# IT - the Movie seen-it thread (replete with spoilers!) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 8, 2017, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-the-movie-seen-it-thread-replete-with-spoilers/795833 "2017-09-08T19:22:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2017, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-the-movie-seen-it-thread-replete-with-spoilers/795833/21 "2017-09-09T22:21:46Z")
> [@madsircool](#): > > The miniseries had casting issues (A ponytailed Richard Thomas as Bill; John Ritter as Ben…wtf) and had to be toned down for network TV. That said, the second half was pretty good. The miniseries was a who’s who of familiar TV faces, which I’m sure helped sell it as a concept. It also had Seth Green as a young Richie Tozier (preparing for his eventual Buffy role) and the Cigarette Smoking Man in a minor role. I’ve joked to my wife that Richard Masur got a casting call, “good news, a Stephen King miniseries…bad news, only two scenes, and in one of them you’re a head in a refrigerator.”). Anyway, given no CGI they did a decent job. The cavern scene where they confronted the monster looked like something from Ray Harryhausen, but not terrible given the era. ---
**Author:** ![Infovore](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/infovore/32/420_2.png) [@Infovore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Infovore)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2017, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-the-movie-seen-it-thread-replete-with-spoilers/795833/22 "2017-09-09T22:51:03Z")
> [@Maserschmidt](#): > > Anyway, given no CGI they did a decent job. The cavern scene where they confronted the monster looked like something from Ray Harryhausen, but not terrible given the era. The other scene I found quite creepy (partially because it was stop-motion and not CGI, which gave it a freaky, jerky quality) was the one in the gang shower with Eddie, when all the nozzles came out from the walls and Pennywise came out of the drain. Seriously, for sheer creep value (as opposed to jump scares, or “spring-loaded cats,” as we call them), a few scenes from the miniseries IMO actually beat the new movie. ---
**Author:** ![Quimby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/22d042/32.png) [@Quimby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quimby)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2017, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-the-movie-seen-it-thread-replete-with-spoilers/795833/23 "2017-09-10T02:23:19Z")
I enjoyed the movie quite a bit and look forward to chapter 2 and I thought the kid actors all did a good job (especially Beverly). I will say I didn’t find the movie all that scary and as others wrote I don’t know why they took almost everything that made Mike’s character special and gave it to Ben. a very bad call. They can course correct in the next movie with a little hand waving. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2017, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-the-movie-seen-it-thread-replete-with-spoilers/795833/24 "2017-09-10T02:38:13Z")
Oh **Spice Weasel** , you gotta see the miniseries. Tim Curry is fantastic (but then, he’s fantastic in everything he does). The only real issue is the special effects, but you had to allow for the time and budget, I guess. But I loved the casting, at least the kids. I haven’t seen the new one yet, but I can’t wait – it’s one of my favorite King books. (Now I’m seriously going to regret reading this late at night when everyone else is asleep in the house except me and the cat) ---
**Author:** ![LVBoPeep](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/858c86/32.png) [@LVBoPeep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LVBoPeep)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2017, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-the-movie-seen-it-thread-replete-with-spoilers/795833/25 "2017-09-10T03:27:11Z")
> [@madsircool](#): > > The filmmakers deserve plenty of criticism for gutting the Mike Hanlon character and erasing the vicious racism in Derry and the Bowers family. There is really no excuse for this decision. And to make Ben the historian?? Just watched this tonight and the diminishing of Mike’s character was very disappointing. I thought the movie would have also done well to show Mike’s father as he was. Every adult in the movie was either evil or completely neglectful. Keeping Mike’s father in there as a truly present, helpful adult would have balanced that out. Plus, if Ben is the historian, then will it be Ben calling everyone to come back in Part 2 or how will they explain Mike in that role now? ---
**Author:** ![Infovore](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/infovore/32/420_2.png) [@Infovore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Infovore)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2017, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-the-movie-seen-it-thread-replete-with-spoilers/795833/26 "2017-09-10T03:35:13Z")
> [@LVBoPeep](#): > > Plus, if Ben is the historian, then will it be Ben calling everyone to come back in Part 2 or how will they explain Mike in that role now? Despite my disappointment with what they did with Mike, I still think it’s possible for him to be the one making the call. In the book, I believe he was the only one who remained in Derry, so he was the only one who remembered anything about what happened. With the others, the whole event gradually faded from their minds, and only the call from Mike reminded them about what had happened, and their promise to do something about it if it returned. ---
**Author:** ![FlikTheBlue](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fliktheblue/32/10972_2.png) [@FlikTheBlue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FlikTheBlue)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2017, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-the-movie-seen-it-thread-replete-with-spoilers/795833/27 "2017-09-10T04:15:07Z")
Just saw the movie tonight. Here are some of my thoughts. I thoroughly enjoyed it. I like that they updated it sp that the children’s time period happenned in 1989 and the easter eggs like Batman and Lethal Weapon 2 showing at the duplex. I think that overall the movie captures the spirit of the book (a lot better than the other recent King adaptation that came out last month). I thought the joke about Beverly looking like Molly Ringwald was funny, and now I’m hoping she gets the role for chapter 2 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![TroutMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troutman/32/6721_2.png) [@TroutMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroutMan)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2017, 5:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-the-movie-seen-it-thread-replete-with-spoilers/795833/28 "2017-09-10T05:49:04Z")
