Something Wicked This Way Comes (1983)

_**Something Slow & Dull This Way Comes**_ In 1932, a mysterious carnival comes to an Illinois town where weird things start happening and people strangely go missing. Jason Robards plays a librarian while Jonathan Pryce is on hand as the shadowy head of the carnival “Something Wicked This Way Comes” (1983) is spooky fantasy written by Ray Bradbury (based on his book). The studio, Disney, wasn’t happy with director Jack Clayton’s original cut and so took it out of his hands and undertook expensive reshoots, reediting and rescoring, plus adding a narration. I was expecting to love this movie since I favor flicks set in carnivals or circuses, like “Water for Elephants” (2011), "Berserk!" (1967), "Circus of Horrors” (1960) and “Funhouse” (1981) — even films like "The Greatest Show on Earth" (1952) and "Roustabout" (1964). Unfortunately, I was let down. Everything is here for a magical picture, but I guess too many cooks spoil the broth. The pace is overly slow and the film never recovers. It doesn’t help that the bulk of it was shot on Disney’s town set in Burbank, which elicits a low-rent vibe. Sure, the concept is great, Mr. Dark is an intriguing character, the Dust Witch is darkly beautiful (Pam Grier) and some of the weird happenings are well done, yet they don’t add up to a compelling story. Even the last act drops the ball with a talky sequence in the library, followed by an equally boring sequence in a mirror maze. The explosive close is impressive, but it’s too little too late. “Needful Things” (1993) wasn’t exactly great, yet it took similar material and made a more entertaining movie. For a superior spooky Disney flick from the early 80s check out the original version of “The Watcher in the Woods” (1980), I’m talking about the version that includes the titular skeletal-insectoid entity at the end (available on Youtube as a “fan edit”). The film runs 1 hour, 35 minutes, and was shot at Disney’s Golden Oak Ranch (the carnival scenes), which is a 20-minute drive north of Hollywood, as well as the Disney back lot in Burbank (the town set), with establishing shots done in Vermont (Morrisville and Waterville). GRADE: C

It might not be as great as it could've been, but I did enjoy watching 'Something Wicked This Way Comes'. Jonathan Pryce definitely carries events as Mr. Dark, who is a character that suits him very nicely. I'm a fan of Pryce from other films, so it's little surprise that I like him here. Jason Robards is good too, if a little muttered throughout. The child actors, meanwhile, are passable. The premise is filled with intrigue, it doesn't quite deliver on a grand scale and yet I still felt suitably entertained. The film is shot quite neatly, the main town in particular looks pleasant. Good, admittedly mostly thanks to Pryce.

By the pricking of my thumbs... Beset by production issues, Disney being horrified by the horror of the piece and etc, Something Wicked This Way Comes proved to be a most divisive picture. Yet it's actually a spooky family friendly horror yarn. Plot sees the Pandemonium Carnival roll into a small American town and mysteriously grant the residents their wishes. Of course it's a "too good to be true" set up, and after two young boys discover the carnival's secrets, they come under threat from the owner, Mr. Dark (Jonathan Pryce deliciously sinister). Directed by Jack Clayton (The Innocents) and photographed by Stephen H. Burum, pic is far darker than what Disney envisaged at the outset. Missing the crux of Bradbury's literary bent, the makers do however put forward a thoughtful and atmospheric story, one that looks and sounds terrific with its ethereal beats. It's a crafty puritan bad dream, where although it's true to say that the allegories and message at the core are driven hard, it still a devilish blend of horror and whimsical wonder. 7/10