Stephen King's It [1990]

Amazon.co.uk Review

Is there anything scarier than clowns? Of course not. And who knows scary better than Stephen King? You see where we're going. It puts a malevolent clown (given demented life by a powdered, red-nosed Tim Curry) front and center, as King's fat novel gets the TV-movie treatment. Even at three hours plus, the action is condensed, but an engaging Stand by Me vibe prevails for much of the running time. The seven main characters, as adolescents, conquered a force of pure evil in their Maine hometown. Now, the cackling Pennywise is back, and they must come home to fight him--or, should we say, It--again. Admitting the TV-movie trappings and sometimes hysterical performances, this is a genuinely gripping thriller. As so often with King, the basic idea (the bond formed during a childhood trauma) is clean and powerful, a lifeline anchored in reality that leads us to the supernatural. --Robert Horton

Customer Reviews:

Worst film ever?? Not quite..........2008-02-20

I bought this film hoping for a quality horror film, however what I got was a shoddy, old-fashioned bore of a film. Weighing in at 3 hours, it goes on for waaaaaaay to long, the acting is TERRIBLE as are the special effects (though fair-do's, it is an old film).
There are one or two OK bits, but no real scares, unless you find exploding balloons frightning. The clown is quite cool, credit where it's due. However, by the end of the film, any tension one could possibly find is gone, and the "monster" is laughable. I saw another review mention the lack of mystery, and I would quite agree (though I cannot compare to the book).

P.S. Some people have complained about the film ending abrubtly, use your brain and you will figure out to turn the disc over as the second half of the film is on the other side. Though, personally, I wish I hadn't bothered, all you get is another 90 mins of rubbish...

READ THE BOOK BECAUSE THIS IS RUBBISH........2008-01-27

I first read this book in the 80's and I must say it's a powerful book. It's full of humour, sorrow, fear, in fact a whole mixture of different emotions, but this adaption is absolutely awful!

Originally it was about 6 hours long which was then cut down. Although the movie does actually closely follow the book it just doesn't deliver for me. Some of the funniest parts have been left out like when they get caught by the Irish Sheriff for building the damn.

The clown was great but apart from that...

How the hell can John-boy play the role of Bill. It was laughable. If Stephen King himself had something to do with the making of this I'd be very surprised. I didn't spot him in it (and I do have it). He usually takes a small role in his movies. For example, he's the vicar delivering the service when they're burying the young boy in Pet Cemetery.

If you haven't read the book you'll probably enjoy this but if you have then don't bother because you will be bitterly disappointed, especially at the end.

3 hours of my life i want back!.......2007-12-27

WOW! I've just watched this really shocking film and i'm genuinualy upset, I was expecting a horror film with lots of gore and violence and with a clown killing kids so I thought that sounded great, turns out you see none of their deaths and the clown is the most unscary thing ever. Also there is so much racism in it the black character: firstly he is being chased by a group of people, then he has to stay behind in "Dairy" then he has the worst job out of all of them he's a librarian and the rest are really rich then he gets stabbed, it's not fair!
Also the girl in the group is the village bicycle and gets with right mingers such as the gezeer with the pony tale who has a foul mole, then gets with the Chuck Norris look alike. The film overall is extremly entertaining because the dialogue is so apauling especially the kids acting "It kills kids...........dammit" also the adults are also really bad and when they all meet up there is a really lame scene where there's peaceful music and there eating and talking and it's so boring. Finally, the guy with the stutter is halariously poor acter and when he stutters is so funny! and is a must see for him doing it, also I believe that the director should be knighted for this apaling masterpiece!

Not enough.......2007-12-27

This is a pretty good film. The characters and feel of the film is so typical Stephen King style. But it is so short as you expect more but then it ends. I have never read the book. But I don't think I will. The film should have been longer as should have finished differently. For people who haven't seen the film, you will know what I mean when you do. And for people who have watched it, most will agree. If the book is exactly the same as the ending of the movie..its a quite silly to end it in that way.

Very wierd film!.......2007-10-22

i love this film because
1. the children actors can actually act
2. it's a sick film and scares the crap out of people that hate clowns
3. very strong and unused story
4. the directed it perfectly
5. ver good effects
6. it's due to be a classic.

Stephen king's it is a sick film,
about a thing that takes form of a clown
and kills children.
THUMBS UP!