I thought it was terrifying. That headless corpse chasing Ben in the library is the stuff of my nightmares. I saw one review that said it lost something by being set exclusively in the kid years, so you don’t see how their childhood and parents messed them up as adults. Without that, it’s just a really good horror movie. I agree to some extent, but there’s still plenty to it. And it is a _really_ good horror movie. ---
**Author:** ![bienville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4bbf92/32.png) [@bienville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bienville)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2017, 8:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-the-movie-seen-it-thread-replete-with-spoilers/795833/29 "2017-09-10T08:55:57Z")
Oh, _COME ON_, PEOPLE! Which Thread are we using? The other one has more replies, though this one is specifically titled as a “Seen It” thread (though the other Thread has Seen It posts as well). Copy & Paste from my post in the other Thread: > [@bienville in the other Thread](#): > > One nice touch about the film that I liked: > > I expected film would move up the dates, but the thought of it disappointed me. I really thought the story worked best set in the 50s and 80s. I actually avoided reading anything about the film before going in, so I didn’t _know_ that the kids would be 80s kids (hell, I didn’t even know the story was split into 2 films and this one would be ONLY the kids!), but I assumed they’d be 80s kids and told myself to just get over it. > > What I really liked about it was that it still _felt like_ it was set in the 50s. There’s 80s music, but it’s not intrusive, and there are 80s movie marquees but the whole film felt very much like the 50s set _Stand By Me_. The kids looked enough like 50s kids (especially Bill), they kinda talked like 50s kids, the overall palette of the film was more suggestive of how we conventionally present pre-60s as a period set piece. > > In the actual 80s, I was the age of these kids. I really didn’t feel like I was seeing my childhood up on screen, I felt like I was seeing (what pop culture has lead me to believe would be) my parents’ childhood. They even let Bill keep his 50s bike, Silver! > > It’s almost like the film was set in the 50s but, oh, by the way, let’s all agree that it’s set in the 80s. Kinda like how Robert Altman made _MASH_ as a Vietnam film… set during the Korean War. > I’m wary of the chapter 2 film. > > First of all, the kids’ story was always more interesting to me. When I read the book, the adults parts really only worked for me because they were interwoven with the kids parts. They adult parts dropped hints about parts of the kids’ story that hadn’t been told yet and, thus, effectively upped my anticipation to get to the next kids chapter. I do _understand_ the practical benefits of splitting the films this way. I even agree it was the best way to do it. The downside is (though I’ll be happy to be proven wrong) that you’re leading with the strongest parts of the story and are only left with an inevitable letdown given that you’re only left with the weaker material to end on. > > Second of all, Derry with iPhones. Ummm… no. > 50s and 80s is really part of what makes the story work for me. ---
**Author:** ![Quimby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/22d042/32.png) [@Quimby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quimby)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2017, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-the-movie-seen-it-thread-replete-with-spoilers/795833/30 "2017-09-10T14:24:56Z")
They still can (and should) have Mike have the roll he had in the book by adding a few lines that he took over the job Ben started when Ben left Derry. That’s what I meant by “hand waving” above. One thing that occurs to me about the next movie is the fact that it almost certainly will open with Stan’s suicide which is kind of intense or modern audiences I think. I also wonder if they will change Eddie’s career. In the era of Uber and Lyft audiences would find it hard to believe someone coming rich from a limousine business. ---
**Author:** ![madsircool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madsircool/32/3432_2.png) [@madsircool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madsircool)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2017, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-the-movie-seen-it-thread-replete-with-spoilers/795833/31 "2017-09-10T15:32:25Z")
> [@Quimby](#): > > They still can (and should) have Mike have the roll he had in the book by adding a few lines that he took over the job Ben started when Ben left Derry. That’s what I meant by “hand waving” above. > > One thing that occurs to me about the next movie is the fact that it almost certainly will open with Stan’s suicide which is kind of intense or modern audiences I think. > > I also wonder if they will change Eddie’s career. In the era of Uber and Lyft audiences would find it hard to believe someone coming rich from a limousine business. Firstly, the budget will likely be much higher…so maybe we will get CHUD after all. And the landing of IT onto earth. Limos are still a big thing here in Los Angeles (and I am sure in any big urban center) so I Eddy should be cool. I agree with your post about Stan but I think that will open the film just as Georgies grizzly death opened this one. I’d like to see Kings historic flashbacks be integrated via Mike voiceover/flashback as the Losers arrive back in Derry. I hope that there are no secret baby Its left behind after the climax of It 2. ---
