Stephen King’s Terrifying ‘It’ Miniseries Sets Max Streaming Date

by

As someone who grew up in the 90s and was absolutely petrified by Tim Curry’s portrayal of Pennywise as a child, I can wholeheartedly say that the original ‘It’ miniseries is a must-watch for any horror enthusiast. The practical effects, which were state-of-the-art in 1990, add an authenticity and terror to the story that CGI just can’t replicate.

If you’re seeking a touch of nostalgic terror for your New Year’s Day black-eyed peas, Max has got you covered. Starting January 1st, the streaming service will include the original miniseries adaptation of Stephen King’s “It” in its lineup. First aired on ABC in 1990, this two-part chiller left an indelible mark on countless children, causing a widespread fear of clowns, or coulrophobia, as Tim Curry’s terrifying portrayal of Pennywise the Dancing Clown haunted everyone who watched it.

The miniseries produced by John Carpenter’s protege, Tommy Lee Wallace, deviates substantially from the movies released by Andy Muschietti in 2017 and 2019, both based on Stephen King’s novel “It”. Unlike the movies, which are set in the late 1980s, this miniseries preserves the 1950s era for the kids’ storyline as depicted in King’s original book.

This setting better reinforces the dichotomy of good and evil residing in the fictional town of Derry, Maine, given that the ’50s are generally seen as a “simpler” time in America, when everyone supposedly got along just fine and family values reigned supreme. Of course, this sentimental view is a fallacy, represented by the presence of Pennywise, a.k.a. IT, an interstellar being whose evil is thoroughly rooted in the small town’s very fabric, causing its citizens to turn a blind eye to all manner of violence and injustice. In this way, Derry is a stand-in for any town in America during that time period.

The ‘It’ Miniseries Scares With Glorious Practical Effects

In comparison to modern theatrical films, the miniseries from 1990 tends to rely more heavily on practical effects instead of computer-generated imagery (CGI). This approach brings the fear and tension directly into the same space as the actors, enabling viewers to share the horror with them in a very intimate way.

For example, consider a scene from both the second part of the miniseries and “It: Chapter Two”, which features an adult version of the Losers’ Club at a Chinese restaurant. Unlike regular fortune cookies, these contain disturbing objects instead of predictions or guidance for the future – things such as eyeballs, struggling baby birds, and creatures resembling crabs. As per Tim Reid, who portrayed Mike Hanlon in the miniseries, the actors were kept unaware of what they’d discover upon opening their fortune cookies, making their reactions to the hidden horrors authentic.

Compare this to “It: Chapter Two,” where the frightening scenes involving fortune cookies were computer-generated and had a somewhat cartoonish feel. This approach lacks suspense as the audience can easily tell the cookies and their hidden creatures aren’t genuine, making those moments more amusing than terrifying (in fact, many aspects of the second film adaptation seem to overuse humor, which actually detracts from the overall horror effect).

In Muschietti’s It movies, Bill Skarsgård’s character Pennywise might be excessively reliant on CGI. Instead of allowing the actor to create a sense of dread through facial expressions and body language, as was done with Curry in the original, the remakes frequently modify Skarsgård’s face and body digitally, making his character seem more alien-like. However, this approach often feels less authentic compared to the raw terror evoked by a friendly birthday clown who suddenly reveals sharp teeth. Curry delivers an exceptional villain performance that stands alongside other iconic portrayals, such as Robert Englund as Freddy Kruger and Boris Karloff as Frankenstein’s monster.

If you’ve never seen the miniseries, check out It when it hits Max in January.

Read More

2024-12-24 19:31