As a 90s kid, I recall seeing many horror movies that impacted me during my youth. I’ve found that like myself, many kids born around the same time had a certain fear of Stephen King’s IT. The classic horror novel was adapted into a television mini-series in 1990, and quickly became one of the most prolific horror adaptations of all time. As a fan of horror franchises, I’ve both seen the original adaptation and read the novel. With the first new trailer arriving today, the 2017 IT remake looks to follow the book more closely, but nevertheless terrify audiences.
They Float Down Here
The story of IT centers around seven young kids in the town of Derry, Maine.
“Derry’s not like any town I’ve ever been in before. People die or disappear six times the national average. That’s just grown ups. Kids are worse… way, way, worse.”
This cut of dialogue perfectly explains the mystery and fear of Derry; kids are disappearing, and no one knows why. Hidden deep below the town lies a connected sewer system. “That’s where It lives.”, says one of the boys as they gather around an old projection screen.
I really feel bad for people who have a fear of clowns, but I can completely understand why. One look at IT‘s main villain, the clown Pennywise, and I would take off for the hills as well. The new 2017 remake looks focused and decisive with its tone, reminding me of series like Stranger Things. Funnily enough, IT, and other Stephen King novels, are huge inspirations for shows like Stranger Things. In a weird way, the 2017 remake of IT is a return to the genre’s roots.
Now that I’ve seen the cast in action, I can say that the picks were spot on. I’m most excited to see Finn Wolfhard and his portrayal of Richie (pictured above), one of the seven kids tasked with taking on the terror of the sewers. Finn is most well known for his work on the aforementioned Stranger Things Netflix series, which gripped viewers with its nostalgia, charm, and mystery. In a lot of ways, I think Stranger Things opened the door for a movie like this to succeed; people are ready to revisit the quiet atmosphere of Derry. Nothing is more creepy than middle America.
When You’re Down Here With Me, You’ll Float Too
If there’s one thing this trailer does right, it’s the complete handle of tone and atmosphere. From the music, cuts, and chosen lines of dialogue, this trailer makes IT look more terrifying than I could have ever imagined. The original novel deals with some pretty horrific stuff, some things that I don’t think audiences are ready to see (even in 2017). It’ll be interesting to see how hard they push the envelope, as IT contains plenty of ways to completely rip it open.
However, IT is more about individual fear. The tagline explains it perfectly; “What are you afraid of?”. Pennywise the clown is much more than he seems, and I won’t spoil the mystery, but know that IT is not simply about a crazy clown running around the in the sewers. No, it’s much, much, more personal than that. In the opening scene, we see Bill (Jaeden Lieberher) give his younger brother Georgie (Jackson Robert Scott) a paper boat to play with in the rain. As the boat falls into a sewer pipe, the young boy reaches around searching for it. That’s when Pennywise shows up.
The end of the trailer sees Bill face to face with Georgie, seemingly distraught and disturbed. “Bill, if you come with me, you’ll float too. You’ll float too. You’ll float too!”, Georgie erupts, possessed with a rage. At this moment, Pennywise peeks his head out of a small pool of water in the corner of the room. As he explodes out of the water with a terrifying scream, I was only able to mutter to myself, “Oh my god.”
IT releases on September 8th, 2017.
