Something Wicked This Way Comesis a 41-year-old Disney horror movie that deserves more recognition. The movie, which is based on Ray Bradbury’s 1962 novel of the same name, chronicles the adventures of two young boys after a creepy and mysterious circus appears in their sleepy town.The script of the unsettling film was penned by Bradbury himself, so there is not much difference between the movie and the novel apart from the scenes that were cut out as they were deemed too scary for a Disney movie.
The movie which is often underrated and forgotten was part of Disney’s dark period. The production ofSomething Wicked This Way Comeswas fraught with behind-the-scenes drama before it was released.Bradbury and director Jack Clayton had disagreements about the screenplay, which was changed during production despite Bradbury writing it. Despite the disagreements between the movie’s creators,Something Wicked This Way Comesstill ended up being one ofDisney’s most scary movies.
10 Hidden Details You Didn’t Know About Something Wicked This Way Comes
Prepare to take a dive into Disney’s dark side, as we explore the hidden details in Something Wicked This Way Comes.
What Disney’s Something Wicked This Way Comes Is About
Something Wicked This Way Comes Features A Creepy Circus
Something Wicked This Way Comeschronicles the story of a sleepy town that is bewitched by Mr. Dark, the owner of a mysterious traveling circus. Will Halloway and Jim Nightshade are two best friends who witness the arrival of the circus with its creepy owner and deduce that their small town is about to be irrevocably changed. The circus has strange attractions that give the members of the town what they wish for, but at a price.
The vampire-like Mr. Dark wants to take control of the town and, like the devil, damn more innocent souls. However, before he can carry out his plans, he needs the help of Fury to uncover the secret of the storm. It’s up to Will, Jim, and Charles to overcome their fear to save the town from Mr. Dark.
Something Wicked This Way Comes Was Part Of Disney’s Horror Trend
From the time Disney was established,the production company marketed itself as a family-friendly entertainment companyand thus released movies that were true to that brand. In the 1980s, Disney deviated from its family-friendly formula and ventured into material that would not be typically associated with the production company. It was during this time that the company began releasing horror movies such asThe Watcher in the Woods,The Black Cauldron,Returnto Oz, andSomething Wicked This Way Comes.
While it seems like the 1980s marked the beginning of the production company’s dark turn,Disney’s horror movie trend actually began 94 years ago.Something Wicked This Way Comesand other movies released in the ’80s were a continuation of that trend.The horror movie had some spooky scenes including a decapitated head, a room full of tarantulas, and an electrocuted corpsethat would scare even the most seasoned horror movie viewer.Something Wicked This Way Comesdoesn’t feature gore, death, or violence typically featured in horror movies, but there’s still something about the eerie town that makes the movie unnerving.
Why Something Wicked This Way Comes Is An Underrated Disney Movie
Something Wicked This Way Comes Was A Box Office Failure
One of the reasonsSomething Wicked This Way Comesis overlooked is due to the film’s poor box office performance.The movie had an estimated production budget of $20 million but only made $8.4 million, making it a financial failure for the production company.Something Wicked This Way Comeswas released during a period when Disney was producing movies in the horror genre that made more of a splash, making it easy for the film to be underrated.
Movies such asThe Watcher in the Woods,Return to Oz, andThe BlackCauldronwere usually compared toSomething This Way Comesand the 1983 horror fantasy often fell short. However, despite being a financial failure and not being fully appreciated for what it is, the movie still garnered good reviews.Something Wicked This Way Comesis not only a good Halloween movie, but also one that features hidden gems and themes that still resonate today.
Something Wicked This Way Comes
Cast
Something Wicked This Way Comes is a dark fantasy film based on Ray Bradbury’s novel. Directed by Jack Clayton, it follows two young boys and the illusionist Mr. Dark, whose mysterious carnival arrives in their small town. With a cast led by Jason Robards and Jonathan Pryce, the story delves into themes of desire and fear as the boys uncover the sinister secrets behind the carnival’s supernatural attractions.
