It (2017)
Andy Muschietti
Writers:
Chase Palmer, Cary Fukunaga, Gary Dauberman, based on the novel by Stephen King.
Cast:
Bill Skarsgard (Pennywise), Jaeden Lieberher (Bill Denbrough), Finn Wolfhard (Richie Tozier), Sophia Lillis (Beverly Marsh), Jeremy Ray Taylor (Ben Hanscom), Chosen Jacobs (Mike Hanion), Jack Dylon Grazer (Eddie Kaspbrak), Wyatt Oleff (Stanley Uris), Nicholas Hamilton (Henry Bowers), Jake Sim (Belch Huggins), Logan Thomson (Victor Criss), and Owen Teague as Patrick Hockstetter.
Opening sequence:
It has always been one of my favorite Stephen King novels, although my number one would be Needful Things which i was extremely disappointed in the film version of the horror book. With that being said going back to the It novel which was made into a movie back in the 1990s. The film series was in two parts, the first was the pre-teen backgrounds, friendships everything that made the It book so good, and the first part of the film.
Stephen King isn't just your humdrum writer, he gives you a full character background what made the book so good as well as the first part of the series back in the 1990s. Not going to compare the new movie to the book, but i will compare it to the 1990s version. Books, novels are always detailed to the point that a film couldn't use every word from the book which is fine, sometimes books are extremely long and some dialog can be too long for the film. As long as the film keeps the integrity of the book and the characters true i don't have any issue with cutting out some dialog. Changing plot, characters to make it more the filmmakers vision is wrong. An example of this would be Needful Things the film which was horrible from the start to end, everything that made the book so wonderful was destroyed in the film. The filmmaker made it his, and to me that was so wrong in every way. The story was good unaltered, instead they changed it so much which ruined the integrity of the story.
Review:
Georgie Denbrough (Jackson Robert Scott) chases a paper sailboat down the streets of Derry, Maine. The rain falls from above hitting the ground, but without it, Georgie wouldn't have his paper sailboat. It flows along the streets. He follows it but the boat turns, moves fast, until it falls into a storm drain. "Pennywise the Dancing Clown," introduces himself to Georgie. The clown is happy at first, until he tells the boy that he has the sail boat, and offers to return it to him.
His stare is strong, sharp, almost sinister. The clown called Pennywise (Bill Skarsgard) reaction changes when the boy reached for his sail boat, his arm was severed, cut off when his mouth opened wide, almost as if a crocodile were to open it's mouth, going for the kill. Pennywise had not only clenched his teeth upon the boy's arm, he had pulled him into storm drain, never to be seen again.
Let's start with the Pennywise (Bill Skarsgard), an interdimensional demon that could shift from one place to another. But his lair is in the lower parts of the sewers in Derry, Maine. Normally i would have spoilers all over, but not going to because this film is straightforward. Either you've have read the book or seen the 1990 film version of the book. Not going to compare the book because it truly is difficult to handle Stephen King's vision into a film.
Pennywise (Bill Skarsgard) is portrayed so good in the 2017 version that i was terrified. Yes clowns are my distaste, especially when they're played out to be evil. The clown killer character doesn't go with me the right way. Either way the film did a great job scaring you out of your skin. The 1990s version of Pennywise (Tim Curry) was very horrific, but it wasn't as scary as the It (2017) version. The scares were different, it was a jump in your face scare; While the 2017 version was shadows, manipulating environments, camera angles. Pennywise in this particular film was horrific, scary, sinister, evil, all the great qualities of an evil clown, a demonic clown prince of death.
Bill (Jaeden Lieberher), Richie Tozier (Finn Wolfhard), Beverly Marsh (Sophia Lillis ), Ben Hanscom (Jeremy Ray Taylor), Mike Hanion (Chosen Jacobs), Eddie Kaspbrak (Jack Dylan Grazer). The heroes or protagonists of the story are the kids of the Loser's club. The beauty of Stephen King novels are the vast characters and his connections he creates in all of his stories. In the film the actors in the Loser's Club deserve to be recognized, because the core of the whole story is the friendships, heartache, situations that made this movie very watchable. The flow and imagination is incredible in this story that we all could definitely relate to. The Stand By Me, Goonies, these kids were great in all of their scenes.
Beverly Marsh for example, she went to hell and back with her father abusing her. Horrible, sick situation no matter how you look at it. She bounced back when she had cut her hair, became part of the group. To me she makes the story stronger because of what she had done. Cutting her hair defying her father. It gave her a sense of closer, but yet a fresh beginning, an opening, a way out of hell. Beverly had that strong connection, especially when she had helped Ben and the guys at the store. The scene before the store sequence is epic in every way.
My favorite scene in the film is with Ben Hanscom (Jeremy Ray Taylor) flees from the notorious bully, Henry Bowers (Nicholas Hamilton). He was cut, afraid of what came next, the young pre-teen runs away, afterwards he falls to his feet, meeting the rest of the group. Ben gets help from the guys taking some medical supplies from the local store. I really love this scene because the group really comes together, despite the current issues, altogether. Here comes Ben Running away from the opposition, Henry Bowers. This scene was good because it established a difficult situations which brought everyone closer together. Pennywise attacks the kids separately for a reason, he needs them to disconnect which why they had problems trying to escape the clown throughout the film. But when they learned that being together is the key to defeating the demon, well everything makes sense until the final sequence.
The part that really worries me is the sequel to It. Because the kids will be all grown up. 27 years later. As part of the story, these kids, adults remember, but only one stays back to watch the return of the demon, Pennywise. In the 1990s version the actors, yes even the late John Ritter who played Ben Hanscom didn't do the film justice. The actors didn't really act like their kid counterparts. The first part will always be better, because it's the build up that ultimately makes the film a huge success. It did in the 1990s as well as the 2017 version, but with that being said i really can't make any comparisons because the second film hasn't been released as of yet. The 27 years later part will have to be better than the final conflict in the first. The director has the vision and the control to manipulate what is right in the scenes.
It (2017) is scary, horrific, the shadow play in the film is fantastic, a cinematic masterpiece of horror. The language from the kids in the film didn't bother me, because it stayed with in character and to me that's the point. Keeping it real, demonstrating that a wonderful book could be turned into a cinematic piece of art. The point here is simple. Make a movie about a book, and just follow the guidelines, that's all. Not a problem. Filmmakers should follow the guidelines.
The main budget for the film 35,000,000. A world wide opening of 189,400,000. In North America this film grossed 236,338,881. With marketing add another 35,0000,000 which increases to 70,000,000. That is a making of a monster of a horror film. The worldwide gross is 372,313,729 an achievement only made by filmmakers who care about the products, characters everything that comes along with the film.
All in all this film has everything you could want in horror. Don't like clowns this film isn't really for you. With that being said, only remember that a movie needs more than effects, gore, and especially language. The kids here did use bad language only when it was needed, it wasn't over the top, or misused. The film had kids being kids, and the use of bad language is going to be there, it's a fact. So writing it is just all part of the filmmaking process, and it's a reflection of real life, which makes it better.
1980's backdrop, scenes were all there. The total ambience was there. The director payed attention to detail. The Jaws film in the theaters the kids went by in the film. The clothes, talk, moves, everything reminded me of how things were back in 1980. The film had all that and an evil incarnate called Pennywise. The aspect of King's vision was achieved; Isn't that what's important when you're making a quality film. Setting, characters, ambience of the era you're developing in the film. It's definitely for me, so why not for everyone else. This picture perfect movie is nostalgic 80's film that brings up so many memories of the past, even if the past has a demonic clown or paranormal activities lurking about.
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