There were two main authors that influenced my youth. For a long time it was the crazy worlds and adventures that Roald Dahl would create. When I got a little bit older, I had my first true Stephen King moment. It was grade seven, and a friend of mine at school told me about something that had been on television. Thankfully he had recorded it, and I got to see the opening scene of the TV mini-series of It. I already knew that horror was my thing, but what I had seen prior was instantly outclassed when I saw young Georgie interacting with Pennywise the Dancing Clown, who was talking to him from inside a storm drain. The way the scene played out was both enticing and horrifying. I was hooked. Within a year I had read Pet Cemetery, Misery, and Cujo. Eventually I took on the mammoth task of reading It, busting through its thousand pages as though they were nothing. This book, like what I had seen in the intro of the mini-series, stood out.
In 2017 a theatrical version of the film came out, and I was torn. I really wanted to see it, but this was a treasure from my youth, and I didn't want it to be ruined. I think It was the exact same thing for many people. The story is one that makes older people feel young, and gives young people a look at what time may bring about as they get older. The big key for this movie, which is the first of two, is that it needed to nail the energy of the characters.
It is about a group of young boys and one girl who are self described losers that realize something horrendous happened in their small town every twenty seven years, and whatever caused this to happen began toying with each of them. Adults in the town of Derry pay no attention to the tragedies, as though the entity is able to make them unable to put the pieces together. The kids, who call themselves The Losers Club, decide that they need to stop this evil that manifests itself as a very creepy clown named Pennywise.
The glue of this story is being able to feel as though these children are real people and not just characters in a story. Stephen King always made every person in his stories unique, and the script for the film (penned by Chase Palmer, Cary Joji Fukunaga and Gary Dauberman) does everything justice. Our members of The Losers Club are all very individual, as though an entire story could be told through their own perspectives. Each of them has their own fears, their own strengths, and hurdles. The electric dialogue captures the way a number of young boys talk with laser precision. The words flow, and their honesty makes The Losers Club come alive, giving us a strong emotional connection.
Viewing this film was a wonderful walk down memory lane, as each of the characters felt preserved from how I knew them from both the book and the mini-series. There's stuttering Bill as the de-facto leader. Beverly Marsh is brave and bold, coming from a horrible family life. Eddie Kaspbrak is constantly terrified of getting sick because of his over protective mother. And, always my favourite member of The Losers Club, Richie Tozier. Whether we're talking about book, mini-series, or movie, Richie's antics are always entertaining. Oh, and how could I forget the incredibly cruel Henry Bower, who has some complexity as a psychotic bully. All of the characters in the movie, even if some aspects may have changed, felt just as they always had.
One aspect that I was really worried about with the film version was how Pennywise would be played. The mini-series doesn't really stand up today, but I still love what Tim Curry did as Pennywise. He was equal parts giggly and depraved, a combination that was haunting. I will have to admit that on second viewing of It I do like how Bill Skarsgard envisions the clown. It is very different, but still a very creepy performance. There is a perverse nature, which meets up with immaturity, which meets up with sociopath.
The only thing that really ever took me out of the experience of It was some of the special effects. Most of the time the digital work is beautiful and seamless, but a few times it was not as good. I understand some of the shape shifting and trans morphing that Pennywise does needs digital effects, and those were all really good, but there were a few other moments when I became disconnected from the terror of the children. It didn't happen often, but it did manage to cause a bump in the experience. Please don't think that I'm saying that this is a poor aspect of the film. I just felt like I should mention that a couple of times the effects didn't do it for me. Just a few. Don't hate me. The rest of it looked great.
The point of this film isn't just to set up the showdown they will have with Pennywise in twenty seven years time. It seems to serve as a message on how youth see the world differently than their parents. I also believe that it will be part of a message on how we grow old, and what parts of us stay true to our childish nature. That's just a guess, because I don't know what the second movie is going to focus on. From what I remember, it is a theme of the book.
Like many of the horror classics I have written about this past week, there is a lot of good stuff attached to this film. It's main strength as a book is that the stories of the young and old are told simultaneously. It is understandable why both the mini-series and theatrical movie have decided to split into two parts to keep everything flowing for the medium of film. Ultimately, I am sure the best way to view It will be next year when you can see the second part at the same time. That's not meaning that I think you should wait. Watch it now, and then watch it again next year. Simple.
Based purely on quality reasons I could feel fine with calling It a modern horror classic. It is scary, paced like a nightmare, and gives us complex characters, both good and bad. When you add to that the fact that it went on to have the biggest opening weekend for a horror, and the second highest for an R-rated film, this is a movie that I don't will be forgotten by audiences any time soon. People flocked to this movie like nothing else, and I do not believe they were disappointed. I also think that for some younger viewers who may have snuck in, seeing Georgie and Pennywise will provide a new generation with a transformative experience.
Rating - 4 out of 4 stars
Like all great horror movies, this is a blending of genres. It is a legitimate scary horror movie, but it also works great as a nostalgic coming of age tale. They captures the time period perfectly, and the kids are very believable in their dialogue and actions. This deserves the label of a classic.
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