Penny for your thoughts? “It” delivers, breaks records

“It” breaks new ground for the horror film industry

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Bill Skarsgard, who some believe delivered an Oscar worthy performance, shows off his creepy smile | itthemovie.com

Jesse McCauley, Features Editor

Just like Pennywise the Dancing Clown, the movie “It,” based on the novel by Stephen King, has resurfaced after 27 years of safety.

The last “It” movie to air was a 1990 film directed by Tommy Lee Wallace, featuring Tim Curry as “Pennywise.”

But, on Sept. 8, director Andrés Muschietti released his own spin on the novel, and “It” became an instant hit. Since the novel is so lengthy, the movie only covers about half of the book’s contents.

Nevertheless, it shattered box office records, grossing $603 million worldwide upon release, as well as becoming the first horror movie to reach $300 million domestically.

Wait, so what’s this whole 27 years thing all about?

Set in 1988, the town of Derry, Maine, becomes terrorized by Pennywise the Dancing Clown (Bill Skarsgard). Pennywise wakes up after his 27 year hibernation to terrorize the kids of Derry, feeding on each of their deep-seeded fears.

It all begins with a kid named Georgie who runs into Pennywise after chasing a sailboat down a curb that eventually falls into a sewer, which we learn is Pennywise’s main source of transportation.

From then on, we see a red balloon at every attack. This balloon becomes a warning sign that Pennywise is about to strike. Before he attacks, he shape shifts into the kid’s worst nightmare whether it is a memory of parents dying in a fire, a creepy painting, or of course, clowns. He acts much like the Bogart from Harry Potter, except he is far more terrifying.

However, this film, jump scares and all, contains humorous material and a sophisticated plot line. Stephen King’s brilliant narrative is depicted with a rich backstory, as well as a realistic representation of pre-pubescent boys.

The movie features Finn Wolfhard, famous for his role as Mike Wheeler in the Netflix original “Stranger Things.” Wolfhard plays Richie “Trashmouth” Tozier, whose crude jokes makes him a lovable character.

When I first went to see the movie, there was an incredible amount of build up. It was all anyone would talk about. Despite this, the movie exceeded expectations and matched the hype. Throughout the movie, I went from belly laughs to throwing my popcorn straight into the air.

Even after watching the movie, it was still the popular topic of conversation. My friends and I could not stop repeating lines or talking about how some of us could not stand to be home alone.

The movie also stirred pranks of the red balloon variety.

In Lititz, Pennsylvania a local prankster tied red balloons to the grates in the ground, horrifying the police force. They even published a letter via Facebook asking for the madness to stop.

“We give points for creativity, however, we want the local prankster to know that we were completely terrified as we removed these balloons from the grates and we respectfully request they do not do that again,” said Lititz Borough Police Department.

“It” themed pranks have been quite popular after the positive response to the movie. Whether it be using a red balloon or dressing up as a clown, the movie has been a catalyst for many terrifying pranks.

Fans have also turned to social media to share various “It” memes, many of which revolve around the scene with Georgie and Pennywise.

The movie definitely lived up to the hype and 27 years of anticipation. It received an 85% on Rotten Tomatoes as well as a 7.9/10 on IMDb.

New Line Cinema and Warner Bros, the producers of the movie, have also announced a release of a sequel set to premiere in September of 2019. The sequel will most likely cover the other half of the novel.

Until then, I highly recommend the movie. And perhaps you’ll float, too.