Welcome to The Attic, on the SS Georgie.

Last weekend, my husband and I saw Annabelle: Creation in theaters (stay tuned for that review soon!) Much to our surprise, before the movie started we were treated to a special sneak peak (an entire scene) of the new It adaptation. While it will be out very shortly, I still wanted to share my thoughts on this experience because I know some horror fans are still contemplating whether they want to see it or not.

I’ve have had my reservations along the way, as I’ve said before. Tim Curry’s Pennywise terrified me as a child, and I laid awake for many nights after seeing it for the first time. I couldn’t close my eyes without that clown’s face smiling back at me. Of course, as I have gotten older, it has lost the fear factor and transitioned into something I hold dear for the memories. I have so much respect for Curry and adore his work in It, but there is no doubt that it has not aged well.

After hearing about a new adaptation I was both thrilled at a new take on the movie, but also hesitant. Could anyone else possibly hold a candle to Tim Curry? After seeing some of the initial trailers I began to feel more and more that it didn’t matter. This adaptation will never replace or take away from what the original miniseries did. It’s not a competition.

When this scene began to roll I was grinning madly. As Georgie ran along the gutter in the pouring rain I knew what was coming. We had seen this in the trailer so many times now that I almost felt a little disappointed. It didn’t feel so exclusive… until Georgie came face to face with Pennywise, and I was suddenly breathless. Their conversation is riveting. I held my breath as this new and more sinister Pennywise spoke. His expressions, his voice, his smile… All worked together perfectly to create a magic I haven’t felt in years. It was amazing.

There was one moment where Pennywise stops talking, and he simply stares. The silence was deafening to me as a viewer, because it was so disturbing. Cringing back in my seat, I waited for a jump-scare that I was fully expecting… but it didn’t come. I appreciated that they didn’t take the easy route there. I hope the movie gives us many more moments of brilliance that Bill Skarsgard delivers in that scene.

Any lingering worries I had about how he was going to be as our new Pennywise were washed down that drain along with Georgie’s boat. Folks, please try and look at this as not just another remake of a classic horror film. This is an opportunity to create a darker, more sinister and terrifying adaptation that a miniseries made for TV could simply never do. I am in the process of reading the book for the first time, and from what I’ve seen this film will also be even more loyal to the source material. 29 Neibolt Street, anyone? This will never take away from Tim Curry’s performance, and it’s not trying to. It has been 27 years since that series aired, and the time has come for It to return.

Stay scared,
Dark Princess