DVD) If you're a scary movie fan and you literally can't wait to watch a scary movie with your children, this is the one. It has plenty of spooky stuff for adults, but it never goes too far, and the kids will get spooked in a way that still makes it possible for them to go to sleep. Please, Disney, do not even think about remaking this movie. It's perfect.

(2013-05-17 18:10:51)

One of the best of Disney's "dark" side

This review is from: Something Wicked This Way Comes (DVD) I saw this movie when it debuted in the 80s; it goes without saying that a LOT of time had passed since I saw it and I wanted to see if the chills still held up.Bottom line: yes, they most certainly do. Jonathan Price as Mr. Dark is as fine a villain as has ever been envisioned. The carousel scene at the end is still one of the most chill-inducing I've seen in a PG movie. Perhaps the most haunting vision is the old teacher's dream of being the beauty she once was; she pays a hefty price for it, and I won't ruin it any more here; if you've never seen this though, the results are chilling. I cannot recall the actress' name. I just looked on IMDB, I believe it was Ellen Geer - and in the hands of anybody else, the scene would have felt phony; they found a real jewel, however, and she plays this scene brilliantly. The Dust Witch would also serve to scare me senseless as a younger man; she's still wickedly spooky 25 years later. Jason Robards seems a bit old to be the father, and he always did to me, but at the same time, he anchors this stellar cast and keeps the focus on the point of redemption that lies deep at the heart of the movie.It doesn't hurt a thing that it's based on Bradury's novel of the same name, and when you've got fiction writing like that to draw from, it's really hard to screw the picture up. Definitely a five star for me.

(2013-05-17 08:33:57)

Something Wicked Awesome This Way Comes

This is Wicked Awesome. This is one heck of a thiller. Sooo not for kids. This film 100% [bleep] your pants scary. I'm talking about kids head getting chopped off,the spider fight in the kids bedroom and the evil merry go round(aka The Scary Go Round). The highpoint of the film is Mr.Dark who turns everyone into circus freaks and his scene with Mr Halloway in th library is also [bleep]ing scary too. It also has alot of great acting from the kids,Mr Dark and the others. It's one of the few scary films Disney got right. I give this film a 10 out of 10.

Brandon L. Sites

(2013-05-16 14:13:22)

* * *1/2 out of 4.

Two young boys (Vidal Peterson & Shawn Carson) notice the arrival of acarnival. Its owner (Jonathan Pryce) makes wishes for the town's citizenscome true, but with horrifying results. Pryce knowing that the two boys knowwhat is going on unbeknowest to the town sets about trying to hunt them downwith the assistance of a dust witch (Pam Grier). However, if he is going toget the children he is going to have to go through the boy's father (JasonRobards).Sure, it is predictable. However, it has excellent production design,original and creative special effects, and a thoughtful screenplay. Pryceturns in a scary performance. Robards captures that right balance of beingbrave, yet terrified. And Grier turns in a seductive, very mysteriousperformance that has a very commanding presence in the film even though shehas very little screen time. Rather intense and scary film. The scene withPryce ripping pages out of a book and Grier placing a spell on Robards arequite memorable. Rated PG; Violence.

(2013-05-15 08:17:28)

Something Terribly Disappointing This Way Comes...

This review is from: Something Wicked This Way Comes (DVD) Was this made for TV? Having recently read the novel, I was eager to see the 1983 movie adaptation made by Disney. Although Ray Bradbury is credited with having written the screenplay, I imagine the finished product was anything he was happy with. The movie differs from the novel in much regard, with key plot points changed to render the movie a hideous mess of a thing. I was seething as I watched the movie, seeing these plot changes which were vital to the make-up, essence and design of the original story. As I continued to watch this ridiculously truncated, sanitized, and implausible film, I could not help but feel Jack Clayton (an accomplished British Director), must have been nervously running his fingers through his hair in the editing room as he said to himself "What have I done?" Disney has managed to turn a classic tale of the battle between good vs. evil into a student film with wooden acting (save for Jonathan Pryce as Mr. Dark), slim to little production value, and a cookie-cutter story that is not only predictable but very unsatisfying. Do yourself a favor, read the book and stay away from this forgettable and regrettable waste of time, and pray that the "powers that be" decide to make a true adaptation of Bradbury's masterpiece.

