Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		2.0
Overall		3.0

It Blu-ray Movie Review

It's never too late to revisit the original.

Reviewed by Randy Miller III May 31, 2019

Mostly known by modern audiences for its monstrously successful 2017 remake (whose sequel conveniently arrives in theaters this September), Stephen King's novel It was first adapted on the small screen back in 1990 as a two-part TV mini-series spanning just over three hours. Taking place in the fictional town of Derry, Maine in 1960, our story follows a ragtag group of kids who, after facing an unspeakable evil that largely manifests as an evil clown, vow to return if said evil threatens their small town again. Thirty years later, it's time to make good on their promise.

Divided into distinct halves, this two-part mini-series -- which originally aired on November 18th and 20th, 1990 -- introduces us to "The Lucky Seven", that aforementioned group of Derry kids who find solace in one another despite the terror around them. Bill Denbrough (Jonathan Brandis) just lost his little brother Georgie, who was murdered during a downpour. Eddie Kaspbrak (Adam Faraizi), a friend of Bill's who suffers from asthma, forms a fast friendship with overweight Ben Hanscom (Brandon Crane) after he's tormented by sadistic bullies. Three become four with the addition of Beverly Marsh (Emily Perkins), a spirited young girl with a destructive home life, and a fifth joins with future librarian Mike Hanlon (Marlon Taylor). The group is rounded out with smart aleck Richie Tozier (Seth Green) and his little buddy Stan Uris (Richard Masur), who meet at their unofficial headquarters by the local creek. For the time being, "The Lucky Seven" are the only ones who have made a connection between a mysterious being -- which takes the form of, among other things, an evil clown named Pennywise (Tim Curry) -- and the growing number of brutal murders and bizarre incidents in their small town. All seven reluctantly agree to face "It" underneath the Derry streets, armed with little more than a slingshot and silver earrings, in hopes they'll stop the murders for good.

Their individual stories are typically introduced via flashbacks from 1990, long after six of the original group have left Derry for greener pastures. Portrayed respectively by Richard Thomas, Dennis Christopher, John Ritter, Annette O'Toole, Harry Anderson, and Richard Masur, the now-adult Lucky Seven are reunited when Derry librarian Mike Hanlon (Tim Reid) calls them individually once the murders start up again. A pattern is discovered in 30-year intervals so, despite their shared childhood trauma, they must once again face "It" to finish what they started back in 1960. It sounds good on paper, but the introduction and setup --which dominate the first part of this mini-series -- are much more successful than its conclusion. This is partly due to It's compelling portrait of small-town childhood; though not on par with Stand By Me, the 1960 portions of It, mostly contained within its first half, deliver a more palpable sense of urgency, danger, and emotional effectiveness. Both halves are necessary; one is just more interesting to watch.

But while the second leg of this two-part journey pales in comparison to the first, It still remains effective as a whole. The performances are decent to very good all around -- especially the younger ones -- with Tim Curry's Pennywise being the obvious standout. There's a reason he's on the cover: his character casts a long shadow even (especially?) when not on-screen. Pennywise shows up whenever he feels like it, ready to torment his unsuspecting victims at a moment's notice. But he's much more than just an ordinary physical threat: this killer clown -- not to be confused with these guys -- is a spiritual embodiment of evil at different stages of life. The struggles of adolescence. Bullying. An abusive partner or parent. Pennywise represents all of it, so it's good that Curry's performance is everything it needs to be and more: equal parts black comedy, playfulness, and pure horror, all adding up to a volatile and monstrous demeanor that's captured perfectly. Simply put, It would be a fine but forgettable production without him.

Please note that, like Warner Bros.' DVD, this Blu-ray only includes the slightly shorter "seamless" version of the original two-part mini-series. Unlike earlier VHS and broadcast versions, this omits the second part's opening credits sequence and a short scene of adult Bill having a conversation in Derry's library (roughly five minutes of total content). This is largely inconsequential to the overall plot, but its continued absence is still somewhat disappointing.

It Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in its original TV-friendly 1.33:1 aspect ratio, It looks excellent on Warner Bros.' Blu-ray. This production was shot on 35mm film and composed for a tube television format, although previous DVD editions by Warner Bros. -- dating all the way back to 2002 -- were all presented in matted 1.85:1 widescreen. It's good, then, that this Blu-ray finally gives this mini-series back its original shape and, although It never achieves the look or feel of a big-budget production, it's competently framed and I've never felt that it was "missing" something in that regard.

Any way you frame it, though, this is a top-quality transfer and easily holds up to 2019 standards: the 187-minute main feature is given its own dual-layered disc and looks great from start to finish. Film grain appears incredibly strong and stable here, jumping higher during a few dark scenes without overpowering, while the complete absence of excessive noise reduction is certainly a good thing. Colors are also quite bold, from the bright primaries of Pennywise's hair, nose, and costume elements to lush green foliage, vivid yellow rain slickers, and even the occasional balloon. Skin tones also look very good here, and even a few dimly-lit interiors during the 1960 segments accurately replicate the era-specific interior design colors. All of this is especially important due to the fact that It was shot in frequently overcast Vancouver, BC (home of the earliest X-Files seasons, among countless other productions) and would have devolved into a drab, homogeneous palette if treated carelessly. Luckily that's not what we get here: these strengths, combined with excellent black levels and a strong level of image detail -- especially in close-ups, several of which are included as screenshots -- give It a deceptively pleasing, film-like, and robust appearance overall.

It Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Likewise, the audio presentation stays true to its roots and is all the better for it. Warner Bros.' DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio (Stereo) is a serviceable effort indeed, prioritizing dialogue and overall atmosphere while remaining well-balanced and fairly immersive. Much of it is divided evenly but there are a few nice pans and other uses of channel separation, from vehicle drive-bys to some of the creepier atmospheric moments. The original score by composer Richard Bellis also sounds great when it kicks in, as do a few of the 1960s era pop tunes (which are thankfully kept to a minimum). Overall, it's a good enough presentation that does justice to its modest source material.

Optional English SDH subtitles have been included during the main feature and are formatted nicely.

It Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Warner Bros.' Blu-ray is a one-disc release that's packaged in an eco-friendly keepcase with familiar artwork recycled from earlier home video editions. The only on-disc extra is ported over from their 2002 DVD.

• Audio Commentary - This feature-length track includes thoughts from director Tommy Lee Wallace and cast members Dennis Christopher ("Eddie Kaspbrak"), Tim Reid ("Mike Hanlon"), John Ritter ("Ben Hanscom"), and Richard Thomas ("Bill Denbrough"). It's surprisingly organized and informative; although group commentaries often devolve into shallow and gabby reunions, there's a lot of great info shared here and Wallace -- who does most of the talking, and appears to have been recorded separately -- does a fine job filling in some of the blanks, even though there are understandably a few lapses into silence along the way. Topics of interest include assembling both sets of cast members, King's original book and his other novels, childhood trauma, some of the story's semi-autobiographical elements, Tim Curry's iconic performance as Pennywise, staying faithful to the book while creating a new identity, special effects, breaking new ground for TV horror, having fun off the set, background details, cameos and supporting characters, and much more. It's a great track and worth listening to if you haven't (and very easy to follow, since many participants are introduced before speaking).

It Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Tommy Lee Wallace's original TV adaptation of Stephen King's enduring novel It is an uneven but perfectly watchable production; I hadn't seen it in years, but clearly remembered that the first half is quite a bit more effective than the second. While It has aged in some respects during the last three decades, it's still capable of scaring and surprising first-time viewers with its creepy atmosphere and an extremely memorable performance by Tim Curry as Pennywise. This mini-series was as influential to later shows like The X-Files as any other production, including Jonathan Demme's The Silence of the Lambs, although I wouldn't put It anywhere near the overall quality of those two. Still, it remains a decent little thriller with solid performances, and Warner Bros.' Blu-ray package adds a respectable amount of support too: from the top-quality A/V presentation to a full- length audio commentary, there's a good amount of content here for the asking price. Certainly recommended, even as a blind buy, if you haven't bought it already.