It (1990– )

In 1960, seven outcast kids known as "The Loser Club" fight an evil demon who poses as a child-killing clown. 30 years later, they are called back to fight the same clown again.

Stars:

Jonathan Brandis, Annette O'Toole, Tim Reid

Won 1 Primetime Emmy. Another 1 win & 2 nominations.

Cast

Complete series cast summary:
Jonathan Brandis	...	Bill Denbrough - Age 12 (2 episodes, 1990)
Brandon Crane	...	Ben Hanscom - Age 12 (2 episodes, 1990)
Adam Faraizl	...	Eddie Kaspbrak - Age 12 (2 episodes, 1990)
Tim Curry	...	Pennywise (2 episodes, 1990)
Emily Perkins	...	Beverly Marsh - Age 12 (2 episodes, 1990)
Marlon Taylor	...	Mike Hanlon - Age 12 (2 episodes, 1990)
Seth Green	...	Richie Tozier - Age 12 (2 episodes, 1990)
Ben Heller	...	Stanley Uris - Age 12 (2 episodes, 1990)
Harry Anderson	...	Richie Tozier (2 episodes, 1990)
Dennis Christopher	...	Eddie Kaspbrak (2 episodes, 1990)
Richard Masur	...	Stanley Uris (2 episodes, 1990)
Annette O'Toole	...	Beverly Marsh (2 episodes, 1990)
Tim Reid	...	Mike Hanlon (2 episodes, 1990)
John Ritter	...	Ben Hanscom (2 episodes, 1990)
Richard Thomas	...	Bill Denbrough (2 episodes, 1990)
Chelan Simmons	...	Laurie Anne Winterbarger (2 episodes, 1990)

Storyline

In 1960, a group of social outcasts who are bullied by a gang of greasers lead by Henry Bowers are also tormented by an evil demon who can shapeshift into a clown and feed on children's fears and kill them. After defeating the demonic clown as kids, it resurfaces 30 years later and they must finish it off as adults once again.

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Plot Keywords:

clown | children | bully | demon | 1960s | 

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Taglines:

The Master of Horror unleashes everything you were ever afraid of.

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Genres:

Drama | Horror | Mystery | Thriller

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Country:

USA Canada

Language:

English

Release Date:

18 November 1990 (USA)

Also Known As:

Stephen King's It

Filming Locations:

Buntzen Lake, Anmore, British Columbia, Canada

Company Credits

Production Co:

Green/Epstein Productions, Konigsberg/Sanitsky Company, Lorimar Television

Technical Specs

Runtime:

192 min 168 min 182 min (2 parts) 179 min 181 min

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Pt 1 was the fifth highest rated program on Sunday, November 18th, with an 18.5 rating and watched in 17.5 million households. Pt 2 was the second highest rated program on Tuesday, November 20th, with a 20.6 rating and watched in 19.2 million households.

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Goofs

When Beverly tries to show her father the blood in the sink, he puts his hand on her shoulder. But in the next shot, he's gripping the sink with both hands.

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Quotes

Richie Tozier: Don't talk. You're gonna be fine, Spaghetti-Man.
Eddie Kaspbrak: Richie, please. For the last time, don't call me that. You know how I...

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Crazy Credits

During the opening credits, we see pictures of the "Lucky Seven" from their childhood like in a photo album. The final photo of the Paramount cinema segues into the actual one in Derry. The camera pulls back from the title IT, and it turns from white to red. In Pt 2, the final photo of a hotel segues into the one the "Lucky Seven" are staying at. At the end of both parts, Pennywise's laugh is heard.

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Connections

Spoofed in Robot Chicken: The Black Cherry (2005)

User Reviews

What is your deepest secret fear?

"It" it's possibly the best TV adaptation of a Stephen King novel. Ok, that does not mean anything, because TV adaptations from King's novel usually leave a lot to be desired (Langoliers, The Stand...); but it is the one I've enjoyed the most.

This is an story about the fear itself. Your fears as a child, and your fears as a grown man. It's kind of a parable: when you're an adult and you think everything is under control, that monsters and ghosts doesn't exist, that they can't scare you anymore... Well, you're wrong: as "It" clearly shows, adults are much weaker than children when it comes to face your fears. At least that's my interpretation of this story of seven friends who had to fight against some kind of evil pressence in their little town when they were kids, and have to do just the same 30 years later, when they had almost forgotten of each other and what it happened.

The first part of "It", in which the children are protagonist, is way much more exciting that the second one (with the adult characters). That first part has reminded me (in some way) of another Stephen King's adaptation: Stand By Me. Definitely it is much more entertaining. I haven't read the novel, so I don't know if they've made a good work adapting it (if it's exact enough), but I suppose that other reviewers will have talked about it.

And there's not much more to say. The special effects are a little better than in Langoliers (no big deal, anyway), and though there're lots of ups and downs in the script, "It" achieves it objective: to entertain.

PS: Pennywaise's character is the most histrionic and crazy performance of Tim Curry since Frank N'Further.

My rate: 6.5/10