Pennywise: The Story of It is a fascinating product that, for some, is the perfect way to explore our continued love for the works of Stephen King. An expansive, sprawling (with the confides of its narrow focus) look at one adaptation of perhaps the ultimate King novel, the film comes with a wealth of behind-the-scenes footage and interviews with the cast and creatives behind the TV event that made such an impact in the early 90s. But as it stretches into a second hour, this is a work that may well taste its audience’s nostalgia and desire for information for a work whose real lingering presence has been the clown at the centre of its dark narrative.
Directors John Campopiano and Chris Griffiths have experience in the field, their careers a litany of works exploring cinema of the 80s and 90s. And one can feel this in the editing and construction of Pennywise, as it exhibits a fondness for the material and, at least initially, a pace that draws audiences into its journey. The first few chapters ping through the journey that It had from hit novel to an early example of television as an event, but then we get a bit stuck in the minutiae of the show’s production and the pace halts to a crawl.
Your interest in this documentary likely comes down to the impact the 90s TV adaptation of It had on you, as well as your expectation for information around and outside of this work. If you can overcome the absence of any presence for the modern take on the novel (the first of which is one of the most successful cinematic horrors at the box office). There is an endearing quality to Pennywise: The Story of It, and it is genuinely fascinating to see the novel’s journey to the small screen. But there is perhaps a bit too much information about one adaptation and a final chapter missing that helps us understand the modern impact that It has had.
Directors John Campopiano and Chris Griffiths have experience in the field, their careers a litany of works exploring cinema of the 80s and 90s. And one can feel this in the editing and construction of Pennywise, as it exhibits a fondness for the material and, at least initially, a pace that draws audiences into its journey. The first few chapters ping through the journey that It had from hit novel to an early example of television as an event, but then we get a bit stuck in the minutiae of the show’s production and the pace halts to a crawl.
Your interest in this documentary likely comes down to the impact the 90s TV adaptation of It had on you, as well as your expectation for information around and outside of this work. If you can overcome the absence of any presence for the modern take on the novel (the first of which is one of the most successful cinematic horrors at the box office). There is an endearing quality to Pennywise: The Story of It, and it is genuinely fascinating to see the novel’s journey to the small screen. But there is perhaps a bit too much information about one adaptation and a final chapter missing that helps us understand the modern impact that It has had.