Rain. That’s how it starts. Not with a jump scare or a loud orchestral swell, but with the rhythmic, hypnotic sound of water hitting a suburban street in Derry, Maine.
IT 2017 chapter 1 isn't just a horror movie. Honestly, it’s a coming-of-age drama that happens to have a child-eating clown lurking in the sewers. When Andy Muschietti took the reins of this Stephen King adaptation, he had a massive mountain to climb. He had to follow the 1990 miniseries that gave an entire generation "Coulrophobia" (fear of clowns) thanks to Tim Curry’s legendary performance. But 2017 felt different. It felt grittier, wetter, and somehow more heartbreaking.
The opening sequence with Georgie Denbrough and his S.S. Georgie is a masterclass in tension. We all know what’s coming. We’ve seen the yellow raincoat. We know the drainage grate is there. Yet, the way Bill Skarsgård plays Pennywise in those first few minutes is genuinely unsettling because he’s not just a monster; he’s a predator acting like a friend. It's that "uncanny valley" sweetness that makes the eventual violence so jarring.
The Brutality of the 1980s Setting
The film makes a huge departure from the book by shifting the kids' timeline from the 1950s to the 1980s. This wasn't just a nostalgia play to compete with Stranger Things. It changed the texture of the danger. The 80s in Derry feel neglected. The adults are either absent, abusive, or complicit in a cycle of violence they don’t want to acknowledge.
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Think about the character of Beverly Marsh. Her struggle isn't just with a shapeshifting clown; it’s with a father who is far more terrifying because he's real. The blood explosion in the bathroom—a scene that uses an absurd amount of practical stage blood—is a physical manifestation of her fear of puberty and her home life. It’s messy. It’s loud. And only the Losers can see it. That's the core "rule" of the movie: the monsters are for the children. The adults are blind because they’ve already been broken by the town.
Why Pennywise Looks Like That
Costume designer Janie Bryant went for a "Victorian/Elizabethan" look for Pennywise. If you look closely at the lace and the ruffs, he looks like a collection of different eras. He’s an ancient entity wearing a costume that’s centuries out of fashion. It makes him look like a parasite that’s been around way too long. Skarsgård’s performance adds to this with his lazy eye—which was actually a real physical trick the actor did, not CGI—and the constant drooling. He looks hungry. Always hungry.
Building the Losers Club Chemistry
You can't talk about IT 2017 chapter 1 without talking about the kids. Casting was everything here. Finn Wolfhard as Richie Tozier was a stroke of genius, providing the "trashmouth" comic relief that keeps the movie from becoming overwhelmingly bleak. But the heart is Jaeden Martell’s Bill Denbrough. His stutter isn't just a character quirk; it’s a physical manifestation of his grief over Georgie.
The "Rock War" scene at the Barrens is probably the most "human" moment in the script. It’s chaotic. It’s a group of outfited kids standing up to Henry Bowers and his gang of psychopathic bullies. It’s the moment they stop being victims and start being a unit. It’s also one of the few times we see them actually winning before the final confrontation.
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The Derry History Deep Dive
The movie sprinkles in bits of Derry’s dark past that King fans recognized immediately. The Kitchener Ironworks explosion. The Bradley Gang shootout. These aren't just Easter eggs. They establish that Pennywise isn't just a guy in a suit; he is Derry. The town's apathy is his fuel. Every 27 years, he wakes up, eats, and the town collectively "forgets" so they can survive. It’s a cycle of trauma.
The Technical Craft Behind the Scares
The cinematography by Chung-hoon Chung (who worked on Oldboy) gives Derry a dreamlike, almost hazy quality. The colors are saturated—the greens of the Barrens, the red of the balloon, the yellow of Georgie's slicker. It doesn't look like a standard gray horror movie. It looks like a memory.
Then there’s the sound design. The way Pennywise’s voice cracks and shifts pitch. The sound of crunching bones. It’s visceral. The Neibolt Street house sequence is basically a haunted house attraction turned into cinema. From the "Not Real" door to Eddie’s encounter with the Leper, the film uses practical effects wherever possible to make the horror feel "touchable."
The Leper represents Eddie Kaspbrak's fear of disease and "dirtiness" instilled by his overbearing mother. This is where the movie excels—the monsters aren't random. They are tailored. Mike Hanlon sees the burning hands of his parents because that’s his trauma. Stan Uris sees the distorted flute player from a painting he hates. It’s psychological warfare.
Misconceptions About the Ending
Some people felt the ending in the sewers was a bit "action-movie" compared to the psychological dread of the first half. But looking at the source material, it’s actually a simplified version of a much weirder Ritual of Chüd. By focusing on the kids' lack of fear as their primary weapon, the film makes a point about the power of friendship. Once they stop being afraid, Pennywise loses his power. He becomes small. He becomes pathetic.
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It’s a metaphor for outgrowing your childhood fears, even if those fears are literally a trans-dimensional spider-thing that eats children.
Real-World Impact and Legacy
When it was released, the movie shattered box office records for horror. It proved that audiences wanted R-rated horror with actual character development. It wasn't just about the jumps; it was about the Losers. People cared if Richie or Eddie lived or died. That's rare for the genre.
IT 2017 chapter 1 also revived interest in Stephen King adaptations, leading to a massive wave of new projects. But few have captured the specific lightning-in-a-bottle chemistry of these seven kids.
Actionable Insights for Fans and New Watchers
If you’re revisiting the film or watching it for the first time, keep these points in mind to get the most out of the experience:
- Watch the background: Pennywise appears in the background of several scenes before the "big" scares. Look at the murals on the walls or the librarians in the distance. He’s always watching.
- Contrast the adults: Notice how every adult in the film is either a threat or completely useless. This highlights the isolation of the Losers.
- Focus on the score: Benjamin Wallfisch’s score uses a children’s nursery rhyme ("Oranges and Lemons") as a recurring motif. It’s subtle but creepy as hell.
- Compare to the sequel: If you plan on watching Chapter 2, pay close attention to the blood oath at the end of the first film. The staging is mirrored in the second half, showing how much—and how little—the characters changed.
To truly understand the "Derry Curse," look for the subtle details in the town's scenery. The missing person posters are everywhere, and they are constantly being pasted over with new ones. It’s a visual representation of how the town moves on from tragedy without ever fixing the underlying cause.
Next time you watch, pay attention to the transition from the bathroom cleaning scene. It’s one of the most famous edits in modern horror, moving from the "real" horror of the blood to the mundane reality of the kids' lives. It perfectly encapsulates why this movie works: it’s about the messy, scary, and beautiful process of growing up.