In 1986, Stephen King released his next horror thriller titled “It.” Not even four years after the book was published, a TV mini-series was released. The series was a huge success, being nominated for two Emmys and a best miniseries recognition from the People’s Choice Awards. Because of this, 27 years later, in 2017, a remake of the miniseries was released in theaters.
A key difference to get out the way first is the length of both films. The original series manages to cover the entire book in only three hours and 12 minutes, while the remake was done over two movies totaling five hours and four minutes. Because of this, some scenes may seem rushed or are not included in the film at all.
The other key difference is the technology used in the film. In the original film, technology was more limited to what is used today, meaning that some scenes with CGI are not as well done–but that adds charm rather than distracting from the overall film.
Lastly, the original mini-series was rated TV-14 while the remake was rated R. Because of this, the remake was able to be a lot darker and more intense. These differences can make a huge impact when comparing the miniseries to the film.
The main character when thinking about “It” is, well, “it” or Pennywise.
In the original series, Pennywise is your typical brightly clothed clown with a “bubbly” personality. He looked like a clown that you would find at a carnival, which gives the audience a sense of false comfort because it’s a figure they may have seen before that is normally portrayed as someone to trust. As the viewer, you can understand why a young boy would trust Pennywise, even if he was in the sewer.
In the remake, Pennywise is in a full white outfit with little to no personality–which makes him scary right off the bat. This is good but doesn’t add any connection to the audience.
Music can make or break a movie. One of the best aspects of the 2017 film is the music. Without the music, the film wouldn’t be as scary, and that goes for any horror movie. It leads the viewer to believe that something is about to happen even if nothing does and can add to the overall suspense.
In the 2017 film, there is a recurring song that plays called “Every 27 Years” written by Benjamin Wallfisch. It is a beautiful piano ballad that creates a feeling of comfort or safety for the viewer, even though Pennywise is lurking around the corner ready to pounce on that feeling.
In the original film, the music is distracting and takes the viewer away from the story.
The miniseries and film both excel at scaring the audience and telling a rather strange, but enticing story, from the creative mind of Stephen King.