In 1957, little George is lured to his death by a terrifying, evil clown called Pennywise. Eight months later in 1958, a group of bullied and outcast kids form a gang called The Losers. They are terrorised by a boy called Henry who is an antisocial bully. However, even more terrifying things come to haunt them. They all experience scary paranormal events and come to believe that a malefic shape shifting presence that preys primarily on children is stalking and killing in their home town of Derry. They are chased into the sewers by a deranged Henry and come face to face with their enemy in the form of Spider which they defeat. They make a blood pact to reassemble should 'It' ever reform... Of course 'It' does! In the 1980s a series of child murders occurs in Derry with parallels to those in the 1950s. Mike, one of the Losers has stayed in Derry and he is the librarian. He has done considerable research on the case and he calls the rest of the Losers back to Derry. Eating a chinese meal, they find disgusting things in their fortune cookies such as an eyeball. 'It' is signalling to them that it is back. As they wander around Derry, they are individually attacked in various horrible ways. It is back to the sewer for Round 2 between It and the remaining losers... First of all, Pennywise the clown is an instrument of sheer terror, he makes several freaky appearances, not just pulling George to his death, but appearing as a live photo in George's yearbook. Pennywise is prolific in the book because apparently kids like clowns and this is the best way It can gain their confidence and thus get lose enough to kill them. If I had spotted a clown like Pennywise when I was a nipper, I would have run like bejaysus out of there. The character of Henry is also a frightening one as he slowly but surely becomes deranged, kills his father and some kids, winds up in an asylum then gets out as an adult, only to bring further chaos and terror to the adult Losers when he is in league with It. The book is, like so many Stephen King novels, epic in its scope and King does a great job of sustaining major scariness throughout the book - right from the opening to the end. The background behind 'It' - the monstrous shape shifting, murderous presence - is very interesting and spooky. The characterisation in the novel is superb and you will really grow to care about the protagonists, which makes 'It' even scarier. A perfect Hallowe'en read.
My first film watched was Carrie aged 2 on my dad's knee. Educated at The University of St Andrews and Trinity College Dublin. Fan of Arthouse, Exploitation, Horror, Euro Trash, Giallo, New French Extremism. Weaned at the bosom of a Russ Meyer starlet. The bleaker, artier or sleazier the better!
In 1957, little George is lured to his death by a terrifying, evil clown called Pennywise. Eight months later in 1958, a group of bullied and outcast kids form a gang called The Losers. They are terrorised by a boy called Henry who is an antisocial bully. However, even more terrifying things come to haunt them. They all experience scary paranormal events and come to believe that a malefic shape shifting presence that preys primarily on children is stalking and killing in their home town of Derry. They are chased into the sewers by a deranged Henry and come face to face with their enemy in the form of Spider which they defeat. They make a blood pact to reassemble should 'It' ever reform... Of course 'It' does! In the 1980s a series of child murders occurs in Derry with parallels to those in the 1950s. Mike, one of the Losers has stayed in Derry and he is the librarian. He has done considerable research on the case and he calls the rest of the Losers back to Derry. Eating a chinese meal, they find disgusting things in their fortune cookies such as an eyeball. 'It' is signalling to them that it is back. As they wander around Derry, they are individually attacked in various horrible ways. It is back to the sewer for Round 2 between It and the remaining losers... First of all, Pennywise the clown is an instrument of sheer terror, he makes several freaky appearances, not just pulling George to his death, but appearing as a live photo in George's yearbook. Pennywise is prolific in the book because apparently kids like clowns and this is the best way It can gain their confidence and thus get lose enough to kill them. If I had spotted a clown like Pennywise when I was a nipper, I would have run like bejaysus out of there. The character of Henry is also a frightening one as he slowly but surely becomes deranged, kills his father and some kids, winds up in an asylum then gets out as an adult, only to bring further chaos and terror to the adult Losers when he is in league with It. The book is, like so many Stephen King novels, epic in its scope and King does a great job of sustaining major scariness throughout the book - right from the opening to the end. The background behind 'It' - the monstrous shape shifting, murderous presence - is very interesting and spooky. The characterisation in the novel is superb and you will really grow to care about the protagonists, which makes 'It' even scarier. A perfect Hallowe'en read.