Something Wicked This Way Comes

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Something Wicked This Way Comes

PG

1983

1h 34m

Horror

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

59%

Tomatometer

32 Reviews

64%

Popcornmeter

5,000+ Ratings

Mr. Dark (Jonathan Pryce) brings his traveling carnival to a small Midwestern town and grants wishes, for a price.

Critics Consensus

True terror and typical Disney wholesomeness clash uncomfortably in Something Wicked This Way Comes.

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Variety Staff

Variety

Possibilities for a dark, child's view fantasy set in rural America of yore are visible throughout the $20 million production but various elements have not entirely congealed into a unified achievement.

Mar 10, 2009

Full Review

Jonathan Rosenbaum

Chicago Reader

The plot concerns a mysterious carnival outside a small town in the early 1900s that grants the wishes of the town's citizens, with dark consequences.

Mar 10, 2009

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John Preston

Time Out

Ultimately, though, it's an uneasy blend of horror and whimsy, with the allegory being hammered a little too hard for comfort. It's also marred by some dreadfully tacky special effects and set designs.

Jun 24, 2006

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Peter Sobczynski

The Spool

[D]espite the hiccups and poor reputation, Something Wicked This Way Comes remains a surprisingly potent work of dark fantasy.

Jun 14, 2023

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Richard Holliss

Starburst

Something Wicked never really amounts to anything... its not until its viewed for a second time that it begins to make any kind of impact.

Aug 1, 2022

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Eddie Harrison

film-authority.com

...offering up horror tropes but grounded in small-town Americana, this is about the most wholesome horror film ever made...

Rated: 4/5

Mar 22, 2021

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Charlie R

After just watching a Transformers movie which took me two days of off and on breaks to bear the dull absurdity (how does one make absurdity dull?), I chanced on this film which is a classic of its kind. Who would have thought? – a story, a theme, a message, characters to care about. The effects are primitive probably even for 1983 but they kind of match the fantastical scenes that allow us to incorporate our own imaginations. That's what good ghost stories do. It was a treat in 2025 to be seeing some of the actors I grew up with long before 1883.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

01/14/25

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Jerod S

Kinda dark for Disney - but the evil circus is a great story by Bradbury.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

01/10/25

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Audience Member

I’m biased, as this was a movie I watched many times as a kid. So sentimental nostalgia here. Tacky special effects and production problems aside, I still love this one.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

08/15/24

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Bob L

Great childhood horror movie. I make my kids watch it with me each Father's Day (My kids might view that as a true horror film)

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

06/16/24

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Thom G

Something Wicked This Way Comes is a family-friendly horror story presented in a Disney-like adventure style.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

06/05/24

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Alec B

Many images remain burned in my brain and while it certainly isn't as good as I remember from my childhood viewing (clearly Disney diminished Clayton's original cut) it does have a memorable staying power.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

02/28/24

Full Review

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Jack Clayton

Director

Jason Robards

Charles Halloway

Jonathan Pryce

Mr. Dark

Diane Ladd

Mrs. Nightshade

Pam Grier

Dust Witch

Royal Dano

Tom Fury

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Synopsis

Mr. Dark (Jonathan Pryce) brings his traveling carnival to a small Midwestern town and grants wishes, for a price.

Director: Jack Clayton
Producer: Peter Douglas
Screenwriter: Ray Bradbury
Production Co: Walt Disney Productions, Bryna Productions
Rating: PG
Genre: Horror
Original Language: English
Release Date (DVD): Aug 3, 2004
Runtime: 1h 34m
Sound Mix: Stereo, Surround