IT: Chapter One Deconstructing...

The episode of Deconstructing… covering It: Chapter One was Written, Edited, and Narrated by Kier Gomes, Produced by Tyler Nichols and John Fallon, and Executive Produced by Berge Garabedian.

When it comes to remakes of classic horror works, what do YOU look for to decide if it’s worthwhile? Or better yet, at what point in a remake can you tell if it’s going to be good or not? For me, I knew the 2017 remake of Stephen King’s iconic novel, It, was going to impress me from the very opening scene. Now, in the past on this show, we’ve covered exclusively movies that hold a special place in my heart. We’ve talked about Robert Rodriguez’s underappreciated alien invasion teen outing, The Faculty, we’ve talked about possibly the greatest slasher sequel ever made with Scream 2, and we’ve even gone into detail about one of the best PG-13 horror films of the last 2 decades with Insidious. But today, my friends, we are going to be talking about my FAVORITE horror movie of all time. A movie that defied the odds of success, as it was not only a remake, but a remake of a DAMN GOOD live action miniseries from the greatest generation of horror. And that movie is 2017’s It: Chapter One (watch it HERE).

It is the story of Bill Denborough, a sweet and timid young kid who loses his little brother after a rainstorm washes him down the sewer drain… Or so he thinks. What follows is actually much more disturbing than he could have imagined. For Bill’s small town of Derry Maine is plagued with the presence of an ancient evil who has taken on the form of a clown and has been eating the local children for generations. Along Bill’s search for his brother, Georgie, we’re in for a scare as Bill’s reliable BFF’s deemed “The Losers Club” will follow Bill into the unknown and aim to bring down this child munching maniac once and for all.

It’s a movie that would certainly face its fans with confidence and a unique retelling of a classic story, while also delivering a cinematic style that brought Pennywise the dancing clown into the realm of theatrical stardom. And in today’s episode, we are going to look directly into Penywise’ deadlights and figure out HOW this modern remake has taken its own bite out of the pop culture zeitgeist. I’m Kier Gomes with JoBlo Horror, and you’re watching Deconstructing.

Imagine a small town tucked away in the grassy fields of rural Maine. A town where summers are spent at the quarry with your friends, fishing or swimming, and your autumns are rainy and bleak. A town where evil feels uniquely inherent, as just about every resident over the age of 18 seems to have a coldness in their eyes- an unspoken deadness to their souls that makes every adult in town the source of chills down your spine. A town that is already dead. Now, Derry, Maine is similar to the setting of MANY of Stephen King’s stories. It’s a sleepy old town where the strangeness might as well be coursing through the town’s water supply. This particular remake gives us a variety of wholesome 80’s nostalgia, hilarious teenage antics, body horror, blood and guts, and of course plenty of iconic moments.

Now, we’re going to break this movie down by looking at our four key categories. First, we’re going to look at the origin of the movie and see how we got from classic novel to classic adaptation, to classic remake. Then we’ll look at the movie’s legacy where I talk about the lasting impact it’s had on the genre. After that we will get into some trivia, where I’ll give you some fun facts about the film that you may not have heard about. And then we get to the real gem of this video and talk about the X-factor- where I put the smallest details under a microscope and figure out what REALLY makes the movie so special.

SPOILER ALERT, this movie has like a zillion positive qualities so I’ll be focusing on my personal favorite aspects.

So, if you’re ready than grab the biggest rock you can find, and let’s hit play on IT.

ORIGIN

To get the obvious out of the way, this movie is based on Stephen King’s iconic horror novel, IT. While King’s book is quite different from anything we’ve seen adapted in live action (old or new) the general bones of the story are accurately portrayed in both the miniseries AND the remake. King’s novel included some background on the creature of Pennywise and explains more about where he came from and why he does what he does. Something that I personally cannot wait to see explored in the upcoming Max original, Welcome To Derry– coming… soon?

