Editorials
‘IT’ is the Rare Remake That Actually Feels Necessary
Sometimes, you have to be honest with your nostalgia.
In the wake of the IT teaser trailer hitting the net, I am incredibly excited to see Andy Muschietti’s vision for the Stephen King novel up on the big screen – but that’s an excitement that I personally felt long before I ever saw a single frame of the movie. For starters, I’m a huge fan of Mama, which proved that Muschietti is adept at making a pretty damn scary horror flick. But perhaps more importantly, I was excited that King’s novel was getting another adaptation because, well, I’m just going to come right out and say it: the book was not done any sort of justice back in 1990.
Director Tommy Lee Wallace’s lengthy miniseries adaptation of IT is easily the most beloved horror movie to ever debut on the small screen; Tim Curry’s portrayal of Pennywise, in particular, is still dishing out nightmares at a steady clip to this very day. There’s no denying that Curry was incredible in the role that Bill Skarsgard is taking over for Muschietti’s two-film adaptation, but the high points of the 1990 miniseries almost entirely begin and end with his talents.
What I’m trying to say is, there’s a reason most don’t remember much of anything about the adaptation aside from the fact that Curry, as Pennywise, was truly nightmarish. Many fans tend to have a nostalgic connection to the miniseries because they saw it when they were young, but when you revisit it in the present day, one thing becomes immediately clear: it’s a poor telling of a really great story, made iconic only by an unforgettable performance from the great character actor of a generation. Take Curry out of the mix and, well, let’s just be glad he was in it.
Of course, this is only my opinion, but a recent revisit of IT 1990 (just last year) admittedly let me wondering why the miniseries is even as beloved as it is; to an even greater extent, it left me wondering why the hell anyone was up in arms when the new adaptation was announced. And it’s not even that the special effects don’t look so great today, which many tend to hold against it when they revisit; if anything, the dated effects give the miniseries a charm that I can’t help but love. It’s more that the story is poorly conveyed and executed, the acting is shoddy, and it all around feels very much like what it is: a made-for-TV movie. It’s incredibly corny, and not just by today’s standards. And though it has its moments, it’s mostly just plain bad.
Furthermore, my most recent revisit made me realize that even Pennywise himself is poorly brought to the screen in the 1990 miniseries. Sure, Curry is fantastic and the costuming/makeup is exceptional, but Tommy Lee Wallace does a pretty bad job of actually making Pennywise scary; he’s more whimsical than he is threatening, and as a result, the incredible fear that the characters feel – both as children and later as adults – does not at all translate to what you’ve actually seen for yourself. It all comes off as being silly, awkward, and amateurish.
But my intention with this post wasn’t to sit here for an hour trashing the work Tommy Lee Wallace did back in 1990; it’s beloved for a reason, and it makes me happy that so many fans hold it so near and dear. Rather, I wanted to point to its flaws to illustrate that Stephen King’s IT, maybe more than any other iconic horror property out there, is in desperate need of a proper adaptation. As horror fans, we’ve become accustomed to perfect movies from the past being greenlit for remakes/reboots/re-adaptations, but IT is the rare film that actually warrants one. And now that I’ve seen the trailer for Muschietti’s rated R adaptation, holy shit has that become crystal clear to me.
Muschietti’s IT looks genuinely terrifying, and with King’s decades-spanning story being spread across two completely separate feature films, I’ve got a good feeling that it’s going to be done the epic justice that it has long deserved. If we’re all being honest with ourselves, the 1990 adaptation left much to be desired. And if you’re asking me, that makes it as ripe for a fresh new take as any piece of entertainment has ever been. Tommy Lee Wallace’s hands were tied when he made his TV miniseries. Muschietti, however, doesn’t appear to be holding anything back.
We may very well be in store for one of the great horror remakes of all time.
Editorials
‘The Vampire Lestat’ Concert Event Launches New Season With The Ultimate Expression Of Fandom
There are thousands of passionate fans decked out in gothic chic and champing at the bit like feral creatures. They’re screaming for Lestat, a legendary vampire-turned-rock star, as if the entire crowd has been glamored into submission.
