#except Sophia Willy and Andy

[justashamwithwastedpotential]

Thank you Harvey for having mercy on my 2 gold

[amongthegraham]

Spending Your Pennies Wisely

 Habitually, I am not a fan of remakes. However, when Hollywood decided to “Do ‘It’ Again” – to quote Steely Dan, RIP guitarist, bassist, and cofounder Walter Becker who passed away on September 3, 2017 – I have to admit my interest was piqued.

No, I have not read Stephen King’s illustrious novel “It,” but I would like to someday. I need to put down the musician biographies for a change and commit to tackling all 1,138 pages of the horror novel. I have read “The Stand” and loved it so I must give “It” its due.

Ove the years, many of King’s stories have been adapted to movies. “Cat’s Eye,” “The Mist,” “Carrie,” “Christine,” “Silver Bullet,” “Firestarter,” “Pet Cemetery,” “Misery,” “The Shining,” “Shawshank Redemption,” “Stand by Me,” and yes, even “Maximum Overdrive” are just a few of my favorites. However, the one that left me unimpressed was 1990’s “It” miniseries. “It” was more unintentionally funny than scary, and even though the majority of fans praise Tim Curry’s portrayal of Pennywise, that didn’t really do a whole lot for me either. His depiction of the Lord of Darkness in Ridley Scott’s “Legend” is far more menacing.

Although fans were content with the only “It” adaptation available, the newly conceived feature from filmmaker Andy Muschietti demonstrates it’s possible for a remake to best the original. In 2017, Horror/Stephen King fans finally have a proper “It” adaptation.

The new “It” is more than just a fantastic remake and excellent addition to the Horror genre, at this point in the year it’s my favorite film of 2017. Aside from being legitimately scary, “It” has a plethora of comedy provided by the talented young cast, and since the time period was shrewdly changed from the 1950s to 1980s, their storyline feels like a modern “Goonies” except malevolent.  However, instead of searching for One-Eyed Willy’s lost treasure, in “It,” The Losers Club, a group of outsider teens that are bullied by peers, band together to face a deadly evil that has plagued their town for years.

The premise of “It” opens on a moment in time, October 1988, when the evil figure, in the form of a dancing clown known as Pennywise, murders a little boy named Georgie. It’s eventually discovered that the deadly being awakens every 27 years to feed and then returns to a period of hibernation. Georgie’s older brother, Bill (played by Jaeden Lieberher), has never given up hope that his brother is still alive, but after he and the rest of The Losers Club start being tormented by the creature they coin “It” (since It takes on multiple forms to prey upon each of their individual fears), Bill sets out to avenge his brother and his friends accompany him to end its reign of terror.

While “It” is most certainly a Horror film, it’s also a heartwarming tale of kids with difficult home lives bonding together in the vein of another King masterpiece, “Stand by Me.” For instance, the only girl in the group, Bev (Sophia Lillis), is abused at home by her abhorrent father, but finds peace among the welcoming adolescent boys. Other members of the club, like Mike (Chosen Jacobs) and expletive-flying Richie (played by “Stranger Thing’s” Finn Wolfhard), are neglected at home, while the short kid of the group, the obsessive-compulsive Eddie, suffers at the hands of an overprotective mother who has convinced him he’s sick and requires unnecessary medication (Munchausen syndrome by proxy).

With all the children being perfectly cast, the pivotal role of Pennywise was going to make or break the remake. Although he comes from a famous family of actors, 27-year-old Bill Skarsgård had yet to have his breakout role when he was announced as the main character. Thanks to his truly unnerving performance in “It,” expect to see Skarsgård popping up everywhere, including your nightmares. His expressions and sinister smile completely sell Pennywise’s ability to evoke fear, and when you factor those characteristics in with his physical performance, Skarsgård created one of the most terrifying figures in Horror history. The actor was worried he would never be able to match Tim Curry’s “It,” but he totally surpassed him in every conceivable way.

As if I needed any more reasons to slobber over “It,” the film further won me over with excellent utilization of The Cult, The Cure (amazing scene), and not one, but two Anthrax references. Anthrax’s inclusion was especially important since they never get enough recognition, and have penned several songs based on Stephen King’s works. Therefore, the nods to the thrash legends were long overdue.

Furthermore, it was a brilliant idea to make this chapter of “It” solely based on the childhood years of the characters squaring off against It. Though the 1990 version was a two-part miniseries with a running time of four hours, it still felt overstuffed. There’s simply far too much material to cover in one installment and I eagerly await how the adult years will play out in the sequel.

Also, focusing just on the adolescent years has most certainly helped contribute to the film’s unprecedented success. Thanks to audience’s thirst for nostalgia, “It” not only reminds you what it’s like to be a scared kid, it reminds you what it’s like to be a kid in general.