Why is IT so much more popular than many other King books?

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Gerald

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I get the feeling that it's probably his most popular book nowadays. On this site that I always visit the reactions to other King adaptations are very minimal, yet with It there are loads of replies. People absolutely LOVE it, and while some have read it, the majority seems to know it from the tv-series.

I never felt the tv-series was all THAT special, I would rate it below Hooper's Salem's Lot, which is my favourite of the mini-series. Or below 11.22.63.
The problem with the tv-series is that the first part is very good, but the second with the adults not nearly as good.

Why does this story capture people's imaginations so much more than many of the other ones? Are so many people really all that fascinated with clowns?

Also the idea that a creature feeds on your personal fear is not that unique. It's done in many horrormovies, like for example Joe Dante's The Hole, but it's a staple of horrorstories. It's also in Nightmare on Elm Street: Stop believing in the monster and you deprive it of its hold on you.

So, what gives It that extra that it's so popular still?
 

kingricefan

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I get the feeling that it's probably his most popular book nowadays. On this site that I always visit the reactions to other King adaptations are very minimal, yet with It there are loads of replies. People absolutely LOVE it, and while some have read it, the majority seems to know it from the tv-series.

I never felt the tv-series was all THAT special, I would rate it below Hooper's Salem's Lot, which is my favourite of the mini-series. Or below 11.22.63.
The problem with the tv-series is that the first part is very good, but the second with the adults not nearly as good.

Why does this story capture people's imaginations so much more than many of the other ones? Are so many people really all that fascinated with clowns?

Also the idea that a creature feeds on your personal fear is not that unique. It's done in many horrormovies, like for example Joe Dante's The Hole, but it's a staple of horrorstories. It's also in Nightmare on Elm Street: Stop believing in the monster and you deprive it of its hold on you.

So, what gives It that extra that it's so popular still?
Perhaps because those child actors are so good that their performances transport us (those of us who were kids back around that time era anyway) back in time? Those kids were very believable in their roles. Tim Curry as Pennywise is also another reason that it holds up today- he brings the menace to the role, but he also brings the glee that Pennywise has and he plays it to the hilt, but never crosses the line to where you're laughing at him.
 

SpazzTheBassPlayer

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im not sure "It" is his most popular book but the keyword in the OP post is "nowadays"...I notice that his most popular book/TV series nowadays changes like the wind, just depends on which nowadays we are dealing with across the timeline....

...as a matter of fact, when I meet people for the first time and if the subject of books/authors comes up ( unfortunately, most folks dont peg me for a reader when they meet me), when I name Stephen King, often the first thing out of their mouth is "Cujo" or "The Shining"<shrug>
 
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Gerald

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The epic size and scope of the novel, the iconography of Tim Curry's Pennywise, et cetera.

Personally, I think It is a 5-star novel but isn't one of my faves. Weird.

It isn't directly my favourite either. But as I've understood the Dutch version was messed with heavily in translation, so that could cause it too.

I think what might have happened with the It tv-series, is that it was the first meeting for many people with King/horror in general. It's what Salem's Lot was for the generation before that. Those are shows that were on tv and could be watched by younger viewers too.
To me Tim Curry isn't scary in the LEAST, nor does the tv-series ever become scary to me. But I love the character work, and those kids simply happened to be more gifted than the adult actors - and there was a good chemistry between them
But Salem's Lot held me awake at night, looking at the curtains and dreading every time to hear nails scratching and someone begging to let them in. It was the first experience of a vampire film (which remains one of my most favoured genre within horror).

Actually it seems true the trailer for the remake DOES come tomorrow. So far, it all feels very similar to the tv-series, so I hope it's not another case like with the Carrie remake where it was essentially the same, only placed in the current day. (Actually I think I slightly prefer the Carrie tv-movie as a remake, although I do like Moore and Moretz a lot in it.)
 

recitador

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it's a very well crafted novel. the way he switches back and forth between the two time periods is done well. the characters are very relatable and some of his best, IMO, it has something for young people (kids who are heroes and fight the boogeyman, the struggle of figuring out the world) and something for adults (the power of nostalgia, the pitfalls of growing up and just how much everything changes when you do), a couple of memorable and epic villains (i mean, henry bowers was a great villain in his own right for those kids), it explored so many interesting subjects, and did it well. power. imagination. magic. grief. prejudice. bullying. apathy of those who could stop something but choose not to. abusive relationships. retribution. heroism. the relationships between kids and adults. the strong nostalgia of revisiting childhood. friendship. love. although the book did all that a lot better. maybe it's just king's ability to create memorable characters even when they're in a severely watered down tv movie.
 

Gerald

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it's a very well crafted novel. the way he switches back and forth between the two time periods is done well. the characters are very relatable and some of his best, IMO, it has something for young people (kids who are heroes and fight the boogeyman, the struggle of figuring out the world) and something for adults (the power of nostalgia, the pitfalls of growing up and just how much everything changes when you do), a couple of memorable and epic villains (i mean, henry bowers was a great villain in his own right for those kids), it explored so many interesting subjects, and did it well. power. imagination. magic. grief. prejudice. bullying. apathy of those who could stop something but choose not to. abusive relationships. retribution. heroism. the relationships between kids and adults. the strong nostalgia of revisiting childhood. friendship. love. although the book did all that a lot better. maybe it's just king's ability to create memorable characters even when they're in a severely watered down tv movie.

