 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. |
 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
It (1990)
- Review Date: October 17, 2006
- NR
- Genre: Horror
- 1990
Common Sense Media says
Stephen King pits kids vs. killer clown from hell.
Parents say
QUALITY
Kids say
QUALITY
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that the plot of this made-for-TV Stephen King adaptation centers on a long series of unsolved child murders, and while the worst of the nasty stuff is kept offscreen, there are still apparitions of semi-decayed juvenile ghosts, a werewolf, a fanged clown, and other monsters. Blood is shown frequently, gurgling out of drains and splashed around the community, but it's "supernatural" blood, only visible to the terrorized heroes and not other people.
What's the story?
Based on Stephen King's novel, IT is set in the fictional town of Derry, Maine, where a supernatural curse has caused waves of violence, murders, and disappearances -- mostly of children -- since colonial times. Now, town librarian Mike Hanlon (Tim Reid) is calling a widely scattered group of adults who were once tight-knit friends as kids. Hanlon wants them to honor the promise they made back in 1958 to reunite and fight It once again, if It ever resurfaced. And It has -- children are disappearing or being horribly mutilated. Flashbacks show the difficult childhoods of the group, which includes successful architect Ben (John Ritter), and prominent fashion designer Beverly (Annette O'Toole). Once known as "The Losers," they were constantly tormented by town bully Henry (Michael Cole) and his creepy gang. But a worse threat soon materializes, a demonic clown called Pennywise (Tim Curry), who first kills the little brother of future successful novelist-scriptwriter George (Richard Thomas). Both in 1958 and in the present, Pennywise taunts the various Losers and assumes the shapes of their worst fears.
Is it any good?
Director Tommy Lee Wallace makes some of the shocks work, and it's interesting seeing young actors (like Seth Green) matched against the adult ones (like Harry Anderson) playing the same part. But the ponderous nature of the twin-timelined material makes this a long trip (originally a TV miniseries, it's over three hours long). And, besides being a metaphor for the adversities of youth, what exactly is Pennywise, anyway? Once must read the 1,000 page Stephen King book to find out.
The flashbacks are often repetitious, to keep the TV viewer up on the story over successive nights and commercial breaks of the miniseries. And too bad It was made before computer graphics came into wide use. Instead, stiff puppetry and stop-motion depict such hallucinatory horrors as Pennywise squeezing out of tiny drains and turning into monsters.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about the theme of friendship among the outcast kids in the movie and how it creates a secret world for them, one which (unlike the town's mainstream society of adults) allows them to perceive more clearly the menace of Pennywise and devise a plan to fight him. The plot continually hops across a 30-year timespan, seeing these characters both as grown ups and children. Parents can talk about reunions with their own old friends and the importance of staying in touch (whether to defend against evil demons or for slightly more sentimental reasons).
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AGE
Proof that the truest horror comes from the imagination
This was a very good miniseris overall. I saw it when I was 9 years old, and I remember being terrified. It is certainly not as good as the book, but when it comes to Stephen King adaptations, this one is one of the better (if not more watered down) ones.
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AGE
The movie is extremely tame compared to the novel. All the disturbing adult elements of the novel were taken out of the movie. It's still a decent horror film. TIm Curry's preformance is brilliant. There is some mild violence and profanity. It was rated TV-14 on ABC. It is probably scary for younger kids though.
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AGE
LOVED this movie!
I absolutely loved this movie. But it can be EXTREMELY scary. Exspecially if you are scared of clowns to start with. (Like me) I would recomend this to any horror fan 12 and up or 10 if your brave. I thought the ending was really stupid, but other than that the movie is very scary.
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Kid, 12 years old
May 31, 2009
AGE
Definitey worth watchin'.
Parents need to know this movie contains content that, if it was rated, it would get an "R" rating, but not severely. There are obscene racist remarks that are very offending (2 of them) and occasional somewhat colorful language. Extreme bullying and grotesque images. Very terrifying, even without the gore. Some drinking.
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AGE
So-So Thriller
An intense so-so thriller, but sucks as a horror. Not worth watching in one sitting. The thing is 3 hours long. The violence as well as profanity and sexy stuff is at a high TV-14 or PG-13 setting. Not too harsh.
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AGE
Parents, just check once more...
In 1990 when this "Horror" movie was released, it must of been scary with Pennywise's "Hungry (Scary) Look"
and "blood erupted balloons" but parents, horror movies were SO old-fashioned back then! Just watch it once more and I guarantee you that your children aged 10+ will be fine under parental guidence. Yes, there are jumpy parts but - come on! I thought parents were more than that. This film is not scary -- I don't care how old Commonsense says I am -- I'm not 11, i'm 10 and when I watched this on YouTube, belive it or not...I LAUGHED!
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AGE
it
iffy for ages 11: STRONG BLOOD AND VIOLENCE AND MODERATE LANGUAGE
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AGE
scary
this is a freakin scary movie "it" is why i hate clowns and this is coming from an adult
whos seen the shining, the mist, dog soldiers, candyman, and way more horrorific titles. I think that this is a great suspense/thriller movie for preteens. however there is one bloody scene were a man is found dead in a bathtub because he commited suicide due to his fear of the clown, no nudity is shown, and there is no sexuality in this movie however there is some bad language but no uses of F--ck. Scary movie
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| Studio: | Warner Home Video |
| Director: | Tommy Lee Wallace |
| Cast: | John Ritter, Tim Curry, Tim Reid |
| Genre: | Horror |
| Run time: | 193 minutes |
| Theatrical release date: | November 18, 1990 |
| DVD release date: | October 1, 2002 |
| MPAA rating: | NR |
| MPAA explanation: | Not Rated |
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