When Tim Curry first suited up to play Pennywise in 1990, he was instantly the definitive version of Pennywise for almost everyone. He played the role in such a way that it would make it difficult to imagine anyone else bringing this monster to life. Pennywise chooses the form of a clown because he targets children as his victims. He’s meant to look like the bogyman under your bed squeezed himself into the skin of a circus performer who doesn’t quite fit. Tim Curry’s big mouth and hypnotic eyes made for a Pennywise that would immediately give you that scared lump in your throat. And once fans saw what he brought to the character, the face of Pennywise was forever the face of Tim Curry…

So, why would Warner Brothers want to re-create this?

Well, as early as 2009, Warner Brothers had been planning to have IT adapted for theaters and given a modern look. Directors like David Kajganich, who wrote the screenplay to one of my favorite films of last year, Bones and All, and Cary Fukanaga- director of No Time To Die. By the year 2015, both filmmakers dropped out and Mama Director Andy Muschietti was signed on to helm the project. Now, Andy Muschietti THESE DAYS is a very successful filmmaker who’s made Warner Brothers millions of dollars. His latest projects include this year’s summer blockbuster, The Flash, and even talk of him directing the upcoming Batman: The Brave and the Bold in James Gunn’s new DCU.

Muschietti cites movies like The Goonies, The Howling, and The Thing as inspiration for his film. Honestly, how PERFECT are those reference points for a movie like this?

The film shot in Port Hope in 2016 with producer Barbara Muschietti stating the following: “We were looking for an idyllic town, one that would be a strong contrast to the story. Port Hope is the kind of place we all wish we had grown up in: long summers riding bicycles, walks by the lake, a lovely main street, charming homes with green lawns, warm people.”

With a beautiful location, an up-and-coming director, and a studio budget at their disposal, it was time to find the perfect actor to take up the mantle of horror’s scariest clown.

Will Poulter, now famous for playing Adam Warlock in Guardians III, was originally cast in the role. I remember in 2016 when the original character design artwork dropped online I thought it WAS Will Poulter. Poulter had to drop out due to a scheduling conflict, but the studio also considered Mark Rylance, Hugo Weaving, and even Tilda Swinton to play the role. All of the actors either declined or didn’t work out, and the fear that finding a suitable replacement for Tim Curry’s performance was growing each day. Until…

Bill Skarsgard was cast as Pennywise as auditioning and “freaking everyone out.” And with a charming supporting cast of kids like Jaeden Lieberher, Chosen Jacobs, Sophia Lilis, Jeremy Ray Taylor, Finn Wolfhard and Jack Dylan Grazer, it was time to send in the clowns…

LEGACY

Living up to the original live action IT film always going to be a challenge. Afterall, horror remakes specifically have a wavering history with modern retellings. We all saw that horrendous attempt at rebooting Nightmare on Elm Street in 2009 and… I’m STILL not sure we’ve recovered from the ridiculous failed attempt to reboot Scream as an MTV teen drama…

But when IT was released, it was immediately met with praise from critics and audiences alike. The movie held its own from the opening scene recreating Georgie’s iconic encounter with Pennywise in the sewer, and never stops delivering thrills, chills, and laughs from there on out. It launched Jaeden, Dylan, Sophia, Jeremy, and Finn into their careers and set them up with work EVERY YEAR going forward. With Finn Wolfhard continuing his role as Mike in Stranger Things, as well as popping up in movies like Ghostbusters: Afterlife and The Turning, and Sophia Lilis joining the ranks of great Netflix originals that were cancelled too soon, and even Jack Dylan Grazer wowing us with a charming performance as Freddy Freeman in the Shazam movies. Not to mention that shortly after this film was released, Bill Skarsgard quickly became an accepted update on the character that Tim Curry popularized.

Do you guys remember when this movie was being promoted and there were all those strange sightings of creepy clowns walking around town in various cities across the country? I recall assuming it was a brilliant marketing move from Warner Bros to get talks of their movie spreading. And who knows, maybe that’s exactly what it was- or maybe… it was something more.

This movie did something slightly different from the miniseries and told the story in two different timelines. The first film focused entirely on the 80’s with the Losers Club being kids. It would paint the kids as mature, and independent teens, and the adults as predatory monsters who cannot be trusted. This choice forced us to focus on the kids, and created a strange sense of anxiety any time we would see one of the Losers interact with an adult. In fact, I challenge you to find an adult in this movie that doesn’t give you the creeps.

