The new version of the classic Stephen King tale reminds us why the author’s works were made for the movies
For the past several years Stephen King adaptations have enjoyed somewhat of a resurgence on TV. While the silver screen was once considered the ultimate destination in bringing that master of horror’s work to life, recent productions such as Under the Dome, Haven and last year’s 11/22/63, have earned huge amounts of love and attention from the public, giving the author’s work a renewed interest. Just as the medium of TV breathed exciting life into his work however, recent King adaptations which HAVE made it to the big screen were met with the most lackluster of results. 2013’s reimagining of Carrie was faithful, but lifeless while last year’s long-delayed Cell was all-but ignored and this summer’s The Dark Tower was met with outright hostility from King purists, making it one of the worst-received films of the year. It’s all a far cry from the days of Misery and The Green Mile, when King’s name on the big screen signified an truly terrifying and enlivening cinematic event. However thanks to a fearless director and the major studio giving him carte blanche, all that is about to change with the release of It.
Directed by Andy Muscietti, It takes place in a small Maine town called Derry in the 1980s. As the summer begins, a group of young outcasts (Jaeden Lieberher, Finn Wolfhard, Sophia Lillis, Jeremy Ray Taylor, Chosen Jacobs, Jack Dylan Grazer and Wyatt Oleff) prepare for freedom from school and the local bully’s (Nicholas Hamilton) daily wrath. However when a menacing clown known as Pennywise (Bill Skarsgaard) begins appearing to each of them in horrifying visions, the group discovers a link between him and the long list of children who go missing every 27 years in the town of Derry.
What really makes It stand out at a truly faithful King adaptation is that it’s one of the few offerings which manages to capture the author’s sensibilities. Watching the film, you can feel King’s creative spirit as the film manages to really tap into what made the author such a scary figure for countless fans, namely the brutal horror of life itself and, in particular, the darkness of childhood. While many mourn for the time of being a kid, It bravely showcases the realistic harshness some children have no choice but to endure during that life-shaping time of life. From Beverly’s (Lillis) pedophile father to Eddie’s (Grazer) mother literally making him believe he’s a sickly weakling, to Henry’s (Hamilton) tormenting of all of them as a result of his emotionally cruel home life, It provides an unflinching look at the dark side of growing up. At the risk of making a straight-up bleak portrait of childhood however, the film strikes an excellent balance between darkness and light, with a surprising amount of humor (It is actually quite a funny movie at times) and moments, such as the quarry sequence, where the audience joyfully watches kids as they are allowed to just be kids.
Even though it has a horrific clown running wild throughout, the actual horror of It is quite subtle. While there are enough jump scares to satisfy modern audiences and an overall creepiness that never leaves, the terror of It is more on the psychological side with small, but of effective flashes of fright (all of which are imaginatively executed) peppered throughout. Instead, the real scariness of the film stems from the ending of childhood. Though it may, or may not, be abundantly clear, Pennywise symbolizes the fear of growing up. Whether it’s through a bloodstained bathroom signifying Beverly’s introduction to womanhood, or Bill’s (Lieberher) refusal to accept his little brother’s untimely death, It is about the fear of leaving behind what you hold so dear, which for many is the place in life which kept you safe. When our characters decide to face Pennywise head on, they also face their fears and accept the act of growing up.
Helping It be as effective as it is are a collection of excellent performances from some fine young actors. Every performer on the screen seems so in tune with King’s text, bringing out the pain of his or her character as well as the levity. Special notice should be paid to Lieberher, Lillis and Hamilton, who exude the skill and instincts of performers twice their ages. Wolfhart likewise excels as the film’s main comic relief, masking an emotional fragility underneath. Yet most eyes will be on Skarsgaard in what may well end up being the flashiest role of his career. The most obvious trap with a role such as Pennywise is making the character more cartoonish than he already is. Skarsgaard avoids this by never taking things too too far in terms of voice and gestures, but moreso by cleverly making the character’s animated features sinister. As a result, he’s never more chilling, than when he’s being gleeful.
It’s funny to me that so many (mostly younger) audiences think that the 1990 version of It was a feature film when it was in actuality just a mini-series…made by ABC, no less. It speaks volumes about the overall impact of the production which, along with perhaps Trilogy of Terror, remains milestone in TV horror. Many feel the popularity has always rested with Pennywise himself and the countless nightmares his presence gave children for many, many years. I myself will never forget the first time my eyes caught their first glimpse of Tim Curry back in 1990 as he so iconically brought the character to life and the instant impression it made. I have no doubt that this version of It will no doubt do the same kind of damage. This isn’t just because Pennywise remains as scary as ever, but because King’s story and characters are all so timeless and universal. Not everyone is afraid of clowns, but everyone is afraid of that dark something that they know they must eventually face. Everyone is afraid of it.
