Paul and TJ did a livestream of Space Mutiny a couple of nights ago. They responded to a couple of things I stated. I would like to respond to Paul’s little speech about IT. I would also like to thank Paul and TJ for both responding to it. FYI, the last part of the video was just icing on the cake so I included it. What I have to say is kind of long so it's all below the cut:
I agree with him; the premise of IT is that Pennywise the Dancing Clown is an approachable character and a child would just be drawn to him despite sheer skepticism and an unnerving feeling in the pit of their stomach. Why would any child in their right mind actually approach a overly creepy clown in the sewers? The creep and unsettling factor is already high enough because you see Pennywise in the sewer so what's the point of making him any creepier by pushing out the fact that he looks like Satan's taint monster? He should be more like what Pennywise looked like in the mini series in 1990. Stephen gave such descriptive detail in the book about what IT would look like in his clown form and what his voice would sound like.
Pennywise's voice:
"that was when a voice -- a perfectly reasonable and rather pleasant voice..."
What about this Pennywise's voice in the 2017 remake is pleasant and reasonable? Sounds like he's been smoking three packs a day while IT was hibernating. IT's voice isn't pleasant, just like that one creepy uncle that hides out in his basement.
Pennywise's appearance (this excludes the yellow eyes that Georgie sees when he first sees something in the storm drain):
"There was a clown in the stormdrain. The light in there was far from good, but it was good enough so that George Denbrough was sure of what he was seeing. It was a clown, like in the circus or on TV. In fact he looked like a cross between Bozo and Clarabell, who talked by honking his (or was it a her? --- George was never really sure of the gender) horn on Howdy Doody Saturday mornings --- Buffalo Bob was just about the only one who could understand Clarabell, and that always cracked George up. The face of the clown in the stormdrain was white, there was funny tufts of red hair on either side of his bald head, and there was a big clown-smile painted over his mouth. If George had been inhabiting a later year, he would have surely though of Ronald McDonald before Bozo or Clarabell. The clown held a bunch of ballons, all colors, like gorgeous ripe fruit in one hand."
"He held it up, smiling. He was wearing a baggy silk suit with great big orange buttons. A bright tie, electric-blue, flooped down his front, and on his hands wer big white gloves, like the kind Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck always wore."
**All excerpts are from pages 12 and 13 in the book.
Pennywise is dressed vibrantly and it seems that IT is an animated and kind clown that just happens to be in the stormdrain. It isn't made obvious that IT has a dark and seedy underbelly, that it would snatch your child's limbs off, and an entity from the another dimension that is evil that Satan is jealous or maybe Satan wants to contact IT to ask to be his mentor.
I normally don't like to judge on trailers alone, but sometimes these trailers give you a little too damn much that it could make an analysis on it alone. It looks like a very lackluster jumpscare fest and I'm not here for it. If I were to watch this, I would probably watch it in a discount theater or I would wait for it to come out on DVD/Blu-Ray. I have seen the mini series that was released back in the 90's and Tim Curry's performance as the dark and monstorous entity was legendary. I'm not trying to compare the two because each of them seems to have different approach, but the costume and make up department went a little too dark with it. He looks washed of any color in both make up and clothing.
If this was an aethestic choice, it was poorly done for Pennywise in my eyes. I don't know whether the washed out look of Pennywise was just for the trailer or if it'll be that for the entire film. He looks like a creepy bastard right away instead of a friendly clown that approaches you in a seemingly good natured way. He isn't supposed to be seen as a lunatic to steer clear from right away. His voice doesn't match what I hear from the book nor does his current look match what I see from Stephen King's description.
I know that they have to cut down this almost 1,100 page book to adapt it into a screen play, but it feels dumbed down. I have literally sat down and watched every trailer to make sure I didn't see this in a darkened light of my own and in my honest opinion, IT should not have Pennywise the Dancing Clown as a overtly dark hobo looking motherfucker. I also hope that in this film that they do some of the disguises that IT transforms into throughout the book. Pennywise is supposed to give the feeling of being unnerving, but also seem friendly and approachable. You can't lure kids looking and sounding like he's about to touch your butt.
I would like to see the Turtle, IT's arch nemesis, is either acknowledged or shown in this remake, but I'm sure they'll find a way to wipe it out. It may be a confusing concept to the story, but it is so interesting. In my opinion, IT does exist, but IT doesn't exist within this particular dimension and with it existing outside of this dimension, it doesn't live by the rules of our world.
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