(2013-05-14 20:43:59)

Something Wicked

This review is from: Something Wicked This Way Comes (DVD) I got this for my Dad for Christmas. He had been mentioning he wanted it on DVD for some time. I got this at a great price and he was so excited. He watched it that night, then made me watch it with him just yesterday. Thank you for the good times.

dooose

(2013-05-14 07:06:21)

something good

I remember seeing this for the first time at the age of nine or ten, and itscared me quite a bit. Now as an adult I have included it in my dvdcollection, both for nostalgic reasons and for the fact that I still find itamusing to watch.Great story by Ray Bradbury, an evil carnival searching for souls and twoyoung heroes facing the evil. Interesting to make into a movie. EvenSpielberg considered doing it at some point(Bradbury interview). From thevery beginning, in 81, it suffered from problems. Much because of creativedifferences between key artists. The big problems came when thetest-screenings failed to impress. Due to the lack of "magic" the studiodecided to go for re-shoots and a heavy touch up of the entire movie. Therelease came finally in 83.The two main characters are good(although I have never seen them since), sois Jason Robarts and Pam Grier looks good as the Dust witch. But I must saymy favorite has to be Joathan Pryce as Mr Dark, Such a frightening andsinister character.Best and most memorable scenes are:-The entire scene in the library. (Truly a classic)-The demise of Mr Dark as well as the destruction of the carnival. -The spider scene (found myself looking under my bed covers)Disney went through a troublesome period with not too many successes at thattime. Fascinating as it was, DRAGONSLAYER was another one failing at thebox-office. I guess like SOMETHING WICKED it proved too dark for achildren´s movie.

(2013-05-13 22:41:04)

Something Wicked...

This review is from: Something Wicked This Way Comes (DVD) Dark's Pandemonium Carnival steams into town on a cold autumn's eve, bringing with it strange and fantastic attractions that tempt the weak at heart with prospects of newed youth, beauty, fame, lust, and other fine riches. Two young boys discover the sinister secret that has brought the autumn people back to their small town, as they make a stand against its evil proprietor. Ray Bradbury's frightful fantasy horror novel is brought to life in SOMETHING WICKED THIS WAY COMES, directed by THE INNOCENT's Jack Clayton. Clayton directs with a youthful exuberance that allows us to turn back the clock and become children once again, if only for a moment. With the aid of James Horner's orchestral score, the mood dances between light and dark, but always leaves us with the feeling of childlike wonder. As handsome as he is unsettling, Jonathan Pryce lives up to his character's name as the devilish Mr. Dark. He need only speak a line of Bradbury's prose to elicit chills. Jason Robards stands against him as the fading father figure who must conquer the regrets of old age to save his young son. The boys, played by Vidal Peterson and Shawn Carson, also capture the excitement and fears of childhood perfectly amidst the coming darkness. When placed within the confines of the ominous carnival setting, SOMETHING WICKED THIS WAY COMES becomes a living nightmare, and serves as a memorable fantasy horror film that is fun for the whole family!-Carl ManesI Like Horror Movies

(2013-05-13 01:05:57)

Something Wicked This Way Comes

This review is from: Something Wicked This Way Comes (DVD) Start with the fact that it's a Ray Bradbury story done by Disney. Mingle a battle of good and evil with all the hopes and fears of humanity. Wrap this in fine settings and costumes. Top it off with the presence of Jason Robards and Jonathan Pryce leading a very professional cast! The language is something that can tickle the ears: "By the pricking of my thumbs; Something wicked this way comes!" while the humor can be sly and comfortable. Yes, it's a family worthy film with something different for everyone. This is a find! A real gem! I highly recommend it.

