Around this time last year, clowns were all the rage. Sightings of red rubber noses and crazy painted faces eventually reached State College, effectively turning the Penn State community into a wild mob of clown hunters overnight. From that point forward, the clown epidemic continued, weaving its way into our social media, Halloween costumes, and nightmares.
While there have been no clown sightings on campus this year (yet), a different form of rubber-nosed mania has ensued. This time it’s in the form of a widely popular Stephen-King adapted film called It. With a stunning box office debut and a plethora of rave reviews, It was calling Valley’s name. So, without further ado, here is Valley’s take on this year’s clown craze.
Stunning Visual Effects
First of all, the movie was scary. Valley isn’t arguing that. But while many horror movies get their fear factor by tapping into suspense and mystery, It really set itself apart with its visual effects. The main “bad guy” is Pennywise the Clown, who preys on children in the community by assuming the form of their biggest fears. Unsurprisingly, the filmmakers really did a number with imagery and effects to transform Pennywise into a variety of teeth-baring, face-distorting, body-contorting creatures.
So Many Characters to Hate
Pennywise wasn’t the only one to fear, however. Something unique about It was the fact that there were multiple antagonists to be afraid of for different reasons. One young girl, Beverly, had a father who embodied the worst fear of too many unfortunate children. The school bully was so sadistic and cruel in his ways, and many of the movie’s most chilling moments came from watching his downhill spiral as he descended deeper and deeper into insanity.
But So Many More to Love
But the movie isn’t all horror and gore! The main characters – a core group of middle-school-aged friends–were endearing, loveable, and downright hilarious. From hypochondriac Eddie to foulmouthed Richie to poetic Ben, each of these characters had their own collection of one liners that offered some much-needed comic relief at times when the audience is at the edge of their seats. The best protagonists are the ones you want to root for, and Valley was definitely rooting for these characters as they got themselves into some pretty sticky situations.
Shocking Jump Scares
However, it is a horror movie, and what’s a horror movie without some moments of shock? The film is really effective when it comes to timing these jump scares…right when you think the scariest part of a scene is over, the character turns around to find Pennywise peeking out from behind a wall or standing right in front of their face with a red balloon. Moral of the story is – don’t ever expect the most frightening scenes to end when you think they will!
Feeling All The Feels
And finally, Valley believes that one of the best parts of It was its ability to combine horror with heart. The main storyline involves a boy losing his brother, the person he cares about most in the world, and his attempts to find him again. The bond between brothers is so strong and poignant, and the rest of the movie has its tender moments of childhood crushes, acts of friendship, and finding the courage to stand up to your fears in order to save the ones you care about.
If you couldn’t tell already, Valley highly recommends going to see It whether you are a fan of horror movies or not! Bring a friend, bring a date, or wait until it is out of theaters so you can have a perfect Halloween movie night. It doesn’t matter when you watch, but Valley knows that you won’t want to miss out on It!
