I do not mean to dissuade you from reading more of them if that's what I've done.
Just be aware that there are some very graphically violent scenes in several of his books that are not portrayed in the movies.
Unfortunately.
Oh, and welcome to the SKMB. This place is wonderful.
[PS Edit: I said the "welcome" bit before I realized you are now a "Well-known Member." I mean it though. I just got out of newbie jail recently myself.]
Hi BillFan! I don't think that I am alone to say that most of us here are the novel readers. Hope you do so. Movies are one thing, his books another - by far.
Hi BillFan! I don't think that I am alone to say that most of us here are the novel readers. Hope you do so. Movies are one thing, his books another - by far.
As I've said, I just started IT. I enjoy a good book. While I may not be an avid Stephen King reader. I have the Harry Potter books, and will admit that the books are far superior to the movies. Out of the the movies, I say 1 and 2 are the best. They follow their books for the most part. Very few changes were made, and what was changed didn't hurt the stories overall in my opinion.
I tend to find gore to be the least interesting part of a horror movie, but I do think any adaptation of King's work shouldn't shy away from depicting any of the gory scenes he's written that are integral to the story. That said, I don't know how much to realistically expect in chapter two based on the book (I'm sure there will be changes or new scenes, of course).
I tend to find gore to be the least interesting part of a horror movie, but I do think any adaptation of King's work shouldn't shy away from depicting any of the gory scenes he's written that are integral to the story. That said, I don't know how much to realistically expect in chapter two based on the book (I'm sure there will be changes or new scenes, of course).
As I have mentioned in a couple of threads here, I really loved Chapter One. I've seen it four times and find myself appreciating it more each time. I think it was just about as good of an adaptation of the kids' portion of It as could be made as a 2.25 hour movie.
That said, I'm nervous about Chapter Two. And my worries go beyond the normal concerns that Hollywood is going to screw it up somehow...I'm not talking about what could happen if they decide to give it a $150 million budget and demand tons of special effects, or if they cast big stars who are totally wrong for the characters. Obviously that's a risk with any movie. But I think there are a couple of big challenges that will be tough for Muschietti and company to overcome.
1. The adult portion of the book isn't as strong or compelling as the kids' story. I am definitely open to a different opinion, but I don't think I have ever heard someone say that they prefer the parts of the book following the adults over the part following the kids. I think taking Chapter One and focusing it entirely on the kids was absolutely the right decision for the movie, but it paints them into a corner for the second movie. The way the book interweaves 1958 with 1985 works so well that when I set the book down I don't think too hard about how much weaker the adult scenes are, especially because they lead directly into the flashbacks. Now I know Muschietti has said there will be flashbacks to the Losers Club as kids, and I am wholly in favor of that, but assuming another 2.25 hour runtime, or even 2.5 hours, they're going to be limited in how much time they can devote to flashbacks without shortchanging the main story.
2. By splitting the movies like this, I don't see how the second movie isn't going to be a huge downer. As dark as parts of Chapter One are, the movie ends largely on a happy note.
Other than Georgie being dead (and arguably Bill has at least gotten some closure and can truly begin grieving him instead of holding on to a belief that he might still be alive), it's largely a happy ending to the first chapter. Beverly is moving away from her abusive father and all of the kids have faced It and come away victorious, as far as they know. There are clues as to what's coming next for those of us who've read the book, but taken by itself it's a happy ending to the movie.
But unless Chapter Two makes serious changes from the source material (which would create different problems), we aren't going to get nearly as happy an ending.
We know Stan is going to be dead even before the Losers confront It again, and that Eddie is going to die in the sewers. (Side note: as a reader, I always felt less strongly about Eddie than any other character with the potential exception of Stan. His death never bothered me as much as it probably was meant to. But based on the nuance and likeability of his character in Chapter One, if they make the adult Eddie anything like the kid it's going to be devastating to watch him die).
Even before the ending, you've got Bev's abusive relationship (after watching how strong she was portrayed in Chapter One and how she stood up to her father, it's going to be so hard to watch her end up with essentially the same type of man as an adult), Eddie's marriage to a woman so much like his mother and his continued reliance on all kinds of medications, Mike's relative poverty and lack of success (and apparently his character is going to suffer even more in the movie than in the book), and so on. Even the Losers who make it through the final confrontation alive are destined to forget that their best friends ever even existed, which in its way is darker than the worst monsters that It can transform into.
To me, it all adds up to a movie that I find it hard to imagine I will want to see over and over again, because I don't see how they can put in enough lighter or more optimistic material without losing the heart of the story. The way the two timelines are woven together in the book goes a long way towards making the sadness manageable.
I hope I'm wrong and that I'll come back here in two years and laugh at how pessimistic I was, but for now, I think Muschietti and the writers, producers, actors, etc, have got a very tall task ahead of them.
I was really sketchy about the first part and thought I wouldn't like it. I ended up loving the movie and have seen it 3 times, which never happens. I have faith in the director that he will bring an equally entertaining follow up. Really curious as to who will play the grown up Losers.
I was really sketchy about the first part and thought I wouldn't like it. I ended up loving the movie and have seen it 3 times, which never happens. I have faith in the director that he will bring an equally entertaining follow up. Really curious as to who will play the grown up Losers.
I was almost the exact same way. I wasn't super excited about the movie. I was worried that it was going to end up like most remakes, and be terrible. I was surprised, and got more than I was expecting. IT has become my favorite Stephen King adaption above my old favorite, Silver Bullet.
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