A classic Halloween movie has just dropped on streaming. You can now watch the ’80s Disney film Something Wicked This Way Comes (1983) on Disney+. It has rarely been streamable anywhere, and I’ve never even heard of it. Come join me in watching it!
Here is my reaction to this rarely streamable Disney Halloween film:
NOTE: *SPOILERS AHEAD*
1.
Heck of a title card to start the movie. It’s fascinating to watch a 1983 Disney movie that I hadn’t heard of before. Mind you, I am a ’90s baby…but still.
2.
The theme sounds a little Darth Vader-ish. Maybe he’s on this spooky train. Also, always cool to see the author of a book also pen the screenplay. And yes, that is the same Ray Bradbury who wrote Fahrenheit 451.
3.
Pumpkin season, baby! This movie already gives off all the Halloween vibes.
4.
The voiceover bears a strong resemblance to A Christmas Story (1983), which is striking given they were released in the same year. I know it was a common trope to have voice-overs, but having it be the child reminiscing about past years during an establishing shot feels SOOO similar.
5.
We meet Will and Jim, two friends who are as adept at hurdling hedges as they are at being troublemakers. This movie is giving me all the nostalgia, even though I wasn’t alive during this time period.
6.
You know the “business dad” trope; meet the new and improved “librarian dad” trope (Will’s dad). I counted around six or seven character introductions, but I think they were done well in passing, without too much info-dumping from the narrator.
7.
My man is scamming this kid into buying a lightning rod. That said, the beetles are pretty cool. I’ll take two! I am to assume this will be a Will and Jim story, two neighbor friends.
8.
We meet this creepy barber, Mr. Crosetti. He also resembles someone who was once considered for the role of the Ghost of Christmas Past in a rendition of “A Christmas Carol.”
9.
Librarian Dad’s heart condition has been mentioned. Planting and payoff? Or a reminder that he is on the older side to be a father of a young child. Glad the film is acknowledging this, because I thought it was just weird casting.
10.
So, some guy in a top hat is tossing flyers for a carnival all over the town, and Librarian Dad is having some spooky visions.
11.
So, this spooky carnival just seemed to show up in the middle of the night. Loving the tension building up so far, and plenty of spooky clues that something is not right with this carnival…but the poor kids don’t know it yet!
12.
The boys snuck inside and gave themselves a spider jump scare. The carnival folk know the kids trespassed. This could be bad news for them and the whole town.
13.
Maybe it is a totally legit carnival (lol).
14.
Stop taking free passes, people! All the adult side characters seem to be getting their deepest desires. This carnival must want something pretty sinister.
15.
The adults are vanishing. Oh no!
16.
Introducing Mr. Dark. We only saw him briefly tossing flyers everywhere. I’d run now, kids.
17.
Headache carousel effect.
18.
Mr. Dark turned Coogler into a child. I imagine he will be doing his bidding undercover. Yikes. This is taking some weird turns.
19.
Yeah, Coogler is up to no good. They’re after the adults. I imagine they are tackling each person’s insecurities or desires.
20.
This father-son convo between Will and Librarian Dad (Charles) shows us the dad’s insecurities and his failure to save his son when he was drowning years ago. They’re setting up that redemption moment.
21.
Creepy smiling man-child. This film serves up some creepy moments.
22.
Will’s gonna be a problem. I think his recklessness is gonna cost the “good guys” when it’s all said and done.
23.
Yeah…there’s some messed-up stuff happening behind the scenes.
24.
Nope. The Dust Witch is here. RUN, KIDS!
25.
Something’s coming after the boys. Something…wicked?
26.
Tarantulas everywhere! The villains are trying to scare these poor boys to death. But it was all a nightmare. Thankfully.
27.
Carnival folks are having a parade looking for the two boys. This scene was the first moment I felt like I had seen this a LONG time ago, but I could be thinking about the Child Catcher from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. Creeps in top hats.
28.
I think it was actually really clever to have the missing adults turned into members of the carnival.
29.
Librarian Dad is no snitch. The kids evaded Mr. Dark, and now Librarian Dad told them to meet him at the library
30.
Also, this line goes way too hard for a family movie: “Sometimes a man can learn more from other men’s dreams than he can from his own.” Librarian Dad is a badass.
31.
At the library, we just learned that the carnival had arrived in town before, and Librarian Dad’s own father fought them off. Also, Mr. Dark is coming. Hide, kids!
32.
This movie is COOKING. The best moment so far is Mr. Dark bribing Librarian Dad to give up the boys, and he is tearing a page for every year he could get back, but the longer the father waits, the fewer years he gets. Some great stuff here, story-wise.
33.
Mr. Dark found the boys.
34.
Charles (Library Dad) is going to have to make the save. Mr. Dark is taking them back to the carnival.
35.
The “House of Mirrors” trope was as predictable as any, but I am still rooting for Charles.
36.
An AMAZING callback to when he rescued his son from drowning. Sure, the effects look dated, but they are killing it with this finale.
37.
Lol. A little random, giving the lightning rod salesperson the “big kill” moment of the Dust Witch. It felt like this should’ve gone to one of the kids.
38.
This was a BRUTAL demise of Mr. Dark on the carousel. He is losing his powers. I love how Charles advises his son to defeat Mr. Dark by focusing on things that bring him happiness. Again, not re-inventing the wheel with this plot, but it still SMACKS.
39.
RIP, Mr. Dark. Charles, Will, and Jim escaped the carnival before it got lifted away by a spooky tornado. I feel like Jim deserved a redemption arc, but it was given to the salesperson instead. Other than that misstep, I thought this was an incredible and scary conclusion for the whole family. The special effects were a lot of fun!
40.
A happy ending for our Charles, Will, and Jim, but a somber ending for those who didn’t make it out. What a spooky addition to Disney+! I might add this to the Halloween rotation!
Have you ever seen Something Wicked This Way Comes? What are your thoughts? Comment below!