**Author:** ![Lightnin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lightnin/32/180_2.png) [@Lightnin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lightnin)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2017, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-the-movie-seen-it-thread-replete-with-spoilers/795833/32 "2017-09-10T15:58:24Z")
Saw IT yesterday, and really enjoyed the movie. It’s certainly a good sign that R-rated is the way to go for horror movies- I’m very glad that we’re getting a resurgence of movies with that rating. I was disappointed, though, that the movie left out my favorite line: “This is battery acid you slime.” ---
**Author:** ![Poysyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Poysyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Poysyn)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2017, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-the-movie-seen-it-thread-replete-with-spoilers/795833/33 "2017-09-10T17:31:29Z")
Okay - I whipped though this because I haven’t seen the movie yet. Question: Is the part with the puppy in the fridge in this movie? That part actually upset me a LOT and I just want to kind of steel myself for it…? ---
**Author:** ![Infovore](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/infovore/32/420_2.png) [@Infovore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Infovore)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2017, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-the-movie-seen-it-thread-replete-with-spoilers/795833/34 "2017-09-10T18:06:32Z")
> [@Poysyn](#): > > Okay - I whipped though this because I haven’t seen the movie yet. Question: > > Is the part with the puppy in the fridge in this movie? That part actually upset me a LOT and I just want to kind of steel myself for it…? It’s been a while since I read the book so I don’t remember this part, but there are no puppies in fridges in the movie. The closest is when Henry almost shoots a cat, but thankfully he’s called off before he can do it and the cat is safe. ---
**Author:** ![Ibn\_Warraq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e19b73/32.png) [@Ibn\_Warraq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ibn_Warraq)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2017, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-the-movie-seen-it-thread-replete-with-spoilers/795833/35 "2017-09-10T18:12:09Z")
> [@bienville](#): > > Oh, _COME ON_, PEOPLE! > Which Thread are we using? The other one has more replies, though this one is specifically titled as a “Seen It” thread (though the other Thread has Seen It posts as well). > > Copy & Paste from my post in the other Thread: I think that was intentional with many of the bikes and cars having a 50s feel and suspect in the sequel they’ll go more into that. Same with Ben’s family. I was honestly wondering if they’re caught in some weird time warp or something like that. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2017, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-the-movie-seen-it-thread-replete-with-spoilers/795833/36 "2017-09-10T18:18:26Z")
> [@Quimby](#): > > I also wonder if they will change Eddie’s career. In the era of Uber and Lyft audiences would find it hard to believe someone coming rich from a limousine business. > [@madsircool](#): > > Limos are still a big thing here in Los Angeles (and I am sure in any big urban center) so I Eddy should be cool. [tangent]Yeah, I wouldn’t have thought there’d be that much overlap between the market for limos and the market for Uber.[/tangent] > [@](#): > > I agree with your post about Stan but I think that will open the film just as Georgies grizzly death opened this one. I don’t remember any grizzles in the book. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![madsircool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madsircool/32/3432_2.png) [@madsircool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madsircool)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2017, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-the-movie-seen-it-thread-replete-with-spoilers/795833/37 "2017-09-10T18:23:33Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > [tangent]Yeah, I wouldn’t have thought there’d be that much overlap between the market for limos and the market for Uber.[/tangent] > > I don’t remember any grizzles in the book. 😛 You are so unbearable 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Anglachel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Anglachel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anglachel)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2017, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-the-movie-seen-it-thread-replete-with-spoilers/795833/38 "2017-09-10T19:38:44Z")
Kind of surprised no one has mentioned the turtle in Georgie’s room that Bill holds later in the movie. Easter egg or foreshadowing? ---
**Author:** ![Poysyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Poysyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Poysyn)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2017, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-the-movie-seen-it-thread-replete-with-spoilers/795833/39 "2017-09-10T19:50:38Z")
> [@Anglachel](#): > > Kind of surprised no one has mentioned the turtle in Georgie’s room that Bill holds later in the movie. Easter egg or foreshadowing? That is actually referenced in the book (I am re-reading it, my memory is good, but not THAT good). ---
**Author:** ![Pork\_Rind](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pork_rind/32/111_2.png) [@Pork\_Rind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pork_Rind)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2017, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-the-movie-seen-it-thread-replete-with-spoilers/795833/40 "2017-09-10T21:41:11Z")
> [@Tamerlane](#): > > The actors are all in the 14-16 range( she’s 15 ). Of course they are trying to portray 11-12 year olds and it is a lot harder to hide puberty on a 15 year old girl. I think they aged the kids upward from the book. In the beginning of the movie, they were all getting out of high school. They were what, in sixth grade in the book? And Henry, who’s supposed to be a year or two older but in the same grade, well clearly he has his drivers license in the movie. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-the-movie-seen-it-thread-replete-with-spoilers/795833.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-the-movie-seen-it-thread-replete-with-spoilers/795833.md?page=3)