Brilliantly said. The novel is indeed so much more than the plot, which in essence is quite simple and not the most original of his books. But the plot is merely an excuse for all the ingredients you mention. It's the ultimate horror version of a coming-of-age story.

As for the tv-movie, I think it's just such a difficult balancing act for filmmakers. To marry the horrorelements with all the human drama is not easy - certainly with the time and budget constraints of television. Even though the new movie looks promising, again I fear a long novel as It can never be translated to the screen in the most ideal way: film is always compromise - both during the making and in the result.

But there is indeed something about his writing and characters that seems to come through no matter what - even the weaker films often have some remnant of the magic of the original work, even if it's watered down.
 

mjs9153

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That is interesting,his most popular novel..wonder if there would be a way to put like the top ten or twenty together in a bar graph like format,showing numbers of copies sold..obviously not a reliable indicator of most popular,but certainly a good baseline..
 
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Gerald

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Sep 8, 2011
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That is interesting,his most popular novel..wonder if there would be a way to put like the top ten or twenty together in a bar graph like format,showing numbers of copies sold..obviously not a reliable indicator of most popular,but certainly a good baseline..

There was this: Readers' Poll: The 10 Best Stephen King Books | Rolling Stone
The Stand beats It.

Actually, what I meant was rather his most popular tv-(mini)series - at least going by the reactions of visitors of the (Dutch) filmsite I visit daily. When there is news about the It remake there are tons of reactions and there is a lot of love for Tim Curry's portrayal. Reactions to other King adaptations are far more limited. But probably only a segment of those reacting has actually read the book, it seems mostly (very dedicated and cherished) love for the tv-series

But also on Twitter SK mentions It quite often and posts related photos, like a 'Vote Pennywise' sign in front of his house or him sitting next to a clown figure in an amusement park.
 
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Tiny

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there is a sub-class of King-fan that likes IT more than any other book.
(the IT crowd)

the TV show-series(30 years ago) was something kindda like an After-school special ...

its HARD to take a steven king work and make it into something rated
TV-PG ... it does work well...

an R rated movie might be real cool though!
 

Gerald

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Sep 8, 2011
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l..wonder if there would be a way to put like the top ten or twenty together in a bar graph like format,showing numbers of copies sold..

I'd like to know that too. You can find lists of his most favourite books voted for by readers or 'most essential' lists, but I can never find an actual list in order how well they sold - maybe publishers don't wanna give away that information. Maybe ms. Mod knows such a list of actual sales figures?
 

Gerald

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the TV show-series(30 years ago) was something kindda like an After-school special ...

That's what I guessed. That it was something that especially appealed to children. It was ABOUT children, but it also was not too gruesome so it could be watched by children.

The new movie will be rated R, confirmed by the producers:

It (2017) - Parents Guide
 

recitador

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There was this: Readers' Poll: The 10 Best Stephen King Books | Rolling Stone
The Stand beats It.

Actually, what I meant was rather his most popular tv-(mini)series - at least going by the reactions of visitors of the (Dutch) filmsite I visit daily. When there is news about the It remake there are tons of reactions and there is a lot of love for Tim Curry's portrayal. Reactions to other King adaptations are far more limited. But probably only a segment of those reacting has actually read the book, it seems mostly (very dedicated and cherished) love for the tv-series

But also on Twitter SK mentions It quite often and posts related photos, like a 'Vote Pennywise' sign in front of his house or him sitting next to a clown figure in an amusement park.


i believe that when a user did a sort of elimination game on this forum the stand ended up winning as well (i like both, but as It is my favorite, i like to think that maybe the right voters just weren't around at the time ;-D)

It could get a lot more attention overall because pennywise/It is a very iconic character that stands out among even stephen king's characters
 

Dana Jean

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I'd like to know that too. You can find lists of his most favourite books voted for by readers or 'most essential' lists, but I can never find an actual list in order how well they sold - maybe publishers don't wanna give away that information. Maybe ms. Mod knows such a list of actual sales figures?
I always wanted to know how well Stephen sold per states. Or countries even. What state in the US buys the most Stephen King books. I'd like to see where my state ranks.
 

kingricefan

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I always wanted to know how well Stephen sold per states. Or countries even. What state in the US buys the most Stephen King books. I'd like to see where my state ranks.
I would imagine in the early years (Carrie-The Stand) that his books did quite well regionally in the northeast part of the country as he was from that area and wrote about it. After The Shining is probably when he sold all over the states.
 

Dana Jean

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I would imagine in the early years (Carrie-The Stand) that his books did quite well regionally in the northeast part of the country as he was from that area and wrote about it. After The Shining is probably when he sold all over the states.
True. But I would just like to see the break down of sales per state. I think that would be interesting.