ryl@ihlts.UUCP (05/02/83)
Relay-Version:version B 2.10 delta 4/26/83; site burl.UUCP Posting-Version:version B 2.10 gamma 4/7/83; site ihlts.UUCP Path:burl!spanky!ihnp4!ihlts!ryl Message-ID:<130@ihlts.UUCP> Date:Mon, 2-May-83 15:51:33 EDT Organization:BTL Naperville, Il. The title is self-referential. A disappointing film in many ways. Much of the dialogue is stilted and artificial; the special effects are strictly second-rate; some significant characters appear only long enough to declare their significance and then disappear for the rest of the movie (notably the lightning-rod man). Some of the scenes are very irrational, which gives the movie a some-what dream-like quality, although I doubt it was intentional. The leading characters are mostly one-dimensional cliches, and the ending is a sloppy sentimental scene where love and friendship wins over evil and death. Pardon me while I barf. Not in the least bit frightening, the movie does have just enough gore that you probably won't want to let small children see it (despite the Walt Disney tag). Stay away from this one. Bob "Two-dollar Matinee" Lied ...ihnp4!ihlts!ryl BTL-Indian Hill
lew@ihuxr.UUCP (06/01/83)
I saw "Something Wicked This Way Comes" over the weekend and I liked it quite a bit. I think several reviewers have remarked that the special effects are used judiciously, and I concur. It is very stylized, which makes it vulnerable to charges of "wooden acting", but I thought that this tone was important to the movie. It is a morality play and not a slice of life. There were several scenes that I found especially effective, notably the schoolteacher before the mirror and Jason Robards's temptation in the library. The former gave me a chill with almost no special effects at all, and the latter was a good example of an effect being used to support a scene, instead of being made the centerpiece. With people going gaga over all the pyrotechnical movies out these days, I think this movie is a refreshing change. It satisfies by giving you something a little different instead of trying to give you more than anybody ever gave you before of what you've already had plenty of. Lew Mammel, Jr. ihuxr!lew