Monday, October 2, 2017

31 Days of Horror 2017, Day 1: Stephen King’s “It”, Episode 1 (1990)


“Oh, yes... They float, Georgie... They float... and when you're down here with me... YOU FLOAT TOO! ”
-"Pennywise, the Dancing Clown"

Directed by: Tommy Lee Wallace

Starring:  Harry Anderson, Dennis Christopher, Richard Masur, Annette O'Toole, Tim Reid, John Ritter, Richard Thomas, Tim Curry

Trailer/Video: Here

The premise: A librarian discovers that a little girl’s murder is the work of an evil shapeshifting clown that terrorized him and his friends when they were children. Now, he’s calling said friends to come together and stop it again.

My Familiarity With the Series: My mother is a big-time Stephen King fan, so I was well aware of this thing’s existence even as a child, though I admit that the recent film adaptation is what finally got me interested in watching the 1990 miniseries.

Random thoughts as I watch it:

  • Right from the start, Tim Curry is terrifying as Pennywise.
  • Georgie’s death is incredibly tragic.
  • The way the flashbacks are handled reminds me a lot of Story Mode in recent Mortal Kombat games, the way that each chapter focuses on a certain character, but still moves the whole story forward.
  • I’m...not a huge fan of Seth Green, but I love his character here.
  • ...and the adult version is played by the judge from Night Court?!
  • I think I know where “that scene” in the book would be if it was in the movie. Glad they removed it.
  • Did Stanley commit suicide, or did It kill him? I’m leaning toward suicide, but the bloody writing on the wall, and the shot of the red ball shapes on the flowers right before makes me think It did it.
The Good:
  • Tim Curry as Pennywise. Dude acts the hell out of the role, and combined with the makeup and story, makes for an iconic and terrifying villain.
  • The pacing and storytelling are both fantastic, managing to fit a lot of story into ninety minutes. The use of character spotlight flashbacks is particularly well-done.
  • Most of the characters are well-developed and interesting, with Richie being my favorite.
  • Great casting, too. Both the kids and their adult counterparts are fantastic.

The Bad:
  • The TV miniseries budget and having to comply with BS&P takes away some of the story’s bite.
  • Likewise, having to cram half a 1,138 page book into an hour and a half leads to some things getting lost, such as most of Mike and Stanley’s development. That said, they managed to get a LOT told.
  • Some things seem a little hokey through a modern lens, mostly due to the special effects on a 1990 TV budget.

Best Scare: Anytime Pennywise brought out those pointy teeth. For a few hours ,afterwards I saw it every time I closed my eyes.

What Did We Learn Today? Tim Curry excels at playing space aliens who wear a lot of makeup.

Recommended? Yes.Looking forward to episode two!

No comments:

Post a Comment