Stephen King's “It”: 10 Things The Remake Must Get Right
It's time to revisit our Maine man Pennywise...
2017 is set to see a brand new adaptation of Stephen King's incredibly famous novel It. Right now it's being referred to by fans as something of a remake, given the fact there was a lengthy television adaptation made in 1990.
Though opinions on the 1990 version differ wildly (some think it's truly creepy while others find it ridiculous), there's no denying it developed something of a cult following, and is regarded as one of the better Stephen King adaptations out there. A lot of that has to do with Tim Curry's iconic performance, which has somewhat transcended the limits of the material.
More than anything, it's that performance which hangs over the new adaptation, but there is a lot more than that to the appeal of the original to its fans. 1990's It did a ton of things well, and the stuff it got wrong was at least interesting. If the 2017 remake is to stand out, then, there are a bunch of things it absolutely must get right...
10. Pennywise Must Be Creepy
Wanting Pennywise the Clown to be extremely creepy may seem like a redundant statement, but clowns in horror can be difficult to get right. In the 1990 version, Tim Curry manages to go from goofy to blindingly terrifying within seconds, and it's one of the film's enduring appeals: it lures viewers in before scaring the crap out of them.
So what is it about Tim Curry's portrayal that works? For a start, the make-up is believable. Curry's Pennywise brilliantly rides the line between realistic and inherently unnerving: it's the kind of clown you'd imagine showing up at a children's party.
As of now, we've only seen a glimpse of the remake's version, staring out of the first promotional poster with a sinister gaze. Honestly, it looks like it's trying a bit too hard to be frightening, but the poster's job is to sell the film, so hopefully it's toned back a bit in the actual movie.