I Rewatched A Forgotten Disney Horror Film For The First Time In Decades, And It’s Somehow Better And Worse Than I Remember

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It seems strange to think of a Disney movie as being truly scary. While Disney has started making things for older audiences with Marvel and 20th Century Fox, the Disney brand is still known for family-friendly entertainment. But if you have Disney+, you can now watch one of Disney’s early attempts at horror: the 1983 film adaptation of Ray Bradbury’s *Something Wicked This Way Comes*.

I have such fond memories of watching *Something Wicked This Way Comes* when I was younger. For years, it was practically impossible to find, but back in the day, it used to pop up on cable all the time. Now that Disney finally added it to Disney+ – it was one of those classic films they’d been holding back – I jumped at the chance to revisit it. And honestly? It was both exactly how I remembered it, and surprisingly different. Some parts really held up, while others… not so much.

Something Wicked This Way Comes Has Perfect Atmosphere And One Fantastic Performance

Jonathan Pryce delivers the standout performance in the film. Relatively unknown in 1983, he later became a celebrated actor. While he’s appeared in a mix of good and bad films, he’s never given a truly poor performance – and this movie is no exception. He plays the villain, Mr. Dark, with remarkable skill.

Pryce is captivating whenever he appears on screen. His performance is so strong that the only real flaw is that he isn’t in the movie more. I used to think he was the most memorable part of the film, and after revisiting it, I understand why even more.

The most memorable part of *Something Wicked This Way Comes* isn’t any particular actor, but the overall feeling it creates. The movie’s spooky atmosphere is incredibly well done, and it truly captures the spirit of a Ray Bradbury story. While it might not scare hardcore horror fans, the film has surprisingly shocking moments – especially considering it’s a Disney production. Seeing a teenage boy confront a vision of his own severed head is definitely unexpected from Disney.

The Adaptation Of Ray Bradbury Suffers In the Edit

Rewatching *Something Wicked This Way Comes* after many years brought back fond memories of seeing it as a kid, and I could appreciate its intentions. However, as a film critic, I found it difficult to overlook the weaknesses that didn’t bother me when I was younger.

Despite having a promising source material, the film *Something Wicked This Way Comes* doesn’t quite live up to its potential. It underwent extensive reshoots and editing, and the original script, written by Ray Bradbury, was altered without his approval. This leads to a disjointed and confusing experience. The movie relies too much on explaining things directly instead of letting the story unfold visually, which weakens the impact of key emotional scenes. There are also inconsistencies with the ages of the teenage lead actors. Ultimately, the ending feels disconnected and out of place, as if it belongs to a different film altogether.

I have fond memories of *Something Wicked This Way Comes* from when I was a kid, and revisiting it recently showed me why it stuck with me – many scenes are truly unforgettable, even if the movie isn’t exactly as I recalled. I’m glad Disney+ added it to their streaming service! Hopefully, they’ll also add *Watcher in the Woods* and other classic Disney TV shows and movies that are currently missing from the platform soon.

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2025-10-07 16:40