The subsequent film, IT: Chapter Two, focused on the Losers club as adults 27 years later. In the sequel, Mike Hanlan contacts his old friends from Derry to return home and face the return of Pennywise. I personally was let down by the second film and I found the incredible cast to be the only thing worth praising after more than 5 rewatches. Not to say that I completely hated the second chapter, but when I compare it to this first one, I just can’t give it a pass.

And of course, I mentioned Welcome to Derry earlier but as of right now, this show looks to be on the fast track to getting made and there has been almost no information around the internet to sink our teeth into. One thing is for sure though, I’m definitely ready to return to Derry for another nightmarish story involving my favorite clown.

TRIVIA

Did you know that in the scene where Pennywise attacks Eddie after injuring his leg, Jack Dylan Grazer nearly vomited when Bill Skarsgard opened his mouth wide and drooled and screamed all over the young actor. Not only does this sound traumatizing enough, but it was also Grazer’s first time meeting Bill Skarsgard. Skarsgard recalled this meeting and stated he was genuinely concerned for Grazer and wasn’t sure how to comfort him. What a way to meet your co-workers am I right?

And before we move on to the X-Factor, let’s see if you can answer this question:

Which movie did Bill Skarsgard cite as his main source of inspiration for Pennywise?

A Clockwark Orange
The Dark Knight
The Shining
Silence of the Lambs
All of the above

The X FACTOR

This may be the hardest time I’ve had with this segment yet. And for fans of the show, you know that’s saying a lot. My initial instinct was to talk about the movie’s genius character work. Each of the Losers- Bill, Richie, Mike, Beverly, Eddie, and Ben all have their own individual moments that make them a truly inspired ensemble. I’d liken this group of kids to that of the Goonies- with each character bringing something unique to the table that will eventually serve the story. The same attention was given to the movie’s bully- Henry Bowers. He’s the classic over-the-top school roughen who torments the Losers with no mercy. This is a common trope for any of Stephen King’s works and it works particularly well in this movie. I love how the movie forces the perspective of the kids by making everyone else in the movie completely unlikable. Save for maybe the school librarian… MAYBE.

The dynamic of the group really stands out as Beverly enters a sort of love triangle between Bill and Ben, Richie’s inner-sensitivity gets a chance to present itself, and Bill even finds his bravery and kicks his stutter to the curb. It really feels like everyone gets a proper arc.

But that, of course, can’t be the X-Factor. While I agree the writing in this movie is superb, it’s a completely intentional move by the filmmakers and thus does not satisfy my need to dig deeper.

Then I thought about talking about commenting on the incredible cinematography from Chung-Hoon-Chung, with the camera work and blocking being one of the most cinematic I’ve ever seen in any horror movie- but, again, not gonna cut it.

Instead, I think the X-Factor is something that was out of the studio, and Muschietti’s control. The one thing that truly makes this movie stand out as an instant classic that deserves to be remembered as the one of the best in the genre… And that’s the fact that this movie… is a remake.

Hear me out, there’s tons of examples of passable or even preferable remakes in the horror genre. Between today’s trend of legacy sequels, and Hollywood’s desire to cash in on your nostalgia, it’s been hard to find remakes these days that impress audiences without the fan-service boost of legacy characters returning. Although, there is a little bit of a Tim Curry cameo in this movie…

IT had the odds against it from the jump. You’re not only talking about remaking a movie that everyone already loves, but you’re doing it without using the original as a crutch. AND LOOK WHAT WE GOT! We ended up with a movie that has its own style, its own message, its own ideas and most importantly, its own SUCCESS. Making an iconic movie is tough, but Tommy Lee Wallace did it when he made IT in 1990. But Andy Muschietti took that hit movie, and reinvented it to perfection and surpassed the success of the original. THAT is something that not many have done, and not many will ever do.

What are YOUR thoughts on the 2017 remake of IT? I’d love to read your thoughts down below as well as your theories on what we might see in the upcoming Max original series, Welcome To Derry.

Thanks for watching, and goodnight.

A couple of the previous episodes of Deconstructing… can be seen below,. To see more episodes, and to check out our other shows, head over to the JoBlo Horror Originals YouTube channel – and subscribe while you’re there!