The title isn’t me trying to be discrete about having a chat about sex or something, I literally just want to talk about IT because I really enjoyed it. Before getting into it I want to let you know I haven’t read the book but I know bits and pieces about it, and I’ve been a fan of the mini series since I first saw it at the tender age of twelve. That was a mistake.
So what did I think of the remake? I loved it. I really appreciate that they’re cutting it into two parts so this one just focused on the kids. I always found in the mini series that I felt like I didn’t connect enough to the characters with it jumping back and forth between the kids and adults. By only seeing them as kids there was a lot more time to come to know and care about the characters and it meant it affected me and made me feel more for them when things were happening to them.
I was also so impressed by the cast. Child actors are just getting better and better and I couldn’t believe how great they all were. In the 90’s version the kids were good, but they weren’t great, where as they are in the 2017 version. Especially the kid playing Georgie. We saw a lot more of this character in this one and he was creepy af. I really enjoyed the performance of every actor in this and that added a lot to my over all enjoyment of the film.
You might be wondering how Pennywise matches up 2017 vs. 1990, and though they’re two very different performances and looks, they both send shivers up my spine. 2017 Pennywise doesn’t have the same comedy effect as Tim Curry did, but I felt personally that it made it all the scarier that he’s a clown. A clown that isn’t even funny? Now thats what I call scary.
From what I know 2017 Pennywise is a lot closer to the book and despite having not read it, I appreciate that. I haven’t read it because I don’t enjoy King’s writing, but I do enjoy his stories and seeing a closer representation of that was really cool. I also saw on Twitter that King is happy with this and I’m very glad of that.
The basic story is the one we recognise from the 90’s, but with a lot added to make it much more compelling and generally scary. Most of the scenes that terrified me as a kid, like the blood in Bev’s bathroom is the scene we remember times a thousand and scared the bejeezus out of me. There were also a lot of scenes that were closer to the book (apparently) which added a lot more to the plot and made it less of just ‘random clown terrorising kids’ and more of ‘terrifying thing making people literally fucking float’. It was good.
If you’ve been thinking of going to see it, see it. If you love the book or the mini series, go see it. Take someones hand to hold though (still attached to their body preferably).
-Dana
Carry on Beautiful! 