Editorials
8 Things You Should Probably Know About Pennywise from ‘It’!
Earlier this week, the world was given its first glimpse of Bill Skarsgård in full costume as Pennywise the Clown, otherwise known as It. There was quite a bit of negative backlash over his look, with many lamenting the fact that he looks too evil as opposed to an everyday clown like Tim Curry’s Pennywise. Not that it matters, but my opinion on the subject is that these criticisms are unfounded. You have to understand, this is a publicity shot. He is meant to look frightening in this particular shot. He very well may have an alternate appearance where he looks more like a friendly clown (he is a shapeshifter, after all). Also, it’s not like ABC didn’t release promotional images of Tim Curry looking scary back in 1990.
That being said, the negative backlash seems to validate the theory that horror fans will never be happy. We have created a culture of dissatisfaction that is never content with anything that is given to us. In all honesty, we should all be grateful we are getting a new adaptation at all. It is understandable to be wary. It’s not like we haven’t been burned by remakes many times before, but the latest image that was released is a solid image of Pennywise. My point is: we shouldn’t be too quick to judge. It’s one photo. Wait until you see the movie. And for the love of God go see it in theaters, otherwise studios won’t take any more risks on multi-film Stephen King adaptations.
That is the end of my rant. Time for the listicle portion of this article. Below are 8 basic facts about Pennywise that you should know before going to see the new film, which will be released next September. I’ve tried to keep it as light on spoilers as possible (spider climax aside), so many of these facts will be known by seasoned veterans of the novel or even the 1990 ABC miniseries, but newbies may find a few things pretty interesting.
1. It originated before the universe itself in an alternate dimension known as the “Deadlights.”
Not much is known about the Deadlights, but that is where Pennywise claims to be from, sometimes going so far as to claim that he is the Deadlights. Anyone who sees the Deadlights goes instantly insane, and only one person has ever seen them and survived (those who have read the novel or seen the 1990 mini-series will know who that is).
2. It’s true form exists solely in the “Deadlights.”
No one has ever seen Pennywise’s true form. While the giant pregnant female spider that appears in the climax of the novel is considered as close a representation to its true form as anyone will ever see, as it the Deadlights is a realm beyond the physical and thus unable to be contemplated by the human mind.
3. It terrorizes the town of Derry, Maine every three decades(ish).
It came to Earth in an asteroid during prehistory but didn’t wake up until the year 1715. From there, it hibernates for roughly 30 years (the shortest hibernation being 24 years) and wakes up again to feed on the fear of the citizens of Derry. It’s awakening is usually spurred by an act of extreme violence in the town.
4. It takes the shape of the thing its victim fears most.
What better way to feed on fear than to actually scare your victim? The miniseries played with this idea a bit, but Stephen King’s novel takes it a lot further. Pennywise actually takes the form of the shark from Jaws in one memorable scene. This is one aspect of the novel that I really hope the filmmakers behind the remake really take advantage of.
5. However, It must surrender the the laws of whatever shape It takes.
Pennywise’s strength is also his weakness. For example, if he were to take the shape of a werewolf (as he does in the novel), silver bullets would harm him.
6. It can be invisible to whoever It doesn’t want to see It.
Most of the time it’s just the kids who are able to see Pennywise and no one else. It only shows itself to the person (or persons) it is targeting. So while one person in a crowded room may be able to see It, no one else will. It’s enough to drive you crazy!
7. It prefers killing children because they are easier to fill with terror.
This one is an no-brainer. If It lives off of the fear of humans, who better to scare than those of us who are most easily scared?
8. It’s weaknesses are courage and heart.
For the sake of spoilers, I won’t go too much into the Ritual of Chüd, but suffice it to say that if you want to defeat It, you’ve got to have the two traits listed above.
No conversation about cartoons based on live-action movies is ever complete without mentioning The Real Ghostbusters.
This animated continuation is, warts and all, a notable example of turning a hit movie into a hit series. And although the new target demographic skewed a little younger, even kids-at-heart could partake in the further adventures of Peter Venkman, Ray Stantz, Winston Zeddemore and Egon Spengler.
For a good part of its run, the show required fans to wait at least a week for more Ghostbustin’. That’s torture for a kiddo. Luckily, though, the entire series, or at least most of it, is now available for streaming.
So, as you revisit The Real Ghostbusters on Tubi—for now it’s just the first five seasons there—use this guide to help prioritize some must-see episodes.
The Boogieman Cometh
“The Boogieman Cometh” (Season 1)
Season One’s “The Boogieman Cometh” is a classic episode featuring one of the show’s more iconic villains. It’s hard to forget the unique character design used for the Boogieman (whose creepy voice was provided by Ray and Slimer’s actor, Frank Welker). In this story, Egon is reunited with that bump-in-the-night entity who haunted his own childhood, all while trying to keep him away from his latest targets: the brother and sister claiming to have the Boogieman in their closet. Although the Ghostbusters do save the day here, the Boogieman eventually returns (“The Bogeyman Is Back“). That same episode also features the love-’em-or-hate-’em Junior Ghostbusters.
