Since I’m new to these Geek Vibes streets, I should preface this piece by saying that if there’s a bigger Stephen King Constant Reader out there than I am, well I have not been fortunate enough to meet this person. I own everything the man has ever written on hardcover and I’ve read most of his stories more than once. Therefore, with the new King Renaissance that is among us after the success of IT, it’s a great time to be a fan.
His 1986 classic novel IT was my gateway for all his previous and eventually future writings and to this day it is my favorite novel he has released. Like so many others, I was at an impressionable age when the 1990 ABC miniseries adaptation was released. At just 12 years old, it was freaky even if it has aged a bit poorly by today’s standards. But like all things based on nostalgia, the variation on Pennywise and the Loser’s Club has more than a cult following, but a loyal and devoted one.
When the 2017 feature film version was released, it was met with critical acclaim and went on to become the highest grossing horror film of all time, surpassing 1999’s The Sixth Sense, with a hefty $700 million haul. This had us Constant Reader’s shouting from the rooftops that King adaptations can be great if they just trust the source material. With the success of IT, the new King Renaissance was underway, and his properties were snatched up and fast-tracked to TV and the box office. With Pet Sematary dropping in April, Mr. Mercedes being renewed for a third season, The Stand officially going to series on CBS All Access, and The Outsider being greenlit by HBO, it appears this trend shows no signs of slowing down.
This also has given new life to some of the older adaptations many may have forgotten about. While IT probably isn’t one of them, that series has been given new life from the diehards unwilling to accept anyone but Tim Curry as the Eater of Worlds, aka Pennywise the Dancing Clown. Which, to be honest, is abut the main thing from that miniseries that has aged well. While it was a mode for network miniseries with all the gore and violence from the page edited out, Curry frightened a generation with his interpretation and made the phrase “You’ll Float, too” a pop culture touchstone.
With IT: Chapter Two ready to hit theaters this Fall, what better time to ring in the nostalgia than with a look back at the making of the 1990 IT miniseries. Chris Griffiths is directing the documentary, which is fully fan funded, and hopes to “tell a story heard by few and showcase a wealth of behind-the-scenes footage and photos seen by even fewer.” With interviews from the entire cast in front of and behind the camera, it’s sure to be a stroll down memory lane for those who hold the series in a special place inside. Just make sure you don’t stroll too close to a storm drain.
Watch the 6-minute extended trailer for Pennywise: The Story of IT below.
Mike is host of the weekly pop culture media podcast Geek Media Corps. A Constant Reader and Stephen King superfan, he declares himself a movie quotes expert and will fight you if you say anything negative about Frank Herbert’s Dune.
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Mike is a Booktuber and the host of Mike’s Book Reviews.
A Constant Reader and Stephen King superfan, he declares himself a movie quotes expert and will fight you if you say anything negative about Frank Herbert’s Dune.
