{"id":17306,"date":"2013-10-02T22:59:17","date_gmt":"2013-10-03T02:59:17","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/cinema-crazed.com\/blog\/?p=17306"},"modified":"2017-03-29T10:16:54","modified_gmt":"2017-03-29T14:16:54","slug":"stephen-kings-it-1990","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.cinema-crazed.com\/blog\/2013\/10\/02\/stephen-kings-it-1990\/","title":{"rendered":"Stephen King’s It (1990)"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"it_77907\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Stephen King creates<\/span> the ultimate boogeyman<\/span> and he is neither man<\/span> nor monster<\/span>, despite the visage of a clown called Pennywise. “Stephen<\/span> King’s It” is<\/span> filled<\/span> with the usual<\/span> King doldrums<\/span> of a small<\/span> town<\/span> with hidden<\/span> demons<\/span>, and at least one character<\/span> that wants<\/span> to be<\/span> an author<\/span>. That said<\/span> director<\/span> Tommy Lee Wallace’s adaptation<\/span> is<\/span> a great<\/span> horror<\/span> film<\/span>, and a perfectly<\/span> good<\/span> bit<\/span> of nostalgia. “It” gets<\/span> a lot<\/span> of flack<\/span> for deviating<\/span> from the original novel, but considering<\/span> it is<\/span> a television<\/span> movie<\/span>, director<\/span> Wallace does<\/span> a bang<\/span> up job<\/span>. “It” for being<\/span> only<\/span> TV movie<\/span> packs<\/span> a ton of iconic horror<\/span> moments<\/span>, as well<\/span> as an Oscar caliber<\/span> performance<\/span> by Tim Curry.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Set<\/span> in Derry, Maine, a town<\/span> that just<\/span> can’t get<\/span> rid<\/span> of its resident<\/span> boogeyman<\/span>, King explores the perils<\/span> of growing<\/span> up, while contrasting the terrors<\/span> of familial<\/span> dysfunction<\/span> with an otherworldly monster<\/span>. Tim Curry gives<\/span> an amazing performance<\/span> as the demonic<\/span> clown<\/span> known<\/span> as Pennywise, a lost<\/span> relic from a time<\/span> never<\/span> quite<\/span> explained<\/span> to the audience<\/span>. Most of ‘It” is<\/span> told<\/span> through flashbacks as children<\/span> around Derry Maine are<\/span> suddenly<\/span> being<\/span> murdered<\/span>. Mike<\/span>, the only<\/span> remaining<\/span> man<\/span> who remembers confronting<\/span> Pennywise the Clown, begins<\/span> summoning<\/span> his group<\/span> of friends<\/span> from his childhood<\/span>, reminding<\/span> them of their sacred pact<\/span> that bonded<\/span> them one summer<\/span>.<\/p>\n

Pennywise re-emerges every thirty<\/span> years<\/span> to feed<\/span> on children<\/span>‘s souls<\/span>, and now<\/span> he’s back<\/span> to wreak<\/span> havoc<\/span>. The first<\/span> half of “It” is<\/span> set<\/span> in the sixties<\/span> where we center<\/span> on a group<\/span> of misfits named<\/span> “The Losers Club” that hang<\/span> around one another attempting to escape<\/span> their problems<\/span> at home<\/span>. When group<\/span> leader Bill’s little<\/span> brother<\/span> is<\/span> murdered<\/span> by Pennywise, the group<\/span> suddenly<\/span> begins<\/span> getting<\/span> terrorized<\/span> by the demonic<\/span> clown<\/span>, and they decide<\/span> to stop<\/span> him once<\/span> and for all. The first<\/span> half of “It” is<\/span> the most<\/span> compelling, mainly<\/span> because the performances<\/span> from the child<\/span> actors<\/span> are<\/span> genuine<\/span> and filled<\/span> with anxiety<\/span> and horror<\/span>. All of the young<\/span> inadvertent heroes experience some form<\/span> of dysfunction<\/span> in their homes<\/span>, and spend<\/span> their days<\/span> looking<\/span> for some form<\/span> of escape<\/span>. That is<\/span> until Pennywise introduces a new<\/span> threat<\/span> in their lives<\/span> that surely<\/span> will doom<\/span> them if they allow<\/span> him to tap<\/span> at their inner most fears<\/span>.<\/p>\n

Pennywise is<\/span> a being<\/span> filled<\/span> with zeal at murdering children<\/span> and feeding<\/span> on them, so<\/span> he offers<\/span> no quarter<\/span> to any child<\/span> unlucky enough<\/span> to cross<\/span> his path<\/span>. He also<\/span> feeds<\/span> on their anxieties<\/span> so<\/span> he enjoys<\/span> breaking<\/span> them down mentally. This provides<\/span> some startling moments<\/span> including<\/span> character<\/span> Richie’s confrontation<\/span> with a werewolf<\/span>, and Mike whose photo<\/span> album comes<\/span> to life. The young<\/span> cast<\/span> is<\/span> filled<\/span> with great<\/span> up and comers<\/span> like Elizabeth Perkins, Seth Green, and the late<\/span> Jonathan Brandis who gives<\/span> Mike a real<\/span> heart<\/span>. The second<\/span> half is<\/span> mainly<\/span> a ton of exposition<\/span> and “It” falls<\/span> off the momentum<\/span> once<\/span> we’re introduced<\/span> to the group<\/span>, now<\/span> all unfulfilled and unhappy<\/span> adults<\/span> sullied<\/span> by their experience with Pennywise.<\/p>\n

There is<\/span>n’t too<\/span> much<\/span> of a reason<\/span> why Pennywise should be<\/span> tormenting<\/span> these adults<\/span>, when he could easily<\/span> be<\/span> horrifying<\/span> other<\/span> children<\/span> in town<\/span>. And there’s not<\/span> a lot<\/span> of cause<\/span> for it to be<\/span> scared<\/span> of them, considering<\/span> the being<\/span> never<\/span> runs<\/span> out of tricks<\/span>. So, the entire<\/span> final<\/span> half<\/span> feels<\/span> forced<\/span> and not<\/span> as harrowing<\/span> as the first<\/span> go<\/span> around<\/span> with the evil<\/span> monster<\/span>. The performances<\/span> from the all star<\/span> cast<\/span> of television<\/span> stars<\/span> are<\/span> somewhat<\/span> lackluster<\/span>, especially<\/span> from Richard Thomas who does<\/span>n’t quite match up to Jonathan Brandis’ struggles<\/span> to make<\/span> sense<\/span> of his ordeal, let<\/span> alone<\/span> his debilitating stutter<\/span>. That said<\/span>, “It” is<\/span> a spooky<\/span>, often<\/span> terrifying<\/span> tale<\/span>, while star<\/span> Tim Curry brings<\/span> this monster<\/span> to life with immense perfection<\/span>. It’s by no means<\/span> a masterpiece<\/span>, but for a tale<\/span> about old<\/span> age<\/span>, and the past<\/span> coming<\/span> back<\/span> to haunt<\/span> you, Tommy Lee Wallace offers<\/span> a respectable<\/span> horror<\/span> film<\/span> that’s worthy<\/span> of an audience<\/span>.<\/p>\n