Something Wicked This Way Comes Synopsis & Review: Plot Summary

🎯 Quick Overview

😅 Plot Summary – Badly Explained

Two boys discover a creepy carnival run by a tattoo-covered villain who grants wishes with terrible consequences, so they team up with one boy’s dad, who’s a librarian, to fight evil using the power of…laughter?

🍿 Something Wicked This Way Comes: Detailed Plot Synopsis

The Arrival of the Carnival

In Green Town, Illinois, best friends Will Halloway and Jim Nightshade encounter a mysterious traveling carnival called Dark’s Pandemonium Carnival. The carnival arrives at an unusual late-October date, piquing the boys’ curiosity and raising suspicion.

The Carnival’s Dark Promises

The carnival, led by the sinister Mr. Dark, offers to fulfill the townsfolk’s deepest desires. However, these wishes come at a terrible price, often leading to twisted and horrifying outcomes. Several townsfolk succumb to the carnival’s allure, with devastating consequences.

Will and Jim’s Discovery

Will and Jim begin to uncover the dark secrets of the carnival. They witness unsettling transformations and realize the true nature of Mr. Dark and his intentions. Their growing awareness puts them directly in the path of danger, as Mr. Dark seeks to silence them.

⚠️ Spoilers and Ending Explained

🎬 Cast & Characters

• Will Halloway (Vidal Peterson): A cautious and thoughtful twelve-year-old boy who serves as the moral compass and protector of his friend.
• Jim Nightshade (Shawn Carson): A rebellious and adventurous twelve-year-old boy who is easily tempted by the carnival’s promises.
• Charles Halloway (Jason Robards): Will’s father, the town librarian, who grapples with his own mortality and ultimately confronts Mr. Dark.
• Mr. Dark (Jonathan Pryce): The sinister and manipulative proprietor of the Pandemonium Carnival, who preys on the desires of the townspeople.
• Dust Witch (Pam Grier): A dangerous and seductive member of the carnival, who uses her powers to hunt down Will and Jim.
• Tom Fury (Royal Dano): A lightning rod salesman who foreshadows the arrival of the evil carnival and plays a key role in its defeat.
• Miss Foley (Mary Grace Canfield): A school teacher who falls victim to the carnival’s deceptive promises of restored youth and beauty.

💬 Memorable Quotes

• Charles Halloway: “You can’t depend on anybody else. You have to save yourself.” – Charles imparts this advice to Will, emphasizing self-reliance in the face of danger.
• Mr. Dark: “We know what you want.” – Mr. Dark uses this to lure the townspeople by exploiting their hidden desires.
• Charles Halloway: “Hell, son, is knowing what to do, knowing what’s right, and just not doing it. Not doing it.” – Charles describes his personal concept of hell, expressing regret for missed opportunities and inaction.
• Charles Halloway: “Damn you, Dark. Damn all you autumn people! Get out of here! Get back to whatever hole you crawled out of!” – Charles confronts Mr. Dark with anger and bravery in the library.
• Charles Halloway: “If we’re good, then demons can’t harm us, can they?” – Will asks his father for reassurance about their safety from evil.

💰Box Office

• Budget: $19,000,000
• Domestic Gross: $8,400,000
• Worldwide Gross: $8,400,000

💥 Something Wicked This Way Comes Reviews

Personal Review

As a kid, this movie terrified me! The spider scene alone was enough to keep me up at night. Re-watching it as an adult, it’s still wonderfully creepy, especially Jonathan Pryce’s performance. I think it’s a great movie with a message. The scene where they tear pages out of the library book gave me the chills. It made me feel like I was a kid again.

• Who would enjoy:
  • “Fans of Ray Bradbury’s writing”
  • “Viewers who enjoy dark fantasy and horror”
  • “Those interested in coming-of-age stories with supernatural elements”
  • “People who like movies set in small-town America”
• Content warnings ⚠:
  • “Mild horror elements including spiders and frightening imagery”
  • “Themes of temptation and dealing with the devil”
  • “Scenes that may be intense for very young children”

Professional Reviews

• Variety: “A visually stunning, if somewhat uneven, adaptation of Bradbury’s classic novel. Pryce shines as Mr. Dark, though the film struggles to capture the book’s darker themes.
• The New York Times: “Director Clayton creates an eerie atmosphere, but the film lacks the emotional depth of Bradbury’s writing. Robards delivers a heartfelt performance as the conflicted father.
• Los Angeles Times: “Visually impressive, but ultimately disappointing. The film tries to capture Bradbury’s magic but falls short, resulting in a muddled and somewhat lifeless adaptation.