Stephen King's It [1990] (REGION 1) (NTSC)

Average customer rating:

Fantastic
A reasonable effort and quite scary in places
What a waste
Great film right up until the last ten minutes
Check below the bed!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Stephen King's It [1990] (REGION 1) (NTSC)
Starring: Harry Anderson , Dennis Christopher , Richard Masur , Annette O'Toole , and Tim Reid
Director: Tommy Lee Wallace
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00006FDCD
Release Date: 2002-10-01

Customer Reviews:

Fantastic.......2006-06-09

This film requires a slightly sick mind but is a fantastic film. It's pure evil and has the perfect evil figure in it. I would recommend this to any horror movie fans. A classic film from Stephen King. A slightly disappointing ending but otherwise a top film. I will always have a fear of clowns now and avoid them if I see them. Listen to the drains if when you walk past them on the street. You may hear an evil clown laugh!

A reasonable effort and quite scary in places.......2006-02-27

A first came to watch this in a 2 parter shown on tv and agree with other reviewers about the poor second half and dissapointing ending. I have not read the book but shall do asap. I think that it's sometimes dissapointing when a film detracts so much from the book, but even more so if the film is slightly poor in parts.
I did think however that the film in general had some good acting generally, especially from Tim Curry who made a creepy and well acted performance as Penny Wise. I also liked the opening title music.

What a waste.......2006-02-24

Stephen's King's book is a masterpiece of horror writing. It scared me senseless the first time I read it and the story was so compelling that I have read it a further three times since.

So to see a screenplay done of the book in such a pitiful fashion is a travesty.

The interaction between the characters, how they all bond is rushed and you're left feeling confused. Their own particular encounters with Pennywise have also been changed, for the worse. In the book they each have their own personal horrific experiences with It and in some cases barely escape with their lives, yet in the film a few of them find themselves in Pennywise's clutches yet escape!!

This leads me on to my biggest grudge of all. Had the producers of this film put any effort at all into transferring Pennywise to screen we would have seen a character of such malevolence and pure evil that Freddie Kruger would have seemed like Bambi!

The story jumps in confusing time scales and you're left wondering how certain situations developed so quickly. Even the scenarios in which some of the more peripheral characters are involved lent structure to the book, yet they become horribly misconstrued in the film. Why some of the scenes were changed from the original book is a mystery.

My only hope is that this story is that, with a decent cast and directors, this is made into one of the best horror films of our time. Dream on....

Great film right up until the last ten minutes.......2006-02-01

This film is some of the greatest horror work to date in parts, and is equally an abomination mankind was never meant to suffer at others.

The film is basically split inot two halves the first half showing us the history set back in 1958 when the main characters of the film were mere children. It shows there normal lives growing up dealing with their parents, going to school and yes indeed battling a centuries old evil clown by the name of pennywise. This section of the film is the bit to see, I would storngly urge horror fans to watch the children part of this film.

However the instant they become adults it begins to spiral away. The characters who as children were cute adorable youngsters that viewers liked and empathised with. The adults they have become are irritating ridiculous characters which any viewr hungrily awaits the death of.

However even with the disappointing second half as adults, the real downfall of this film is the last ten minutes. I shall not ruin this part in my review as they're may still be some who disregard this review and choose to watch the film right the way through anyway. Woe betide thos of you that do though, my strongest suggestion to those of you interested in seeing this film would be rent it rather than buy it but either way whatever you do always ALWAYS stop the video a good 10-15 minutes before the end, it truly can only disappoint!

Check below the bed!!!!!!!!!!!!!.......2006-01-30

In a word, SUPERB!! Although i do agree with many of you about the lack of suspense in the ending. However,Tim Curry kicks the ass off everyone else in the film,and i would like to take this opportunity 2 say a huge thanx 2 him 4 installing in me an immovable fear of clowns. First seen at the age of 12 and never forgotten since, this movie should b in every home on the face of the earth!

Having also read the book, and finding it equally enjoyable, it matters not how you view this masterpiece. JUST DO IT!!!!!!!!!!! AND 4 PETE'S SAKE, B4 YOU GO 2 BED EVERY NITE 4 THE REST OF YOURS LIVES AFTER EITHER READING THIS BOOK OR WATCHING THIS FILM, CHECK EVERY CUPBOARD AND MORE IMPORTANTLY,BELOW UR BED!!!!!! Because believe me, i still do, and always will!!!

(WATCH THE MOVIE, YOU'LL C WHAT I MEAN)

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