(2013-05-12 17:53:19)

Disneyana Translated into New Show

If you enjoyed this film in your childhood as much as I did, you should also try the HBO TV series Carnivale which is now on DVD. It is more mature (rare nudity/language), but has many parallels to this Disney film. Both have figures of good an evil, magical events, and of course a traveling carnival. The TV series makes it a little more unclear who is good and who is evil, while there was never much dispute about that in the Disney movie. "By the pricking of my thumb..."

(2013-05-10 20:04:14)

Captures the basics, but doesn't quite do the book justice

"Something Wicked..." is my favorite Bradbury book, and a book I enjoyed immensely when I first read it as a teenager. I'm not sure what drew me to it again, but I re-read it recently, and my husband decided to re-read it, too. We talked about the book for weeks afterward, recalling our favorite scenes and themes -- it just really stays with you. Then I remembered that a movie had been made, and I recalled Jason Robards being in it, but I remembered nothing else about it. I think I know why: it's because the movie is simply NOT the book. It's enjoyable, and if I'd never read the book, I probably would have thought it was great. But the boys whose lives, characters and friendship are so beautifully and vividly made real in the book never come alive in the movie. For me, that's partly due to the weakness of the young actors in the key roles of Will Hathaway and Jim Nightshade. Not only are they not equal to the material, the powerfully connected relationship so clearly established in the book doesn't translate to the screen. Thankfully, Jason Robards, as Will's father, Charlie Hathaway, and especially Jonathan Pryce, as the sinister Mr. Dark, are just excellent. Lots of things have been changed for the film (and mostly not for the better): characters are changed, or (oddly)added; key incidents are altered; and many of the most magical, fantastic and chilling things described in the book (pretty much everything having to do with the Dust Witch, for example) just don't have the same power onscreen. All of these changes are surprising given the fact that Bradbury adapted the screenplay himself. Having said all that, the movie is still entertaining, although I agree with other reviewers that this is not a film for young and/or impressionable children. It's still spooky, and some scenes do capture the creepiness of Bradbury's original work. And the movie does a fine job communicating the central theme about the saving power of love; in this case, between a boy and his father, and a boy and his best friend.

(2013-05-10 07:49:01)

Bradbury's Best, and Disney's Too

I was never a great fan of Ray Bradbury's writings, but I lovedSomething Wicked This Way Comes and looked for the movie on DVD regularly until it was issued. The movie does full justice tothe book, and the special effects, while not spectacular (andprobably not intended to be) bring the story to life in a waynot often achieved. The basic theme is selling one's soul tothe 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 beyondthe ordinary. The lightning, a key element of the story, is,alas, a bit phony in the strokes, but the white-lighting of thelandscape by the flashes are very realistic. As a lover ofthunderstorms, I count this movie worthwhile for that alone.Not having re-read the book for many years, I had to watch themovie 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 withwide-screen and full-screen versions.

juliasmom97

(2013-05-05 23:17:20)

Be careful what you wish for

While this movie is different than the novel (which I highlyrecommend)in development of characters, Bradbury was true to his theme.This is a simple movie with a simple message- it's not what you've donein life that you regret, but what you DIDN'T do. Each one of theaffected characters wanted what was, not what could be. They chose tolive in the past, not take advantage of the life they were given. Mr.Dark and the Carnival offered them a second chance, but at a horribleprice. How easy would it be for any of us to take Mr. Dark's offer? By today's standards, the special effects are lame, but that spiderscene will still send kids up the wall in terror!! The Dust Witch isstill very scary. Watch this movie, read the novel, then read moreBradbury-especially The Halloween Tree stories. He is truly an Americanmaster.

(2013-05-05 09:18:14)

And you thought the book was bad?

So you thought the book was bad? You haven't seen bad. The story was completly twisted in the movie. The most random things came out of no where! Please tell me,since when were light savers(like from star wars) in something wicked this way comes????Even the ages of the boys(Will and Jim) were wrong. The most insignificant and the most significant things in the ook were changed. It was totally pointless. Bad acting.Bad special effects.Bad everything. Don't waste your money.

