Horror Film Review #11

IT

Undeniably one of author Stephen King’s better big screen adaptation. IT; next to the academy nominated film Get Out has ushered in a respectful appreciation to the horror/thriller genre for a more mainstream general audience. Gaining much critical praise as well as raking in millions of dollars at the box office.  IT:Chapter one is a call back to the original 1981 novel and aspects to the 1990 two part TV mini-series. Improving on the written ending of the novel where Bill the leader of the losers club faces off against pennywise by performing the Ritual of Chud and entering the Macroverse.

Alan Moore's Watchman

Writer Alan Moore had a similar insane climax with an alien invasion conspiracy becoming the set-up for the end of Watchman’s graphic novel. The plot
device of two pieces of silver dollar chunks was not used in this movie, but the theme of children banding together as a team to defeat an evil, is universal in each and every incarnation.

The Dark Tower

 The connections with IT, and other of King’s film properties has shown up, in The Dark Tower  movie for example, The film had a nod to Pennywise in a very brief scene of a desolated and ravaged playground; and with multiple of parallels with characters of both the losers club and the older teen bullies existing in Stand by Me. In the novel IT, Pennywise is first introduced to Georgie by calling himself Mr. Bob Gray.  Mr. Gray was the name of alien antagonist in the movie Dreamcatcher. Conversely in the Dreamcatcher novel our main characters come across a spray painted sign saying Pennywise, as Dreamcatcher takes places in the town of Derry, Maine, and Bill and his friends are nearing 27/30 year reunion mark to re-face Pennywise for their final confrontation; in that timeline. To see how more crossover and inter-woven stories exist watch the series Castle Rock, the Stephen King new landmark series. Bill Skarsgard plays a Shawshank prisoner.

With the implementing of today’s special effects into the make up and action sequences; Bill Skarsgard’s Pennywise gives this version more menace than the iconic Tim Curry creation.  Those who panned or criticized the television re-imagination of IT from the novel, did not give a bad review of Curry’s portrayal, Skarsgard was smart, to go a different path, giving this clown certain facial tics and mannerisms that set him apart from Curry’s portrayal.  In the first 15 minutes of this movie a vicious dramatic tone was set and the atmosphere and drama did not relent.

The Premise: Several kids band together to face an ancient evil that has plague Derry, Maine. Every 27 years  begins the killing of many children underneath a mystical shroud covering over all the unassuming adults from seeing the truth. Pennywise the clown can invade a child's thoughts, and manifest their own worst fears against them as he picks off a child/teen one at a time. The last stand transpires in a place called the Barrens, where these seven kids must face their fears and stop IT before he kills again.

The cast of children who play the losers club are phenomenal, Sophia Lillis who plays Beverly Marsh is only 15 years old, but is surprisingly sophisticated for the layered levels of maturity she displays; she does bare a striking resemblance to actress Amy Adams, and that has not gone unnoticed as she plays a younger version of the actress in this summer’s  HBO series Sharp Objects.  The movie also closely resembles the Netflix series Stranger Things and their amazing cast;  No surprise that Finn Wolfhard from Stranger Things aka  Mike Wheeler, plays Richie in this movie a Pubescent  13 year old with a lewd vocabulary.

Note: No reflection of the Eyes

Within 9 days of the movie's release, confirmation of Chapter Two became official and its set to hit theatres in September 2019. Our film began in 1989/90 and concludes present day. Giving an adult take a with very modern coat of paint and interpretation of the story. No word of casting besides the return of Bill Skarsgard  and Jackson Robert Scott as little Georgie. Pennywise’s first shown victim.  If the TV movie is an indication of what to expect, the fallout of the chapter two will be just as good and fulfilling as the first.