It’s fair to say that last year’s big screen release of IT was one of the most talked about movie releases of 2017. Dropping in a year that would see the floodgates of Hollywood scandal opened up, it was great to finally have a record-breaking horror movie to look back on and celebrate. It proved that there was still life in Hollywood and became one of the reasons many think the industry should still be celebrated, despite all of the bad things that also take place within it. Now, IT has come to homes all across the country, and we got our hands on a Blu-ray copy of the film to find out what all the fuss was about.
Bill Skarsgård stars as Pennywise the clown
Bringing Stephen King stories to the world of cinema isn’t an easy task; just ask The Dark Tower director Nikolaj Arcel. Still, that’s something that IT director Andy Muschietti decided he would do with arguably King’s most iconic (and scariest) novel to-date, with Chase Palmer, Cary Fukunaga and Gary Dauberman adapting the story into their own screenplay.
Whether you’re a long-time IT fan, or completely new to the horror story, the film is something that anybody can enjoy. Bill Skarsgård steps into the clown shoes of iconic villain Pennywise; a demonic figure that terrifies, kills and eats the children of Derry. Back for his feed, we see him face off against The Losers' Club; a group of bullied kids – one of which has already lost their brother to the monster.
Jaeden Lieberher, Jeremy Ray Taylor, Sophia Lillis, Finn Wolfhard, Chosen Jacobs, Wyatt Oleff and Jack Dylan Grazer make up that group, stepping into the roles of Bill Denbrough, Ben Hanscom, Beverly Marsh, Richie Tozier, Mike Hanlon, Stanley Uris and Eddie Kaspbrak respectively. Not enough good can be said about their performances. They bounce off one another effortlessly, bringing humour to a film that really needs a few laughs in order to succeed. Lillis especially manages to shine, despite being the only girl member of their ‘club’. Her bathroom scene – you know the one we mean – is especially haunting, cementing her as THE ‘Scream Queen’ of the modern day.
When it comes to Pennywise, it’s hard now to imagine anybody else in the role but Skarsgård. He exceeds all expectations, bringing a certain charm to a character that has to rely on his ability to adapt to certain situations to lure in his prey, before becoming utterly horrifying when he thinks he’s able to pounce. It turns out however that he’s not the only villain of the piece. Henry Bowers – played by Nicholas Hamilton – manages to steal the psychotic crown from Pennywise on a number of occasions throughout the movie.
Saying too much would spoil the overall experience that everybody should go through when they first watch this adaptation of IT, but it would be fair to say that there are a number of edge-of-your-seat sequences running deeply throughout this movie. When there are a couple of moments to catch your breath, you better be damn sure to do so, because as the film moves into its final act, there’s no letting up. For newcomers, it’s hard to know exactly which direction the plot will be turning in.
An essential watch for anybody who calls themselves a horror fan, IT has truly revitalised the horror genre. We can’t wait to revisit the story when the series makes its return for Chapter 2 in 2019. Bring on the scares.
IT is available now on digital download, as well as 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, DVD and Blu-ray Steelbook.
IT DVD contains 11 deleted/extended scenes from the film.
IT 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray and Blu-ray Steelbook contains the following special features:
- Deleted Scenes – 11 deleted/extended scenes from the film.
- Pennywise Lives! – Who and what is Pennywise the clown? Discover how Bill Skarsgård prepared to portray the primordial creature known as the Eater of Worlds, Eater of Children and the Eternal Child.
- The Losers’ Club – Get up close and personal with the teenage stars of IT as they bond together during the production, brave their deepest fears and come face-to-face with the demonic Pennywise.
- Author of Fear – The Master of Horror unleashes everything you were ever afraid of! Stephen King himself reveals the roots of his best-selling novel, the nature of childhood fear, its effects on his storytelling and the powerful imprint IT has made on his own literary universe.
Tagged in Stephen King