Pennywise Returns to Theaters

Pennywise Returns to Theaters

By Laura Lassen, Staff Writer

Twenty-seven years have passed since the infamous Pennywise appeared in the 1990 TV mini-series It, leading movie theaters across the country to welcome him back in the remake that was released as of September 8th, 2017.

Based on the horror novel written by Stephen King, the newest on-screen rendition of It explores the story of a boy gone missing and a group of friends who embark on a journey to find him, all while avoiding killer clowns and other alarming creatures notorious for hunting down children one by one.

“I tried to remind myself it wasn’t real, so that way I could make it through the movie,” said sophomore Sorah Park, who watched It with her friend. “There were definitely scenes that still scared me.”

The ABC mini-series that aired on TV in 1990 starred Tim Curry as Pennywise, the killer clown, and was directed by Tommy Lee Wallace. The new horror/thriller film, directed by Andrés Muschietti, stars Bill Skarsgård as Pennywise, Jaeden Lieberher as Bill, and Finn Wolfhard as Richie. Wolfhard also stars in the Netflix original series Stranger Things, yet another show made famous for its eerie plot.

The above photo shows the main character of the film, Pennywise, as portrayed in the 1990s in contrast to today’s image of Pennywise.

The 2017 version of It is a success so far. Receiving an 85% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, 7.5/10 stars on IMDb, and four out of five stars from The Guardian, the movie has obtained mostly positive reviews.

Even Sorah Park, who was unsure if she would enjoy the film, was ultimately satisfied. She claims, “Even though it was scary, the characters were really lovable and the movie had a lot of symbolism in scenes.”

Be sure to see It, which has been playing in Bow Tie Cinemas all week and will most likely remain in theaters for a few more weeks during October.