So it looks like the new adaption of It is happening. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1396484/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1 Don't know much about it other than it's going to be done in two parts, one for the kids and one as adults, and it's coming out next year. I have some major reservations, but I'm glad someone is taking a crack at it. It's my second favorite book and has a special place for me as I read it at roughly the same age as the characters. They went way overboard with trying to make Pennywise look evil. He's supposed to look playful with a hint of creepy until he actually starts going homicidal. I hope he doesn't actually look like this in the movie.
The original IT movie gets way more praise than it rightfully deserves. Its good, but severely dated and the acting is terrible. Its like a who's who of washed up TV actors, even for 1990. John-Boy Walton, Jack Tripper, and Harry Stone from Night Court. Wowsers. And the spider at the end was like footage from the cutting room floor of Jason and the Argonauts. But given that, Tim Curry is pretty terrifying. Theres something deeply sinister and off-putting with the way he plays that character. I dont know how that can be topped. It would be cool if they worked in some of the esoteric connections to the Dark Tower and the Stand. Really start developing that cinematic universe with the way the books connect the dots.
It gets praise? All I've ever seen is it being universally panned. That adaptation was a mess from start to finish. Tim Curry's performance was the only good thing to come out of it. Granted, it scared the shit out of me when I watched it, but I was four. I hope they include the truly fucked up things from the book like an image of Beverly Marsh shouting at Henry Bowers from the moon, and the disturbed psychosis that is Patrick Hockstetter. It looks like instead of going from the late 1950s to the mid 80s they are instead going to tell the kids' story in the 80s and the adults' narrative is going to take place in modern times. It doesn't have to be a perfect adaptation to be good. There was nothing special about Pet Cemetery, yet it's enjoyable enough. That being said, if it's done right I know it's going to be one of those horror movies I end up watching a dozen times.
"It" will be modernized. They shot it in my wife's hometown of Port Hope. The scenes from the past are going to take place in 1989. It will be a cast of nobodies. The original wasn't good because it was a primetime TV movie from 25 years ago. It has to hold back completely: no graphic images or language at all. Curry was the best thing about it, but he's such a brilliant actor that he made it look easy. And he scared the absolute fuck out of people, I DO remember that.
Personally, I'm cool with the cast of unknowns. There are a lot of characters. Hell, the protagonists alone take 14 people between the kid and adult actors. Then you have several fairly important characters aside like Henry Bowers. The budget is only 35 million, and I'd hate to see them blow half of that on a couple big names. The way they're splitting it up is interesting. In the books the two stories are told concurrently, and kind of have to be. Clearly, it's not a strictly faithful adaptation so we'll see. In the novel the story with them as kids was far and away the more important narrative so they will have to make adjustments to give the two parts equal weight. It really is too bad that they didn't shoot this as an R-rated film when Curry was Pennywise, and could have just ran wild with it. He's already amazing in that movie, would have been awesome to see what he could do with a script not holding back.
The Internet tells me it is Oscar worthy. I don't have much of an interest in it. It looks like fictionalized historical story that matches up with Denzel Washington's movie Flight. At the time when that happened I was flying for work 3-4 times a week. I feel like I read every news story about it, and it's still fresh in my mind. This movie would be awesome if it was made 10 years from now.
I was talking to a buddy about this, and said pretty much the exact same thing. I think maybe I said 15 years. It just looks more like a Lifetime movie of the week or something, except it happens to have Tom Hanks and Clint Eastwood attached. It's the White version of Flight - and it won't have an opening scene with a smoking hot naked Nadine Velazquez, that's for sure - the same weekend that Black Fatal Attraction comes out. Even the movie poster doesn't look inspiring.
Super Troopers II is now filming! http://www.indiewire.com/2016/09/super-troopers-2-broken-lizard-indiegogo-1201724406/
I got in on their crowd funding a year or so ago and when they're done filming they're going to send me one of their signed movie posters. (I already received a "Johnny Chimpo" t-shirt.) It should look great in the new HT. I'm really looking forward to this one.
I think its a good thing they went this route. I'm guessing some studio would have funded a sequel but I think it'll keep the movie leaner. They have a hit or miss record but Ill see this in the theaters for sure.
Gibson's first direction since Apocalypto, early reviews are saying it's great. I certainly want to see it. Knowing Gibson's almost beautiful proclivity towards brutality this one is probably going to make viewers wince.
Full Rogue One trailer Looks great - kind of wish they'd stop with the Death Star over and over though.