Disney is a distributor largely known for their light, family-friendly content, with much of their output targeted toward children and the young at heart. With that said, there are a couple of times the House of Mouse veered into full-on horror territory and likely traumatized plenty of unsuspecting youngsters in the process. The 1983 fantasy horror film Something Wicked This Way Comes is a noteworthy example of Disney branching outside their comfort zone and it remains one of their darkest offerings to this day. Perhaps that’s why the film failed to perform to expectations at the box office and didn’t really find its audience until it bowed on home video. More than 40 years on from release, Something Wicked This Way Comes still has a cult following, yet it remains impossible to watch online by any legal means.
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That’s a real shame, yet all is not lost. You can still pick up a copy of the flick on physical media. However, there’s a caveat.
Something Wicked This Way Comes Isn’t Legally Available to Watch Online
While you can still find the film on disc, it’s important to note that you can only find the title available via the secondary market, as it’s actually out of print. Fortunately, there have been several reissues to date across multiple formats, including DVD and Blu-ray. Accordingly, you can still find a pre-owned copy relatively inexpensively.
Perhaps this is a picture about which Disney would rather forget and that’s why it’s so hard to track down. The film proved a troubled production, with extensive reshoots, rewrites, and reported studio meddling. After all of that, the film was still a box office bomb, pulling in just over $8 million against an estimated budget of $20 million.
Although Something Wicked This Way Comes eventually began to connect with viewers after debuting on home video, it likely took some time to prove remotely profitable. With a troubled history like that, perhaps making the flick widely available isn’t a priority for the distributor.
Despite a Lack of Accessibility, Something Wicked This Way Comes Is a Memorable Gateway Horror
Though you may have to go out of your way to track down a copy, Something Wicked This Way Comes is still a noteworthy effort ready for rediscovery by the right audience. If you have children of an appropriate age, the film is a compelling gateway to the horror genre. It may be too macabre for very young kids, but will likely be just right for children old enough to understand and distinguish the difference between fantasy and reality. The scares are jarring, but they are still tame enough not to cause any permanent damage.
Aside from its status as prime gateway horror, fans also connected with the film for its depictions of autumnal atmosphere, making it a great choice for viewing during the upcoming Halloween season. Though Halloween isn’t the primary focus of the narrative, the spooky season still features prominently enough throughout.
Those who enjoy the film have also taken care to praise celebrated author Ray Bradbury’s screenplay. He adapts his novel for the screen, taking the sole writing credit on the project. Bradbury’s treatment captures the essence of his book, maintaining most of the core themes and characters in the process. As in his novel, the film focuses on the fear of growing old and the dangers of uncontrolled desire.
Director Jack Clayton brings Bradbury’s script to life with aplomb. He employs the persistent use of darkness and shadows to create a baseline of unease. Though the pacing meanders at times, the film is always eerie and imposing, even in its slower moments.
In case you’re unfamiliar with the setup, the film follows youthful protagonists Will Halloway (Vidal Peterson) and Jim Nightshade (Shawn Carson) as they run afoul of a sinister carnival proprietor called Mr. Dark (Jonathan Pryce). Mr. Dark offers people the desires of their hearts but the wishes that he grants always come at an unseemly cost.
If you are interested in revisiting this classic Disney picture, your best bet is to pick up a copy on physical media, seeing as Something Wicked This Way Comes is unavailable to legally watch online. If you endeavor to experience the film, you’ll be treated to a dark, atmospheric effort ready for rediscovery.
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Image Courtesy of DC Comics -
Image Courtesy of DC Comics