The entire experience is magic, but not because some supernatural thrall has been activated. What’s going on is even more special. It’s the power of the effusive fandom that’s been authentically assembled by AMC’s sublime Immortal Universe, namely Anne Rice’s Interview with the Vampire, now, The Vampire Lestat.
The Vampire Lestat is far from the first Anne Rice adaptation, and it’s not as if there’s been a lack of erotic vampire material for audiences to sink their teeth into. On June 2nd, during a one-night-only spectacle, New York City’s prestigious Beacon Theatre shook from Sam Reid’s bravado performance and an audience full of adoring fans who had already memorized Lestat’s songs.
It’s clear that The Vampire Lestat just hits differently than its predecessors. It’s become more than just a TV series at this point, and this opulent display of ego, swagger, and pure sex is the perfect way to premiere the new season and give back to the fans who helped make Interview with the Vampire/The Vampire Lestat such a breakout success. It’s exactly the sort of hyperbolized hedonism that would make Lestat cackle.
For all intents and purposes, AMC has successfully created the illusion that this concert/premiere is just one of the many destinations on Lestat and his band’s 54-stop tour that is simultaneously playing out on this season of television. It’s such a sophisticated and thorough level of interactive fan engagement that the audience doesn’t just understand, but also manages to accentuate through its involvement.
It’s a level of seamless synergy that’s not unlike the give-and-take relationship of vampire and victim.
Before the concert started, “LeStans” were sitting in the Beacon and flipping through a fake Rolling Stone issue with Lestat emblazoned on the cover, complete with interviews with the undead frontman inside. Other fans were admiring the vinyl pressing of Lestat’s EP as they walked past a section of undead band merch. Fandom and fantasy blur together, and it all becomes this elaborate, immersive experience. Fan celebration, erotic gothic fantasy, and a lavish rock concert transform into one beautiful thing.
To this point, AMC Global Media’s Chief Content Officer and President of AMC Studios, Dan McDermott, introduced the event by reiterating to fans, “You are the heartbeat of the series.” That’s abundantly clear on nights like this as that heartbeat collectively pulses to this performance. In terms of how AMC engages with The Vampire Lestat’s fans, it’s as bold a reinvention as the season itself.
This intuitive gamble speaks to AMC’s creativity in this department and a fandom that is eager to seize such opportunities. It’s the same innovation that led to zombie walks for The Walking Dead and real-life Los Pollos Hermanos restaurant pop-ups from Breaking Bad. It’s a great way to pump up the audience for The Vampire Lestat and then maintain that enthusiasm for the whole season.
For most series, a rock ‘n’ roll concert just doesn’t make any sense as a promotional tool. The Vampire Lestat finds itself in a very unique position where it can deliver an excellent concert at an iconic theater, but also use it to showcase The Vampire Lestat’s music by Daniel Hart (who was shredding on stage alongside Reid and the rest of their band) and, more than anything, Sam Reid’s endless charisma.
The way in which Reid feeds off of the crowd’s energy, modulating his performance and giving different sections of the Beacon life, is a perfect distillation of the series’ thoughtful relationship with its audience and how it’s become such a breakout success for AMC. AMC Studios President Dan McDermott emphasized that the fans are the reason that the show is still here and why an event like this is even possible. It’s rare to see a series in which every single cog in the machine is so perfectly attuned to its fans. Reid’s fans already cheer whenever they see him, so why not translate that to a concert setting?
It’s clear in this season of television that Reid was born to be a rock star, but it’s surreal to see him effortlessly command the stage — and the audience — at every step of the concert. He recites Shakespeare monologues and bitches out Armand between songs, all while the audience screams in support. For the duration of this concert, Reid is Lestat, and he’s given thousands of fans a memory that’s as immortal as any vampire.
Now bring on the encore and get this show on the road!
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