“It” Horror Franchise Spells Success

By Olivia Fries-Farr ’19

The film “It” is a franchise that began in 1986 with Stephen King’s well-known novel. And in 1990, the “It” miniseries premiered. Today, almost 40 years after the original novel came out, the current box office hit, with the same title, has been receiving incredible reviews and acclaim.  

The film is creepy from the start, and its amazing sound effects that rumble the theater give into the movie’s more thrilling themes. While, I believe that “It” is not overly scary, I do contend that it is visually exciting to watch. The initial scene, when Jackson Robert Scott as Georgie Denbrough is the first to get snatched and eaten by Pennywise played by Bill Skarsgård, definitely made the audience jump. In terms of each character, the personalities of each role were well defined and unique. The kids who starred in the filmhad superb acting skills and made the entire story very intriguing and enjoyable. Although looking back, the dialogue and scenes in which the kids are in, for instance when they go to It’s house and look at the Kodachrome slides in the projector, reminded me of watching Super 8 and Monster House mashed up with Goonies.  

While not entirely scary, the scary parts of the film would definitely have had to have been when Beverly Marsh, played by Sophia Lillis, was brushing her teeth and the whispers of the children echoed through the drain pipe and bloody strands of hair began to wrap around her head. In the scene, which was admittedly very gory, the flow of blood gushed upward into the room spraying up to the ceiling covering the entire bathroom. Her father, Mr. Marsh played by Stephen Bogaert, crashed through the bathroom door trying to get to his screaming daughter.

Skarsgård was fantastic in the role of Pennywise; from his crazy antics to his demonic smile, he truly embodied the character. Among critics and casual viewers, the role of Pennywise has been receiving a lot of commentary in the media with regards to whether Skårsgard or Tim Curry had a better performance.  In comparison to Skarsgård, Curry truly knocks it out of the park with his performance as the taunting clown in the miniseries. Either way, I think the actors deserve a round of applause for the action in the scenes and how truly well they took on their roles.

An extension of the movie, on Hollywood Boulevard and Vine, the house Pennywise lived in was built as an attraction for fans to walk through.  Red balloons, George in his yellow raincoat, and “It” was all part of the attraction. The film was released in theaters on September 8 and was number one at the box office.  Director Andy Muschietti and Producer Barbara Muschietti teamed up with eight executive producers and four additional producers for the New Line Cinema movie. The script was written by Chase Palmer, Cary Fukunaga and Gary Dauberman.

 

Bamboo rating: 9 out of 10

Favorite quotes ~

Pennywise: Hi Georgie!

[pause]

Pennywise: What a nice boat. Do you want it back?

Georgie: Um… Yes, please.

Pennywise: You look like a nice boy, I bet you have a lot of friends.

Georgie: Three… but my brother is my best’s best.

Pennywise: Where is he?

Georgie: In bed. Sick.

Pennywise: I bet I can cheer him up! I’ll give him a balloon. Do you want a balloon too, Georgie?

Georgie: I’m not supposed to take stuff from strangers.

Pennywise: Oh! Well, I’m Pennywise, the dancing clown. “Pennywise?”. “Yes?”, “Meet Georgie”. “Georgie, meet Pennywise”.

[Georgie laughs]

Pennywise: Now we aren’t strangers. Are we?

Georgie: What are you doing in the sewer?

Pennywise: A storm blew me away. Blew the whole circus away.

[laughs]

Pennywise: Can you smell the circus, Georgie? There’s peanuts… cotton candy… hot dogs… and…

Georgie: Popcorn?

Pennywise: POPCORN! Is that your favorite?

Georgie: Aha.

Pennywise: Mine too!

[laughs]

Pennywise: Because they pop! Pop, pop! Pop, pop! Pop, pop, pop!

[both laugh]

Pennywise: [pause]

Georgie: Hum… I should get going, now.

Pennywise: Oh! Without your boat? You don’t wanna lose it Georgie. Bill’s gonna kill you! Here. Take it.

[pause]

Pennywise: Take it, Georgie.

–

Georgie Denbrough: Bill? If you’ll come with me, you’ll float too.

Bill Denbrough: Georgie?

Georgie Denbrough: You’ll float, too, you’ll float, too, you’ll float, too… YOU’LL FLOAT, TOO!

–

Officer Bowers: Ain’t nothing like a little fear to make a paper man crumble.

–

Richie Tozier: I’m sorry, but who invited Molly Ringwald?

 

IT Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xKJmEC5ieOk

 

photos from contractmusic.com,