(2013-05-05 03:22:30)

Wicked Ways

This review is from: Something Wicked This Way Comes (DVD) This Ray Bradbury inspired movie was something that was missing from my collection until I ran across this on Amazon. Rarely televised, it's a great one to watch with the grandchildren, at least from my experience. Could also be a good Pam Grier trivia question since you have to check the movie credits carefully to catch her name.As usual, Amazon comes through with hard to find items at a reasonable cost and quality guaranteed.

(2013-05-04 13:33:55)

Love Bradbury! Not so much love for screen adaptation -

Something Wicked This Way Comes - staring Jason Robards and Jonathan Pryce. A screen adaptation (1983) by the author, of his own novel. The film is good only during scenes with Pryce and Robards (it's 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. Burum [the writer of this review simply can't tolerate the day-for-night scenes.]), it seems 10 to 18 pages of the original script are missing from the final cut (the whole Tom Fury, B-Story). Much of the special effects scenes are cut in such a way as to reveal they simply didn't work and had to be cut out all together &/or "cut around." Much to my dismay, the story simply falls apart. Somehow, a beautiful script ended up as a film that, "...had to be saved." That's Hollywood...

johnstonjames

(2013-05-02 11:17:51)

Meeting Of The Minds

by 1983 a collaboration between Disney and author Ray Bradbury was longoverdue. Bradbury had admired Disney for decades and even had a fewpersonal meetings with Disney. since both were highly respected youwould think they would have been paired earlier cinematically but itwas probably felt that Bradbury wouldn't make for a family film or goodDisney. Disney seldom did horror or sci fi, so exploring authorBradbury would make for a whole new venture.1983 was probably when the Disney studios was mature and ready butironically they were cutting back on Disney live action releases andwere in the process of shutting down the Disney back lot in Burbank.'Something Wicked' was one of the last live action films to be filmedon the Burbank backlot and Disney ranch using the same techniques forproduction as the old school live action films produced by Walthimself. it was lucky that they got to film a Bradbury movie on theoriginal lot and the way Walt did and under the Disney productionbanner.not only was it a good thing that the Bradbury film got to be conceivedby the Disney old school but it also turned out wonderfully and was aexcellent adaptation of the book, and yes, i have read the book.knowing the book i'm sure it wasn't a easy task to bring off. the bookis not only too dark for a Disney film, but it is also very descriptivewith over half of it being description and literary prose. what workswell in descriptive form doesn't always easily translate to quick,precise visuals that move a film along as cinema. the finished resulthere is so good because it manages to convey the literary importance ofthe book without compromising itself as quick moving cinema. theliterary aspect is well preserved but the film also moves fast enoughas not to be too long for cinema audiences and not too long forchildren and the family viewers which should be Disney's targetaudience. the film is beautifully atmospheric which gives homage to the literaryelement as well as elegantly photographed and directed. it is a classact all the way.is it scary? well yes, i think so. it's not too scary for kids orDisney, but scary enough to justify itself as horror. things also movequicker and are less subtle than the book so the Dark circus itselfcomes off as more homicidal and aggressive in snatching away it'swoeful victims than even the book described.excellent adaptation of a difficult source as well as classic Disneyand very good cinema. a must for anyone interested in the final filmsfrom the original Burbank studio and the old school staff.

(2013-05-01 18:17:43)

Yikes!

How much of what you hold dearest would you be willing sacrifice for your fondest wish? But then that wish goes awry...

(2013-04-29 09:29:16)

something wicked this way comes

This review is from: Something Wicked This Way Comes (DVD) hi when i received the dvd it did not work in this region australia and it will cost me money to send back thanks bill

(2013-04-28 20:14:19)

not as good as the book!

I'd like to ask Ray Bradbury why he felt it necessary to change so much of the story for this film adaptation of his own book. As an average movie it stands alone, but if you have already read the book, don't expect the same level of suspense, mystery or atmosphere. The film has virtually none of these. I could understand the difference if the screenplay had been written by someone else, but the way Bradbury has cut up his own work is beyond understanding. The main let down is the ending. When I read the book I pictured it as a movie. It would have worked wonderfully without any major changes. This movie just lacks the magic of the original story.