The 1972 dark fantasy horror drama film Something Wicked This Way Comes is based on the 1962 Ray Bradbury novel of the same name. It is probably the first full length adaptation of that work although some aspects of what would become the novel were filmed as far back as 1956. This version was made by the “Children’s Film Unit” project, a British film production unit which offered children from the ages of 10 to 16 the opportunity to learn about all aspects of filmmaking. They aspired to make professional-quality feature films. This low-budget, unauthorized adaptation falls quite a bit short of any such aspiration.

On the upside, the film follows the plot of Bradbury’s novel pretty well and even incorporates aspects of the novel not featured in the 1983 Disney production. My favorite of these was the terrific hot air balloon, which was sadly omitted from the Disney version. It had just the right look and feel. Unfortunately I suspect it was a miniature model not big enough to actually hold a human, or human-sized being. It is supposed to fly the Dust Witch, whose makeup is hideously overdone.

The “logic” employed in the making of this thing is incomprehensible. It boggles the mind that the filmmakers chose to use Bradbury’s title and credit him by name, then change almost every name in the story! Jim Nightshade becomes Jim Stone, played by Mark Ashman. Will Halloway becomes Ben Hopewell, played by Ben Clennell. Why change the first name? Will is a perfectly good English name going back to at least William the Conqueror. Did they figure Will sounded too much like Jim, or was the poor kid so flustered at answering to a different name that they just used his real first name?

The changes, name and otherwise, go on. Mr. Dark becomes Mr. Black, played by Les Scott. Mr. Cooger becomes Mr. Puma, unaccountably spelled “Pumer,” played by Greg Page. Miss Foley becomes Mrs. Mason, played by Glen Dunderdale. The wonderfully named “Cooger & Dark’s Pandemonium Shadow Show” becomes “Pumer & Black’s Fabulous Freak Show.” The setting is changed from Greentown, Illinois, U. S. A., circa 1928, to Blackfen, a suburb of South East London, England, located within the London Borough of Bexley, circa 1972. There are naturally British and modern touches, such as “candy floss” for “cotton candy,” “roundabout” for “merry-go-round” or “carousel,” and bumper cars at the carnival.

A mention must be made of the music. “Dixie,” a quintessentially American tune, is played twice. Another very American tune which appears is “She’ll Be Coming ’Round the Mountain.” Overall the music is often inappropriate to the action and attempted mood and is not well used. Between the British accents and imperfect sound it is not always possible to understand everything which is said but I caught most of it.

As in the novel and 1983 film, the carnival arrives on October 24. Jim and Ben are intrigued by it and the more they investigate the more they uncover sinister and supernatural goings on. The carnival people institute a search after the boys learn too much and they must flee. They seek help from Ben’s father, Mr. Hopewell, played by Tony Collins, arguably the best actor in the production. In the book he is the library janitor but in the two movies he is the local librarian.

The worst actor might just be Les Scott as Mr. Black. It is true that Jonathan Pryce’s brilliant Mr. Dark would put almost any actor to shame, but almost any actor could put this dude to shame. Watching his pursuit of the boys while they hide in the library, so well done in the 1983 production, is actually painful to experience.

For anyone who had problems with the 1983 version, I advise watching this thing and your problems will magically disappear. I do advise reading the book first so this film doesn’t spoil it for you.