This week in the crypt we take a look at the forgotten dark Disney film Something Wicked This Way Comes.
by Adam Holtzapfel
In 1983 Disney spent approximately 20 million bones on Something Wicked This Way Comes. Raking in a whopping 8.4 million at the box office this “failure” is a hidden gem in their library.
Adapted from Ray Bradbury’s novel of the same name this dark fantasy/horror flick clocks in at an hour and forty-five minutes.
This is a movie I want to say I saw as a child in the 80s, but this watch didn’t jog any memories of it.
Boasting a cast of Jason Robards, Pam Grier, Diane Ladd, & then relatively unknown Jonathan Pryce, this film has flown under the radar with no hint of a cult following.
While it starts slow showing local troublemakers Will Holloway (Vidal Peterson) and Jim Nightshade (Shawn Carson) leaving detantion, we see the tale of Mr. Dark’s Pandemonium Carnival roll into the Midwestern town of Greentown, Illinois.
Being mischevious young masters Holloway & Nightshade sneak off in the night to peak at the mysteries hiding on the train. As the stumble upon the Dust Witch (Pam Grier) they startle and rush home.
We see Charles Holloway (Jason Robards) notice his son Will sitting on the stairs not being able to sleep. Remarking that 3am is the Devil’s hour.
Following this Will & Jim go to the carnival where we see what Mr. Dark (Jonathan Pryce) is truly up to. The townspeople may get what they desire, but at what cost?
Using a mix of practical, early CGI, and animation this is a film that truly captures the feel of autumn.
What works is the setting and the cast. While the aforementioned take center stage Royal Dano (Killer Klown From Outer Space and the voice of Abraham Lincoln at Disneyland & Disney World), Angelo Rossitto (Freaks, Cinderella 2000), and an uncredited appearance by Phil Fondacaro (Willow, Bordello of Blood) provide some added bonuses for genre fans.
The film also does a good job building tension and making you feel uneasy up until the finale.
The story also works, while it’s a family friendly take on the story this is from a time where Disney was trying to breakaway from being just an animation studio.
Using a letter grading system this dark fantasy flick gets a B+ and will be watched every October 24th as that’s when it takes place. It may not have aged well visually, but the story is still fun with some fun effects and nothing too gory that it works as a great introductory horror film for kids of any age. Pair this with Coraline or The Dark Crystal for a decent family friendly double feature.
And remember kids, if you feel a chill…that’s not the cold. You’re in the crypt!
(Image from Google images)