Before Pennywise seeks me out to wreak bloody vengeance, I admit it. I thought there was no way that the remake could top the mini-series of IT that starred Tim Curry as the horrific harlequin.
I was wrong.
First, I rewatched the mini-series with my son, knowing that at least it would be tamer than the film, and no, it doesn’t hold up, though Curry’s performance does. But also — Bill Skarsgård found a way to make Pennywise his own, and director Andy Muschietti reimagined the story into the ’80s, giving it a vibe that fed off Stranger Things (itself derivative of IT) while being its own creepy thing. Is it terror beyond reason? No. But is it good? Yes.
IT is a movie that will reward a few rewatches before Muschietti is able to shoot the second chapter, and those rewatches can start on Christmas break. The film will be available for Digital Download — iTunes, Amazon, Playstation, and the like — on December 19, though honestly, I’m waiting for the blu-ray. I’m still a sucker for physical media, which will be released along with VOD access on January 9, 2018. That comes with features on Skarsgård’s clownish transformation, along with an interview with writer Stephen King about the genesis of the novel. Plus there are 11 (see — Stranger Things again…) deleted or extended scenes.