Audience Reactions

The creepy atmosphere and Jonathan Pryce’s unforgettable performance as Mr. Dark are amazing.: Most viewers praise the film’s dark atmosphere and Pryce’s performance, but some find the special effects dated and the child actors somewhat wooden.

Overall Consensus: A visually impressive but ultimately flawed adaptation of Bradbury’s novel, with strong performances but an uneven tone.

Awards

🛠️ Behind the Scenes

• “Stephen King wrote a screenplay adaptation of the novel, but it was rejected.”
• “Many scenes were filmed at Disney’s Golden Oak Ranch and on the Disney backlot, creating the quintessential small-town American atmosphere.”
• “The film’s score was initially composed by Georges Delerue, but it was replaced by a score by James Horner after Disney executives felt it wasn’t suitable.”

🖥️ How to Watch Something Wicked This Way Comes?

Something Wicked This Way Comes is available for purchase or rental on various platforms. Check Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play Movies, and Vudu for streaming options. Physical copies (DVDs and Blu-rays) can also be purchased from major retailers.

🎥 Similar Movies

If you enjoyed Something Wicked This Way Comes, you might like these similar films:

• The Twilight Zone: The Movie (1983): Shares a similar anthology format with dark fantasy and suspenseful elements exploring morality and human nature.
• Carnival of Souls (1962): A low-budget cult classic featuring a mysterious carnival and an eerie, unsettling atmosphere, preying on psychological fears.
• The Night Circus (2011): Shares the common theme of the book and the movie – magic, a carnival, competition of the two main characters and fighting between Good and Evil.
• Pan’s Labyrinth (2006): Presents a dark fantasy world seen through the eyes of a child, blending magical elements with a grim reality.

🛒 Something Wicked This Way Comes Related Products

• Something Wicked This Way Comes (Blu-ray): The definitive Blu-ray edition features enhanced visuals and sound, including deleted scenes and behind-the-scenes footage that add depth to the movie.
• Something Wicked This Way Comes (Novel) by Ray Bradbury: Read the book, and experience the full breadth of Ray Bradbury’s vision. See the difference between the book and the movie.
• Funko Pop! Mr. Dark: A stylized vinyl figure of Mr. Dark to add a touch of creepy elegance to any collector’s shelf.
• Mr. Dark’s Pandemonium Carnival T-shirt: Show off your love for the movie with this vintage-style t-shirt featuring the logo of Mr. Dark’s Pandemonium Carnival. Soft and comfortable.

🎧 Soundtrack

Something Wicked This Way Comes features a captivating soundtrack that enhances the movie’s atmosphere and emotional impact. Here are some notable tracks:

• “Main Title” – performed by James Horner
• “Arrival of the Carnival” – performed by James Horner
• “The Carousel” – performed by James Horner
• “Now, When The Dusky Shades Of Night” – performed by Jason Robards, Ellen Geer, Vidal Peterson and cast

You can find the complete soundtrack on Amazon Music and Apple Music.

🤨 FAQ

🔥 Bonus Content

Disney’s BURIED Secret Behind This WICKED Movie & EPCOT

Did you know that ‘Something Wicked This Way Comes’ has a spooky connection to Disney’s EPCOT? This video dives into the fascinating (and slightly eerie) story of how the movie and the theme park are intertwined, plus some background on Ray Bradbury. It’s a seriously cool piece of Disney history you probably haven’t heard!

Not Like Other 80s Fantasy Movies | Top 10 Most Underrated Fantasy Movies

Think you’ve seen all the best fantasy flicks from the 80s? This video makes a case for ‘Something Wicked This Way Comes’ as one of the decade’s most unfairly overlooked gems. It’s worth checking out if you want to rediscover some hidden treasures (and maybe find a new favorite!).

✨ Rate