Mr. Sandman, Dream Me a Dream
“Mr. Sandman, Dream Me a Dream” (Season 1)
You could say the namesake of “Mr. Sandman, Dream Me a Dream” had good intentions for putting mankind to sleep for the next few centuries—he wanted to end war and keep everyone dreaming. Sounds nice until you remember that whole free will business. But when it seems like the Ghostbusters have lost to their latest foe, the last one standing, Winston, gains a sudden ally. Janine’s dream of becoming a Ghostbuster is manifested, and she helps put this rogue spirit to bed.
When Halloween Was Forever
“When Halloween Was Forever” (Season 1)
Before the show’s execs capitalized on Slimer’s popularity by making him the focus of later episodes, early stories like “When Halloween Was Forever” better utilized that gooey ghost. Here, the spirit of Halloween itself, Samhain, hopes to make the holiday a permanent thing by stopping time. And who does the embodiment of All Hallows’ Eve use in his nefarious plot? Slimer, of course. Thankfully, the lil’ green bud knows where he really belongs, and Samhain is banished (at least until Season 3’s “Halloween II 1/2“).
Night Game
“Night Game” (Season 2)
Because Season Two was rather long, in comparison to other seasons, it accumulated quite a few solid episodes. One of the most beloved, though, is that ultimate good-versus-evil story, “Night Game“. Winston gets to shine here as he participates in a battle that was 500 years in the making. Except this time, the fighting is done on the baseball field. The other-dimensional settings in The Real Ghostbusters are always great, but the one here is particularly memorable.
Drool, the Dog-Faced Goblin
“Drool, the Dog-Faced Goblin” (Season 2)
Not all ghosts and whatnot were bad in The Real Ghostbusters. As “Drool, the Dog-Faced Goblin” showed, some were actually benevolent. Sadly, it took a lot of convincing, and one very heroic act, for Peter and the others to see past this goblin’s grotesque appearance. The heroes find more than one shapeshifter at a sideshow carnival in the Poconos; a sinister Class-4er called the Metamorph does a swell job of menacing the Ghostbusters before they finally realize Drool’s not their culprit. The good guys indeed win here, but that victory is a bittersweet one.
The Collect Call of Cathulhu
“The Collect Call of Cathulhu” (Season 2)
While “The Collect Call of Cathulhu” does misspell “Cthulhu” in the title (probably to avoid legal issues), it is clearly the Old One in this Lovecraft-inspired episode. The story kicks off with the Necronomicon being stolen by the deity’s modern-day cult, who then raise their ancient god at Coney Island. From there, the Ghostbusters’ typical methods don’t work on the big guy, so they seek advice from an old issue of Weird Tales (or “Wierd Tales”, as it’s spelled on screen). That build-up to the finale comes with a decent amount of dread before the Ghostbusters, as well as a scholar named Alice, face off with one of the show’s most powerful entities.
Knock, Knock
“Knock, Knock” (Season 2)
A number of Real Ghostbusters episodes could be reworked into big-screen features, but perhaps “Knock, Knock” is the most hopeful. It helps that this story feels in step with the first two movies. Here, some ignorant construction workers accidentally uncover and open an ancient door in the subway. What’s behind said door is none other than those unspeakable evils that only the Ghostbusters can quell. A good deal of the imagery here is prime for adaptation.
The Grundel
“The Grundel” (Season 3)
One of the darker episodes, which was written by the prominent J. Michael Straczynski, is “The Grundel“. Here, a boy is being influenced by the titular entity, a type of ghost who ultimately turns his targets into new Grundels. The episode does have something of an after-school special quality to it, but that doesn’t take away from the eerier moments. For more Grundel lore, be sure to check out the episode “Grundelesque” from the sequel series, Extreme Ghostbusters.
Standing Room Only
“Standing Room Only” (Season 4)
It’s no secret that The Real Ghostbusters experienced multiple changes after the second season. Out of all of them, though, retooling the show so that Slimer would get more of the spotlight is maybe the most egregious. Thankfully, Season Four (the first to be called Slimer! and the Real Ghostbusters) didn’t completely obey that new directive; episodes like “Standing Room Only” felt more like the old days. The focus here was on the well-being of the city and its people, rather than on the series’ green mascot (or the Junior Ghostbusters). In the episode, Peter’s new ghost attractor isn’t to blame for the ensuing chaos; the ghost-eating Mee-Krah is what’s really imperiling everyone. And the Ghostbusters must dish out everything they have to avoid a doomsday situation.
The Halloween Door
“The Halloween Door” (Season 5)
While many fans will skip the later seasons in their rewatches, episodes like “The Halloween Door” are still worth checking out. This colorful helping of Halloween pandemonium premiered on primetime, so the animation is better than usual. And save for a random musical moment, it’s an enjoyable event. Here, a group of anti-Halloweeners tries to cancel the holiday, but they only end up making things worse by unleashing a baddie named Boogaloo.
The first five seasons of The Real Ghostbusters are available on Tubi, starting on July 15.
You must be logged in to post a comment.