September 13, 2017 The Skanner Page 7
Arts & Entertainment
FILM REVIEW: Kids Hunt Killer Clown in Creepy Adaptation of ‘It’
By Kam Williams
For The Skanner News
W
ritten by master of
suspense
Stephen
King, “It” was the
bestselling book in
the U.S. during 1986. The riv-
eting pageturner was set in de-
ceptively serene Derry, Maine,
where a sadistic clown living
underground in the sewers
disrupted the peace of the pic-
turesque city by preying pri-
marily on children.
In 1990, King’s 1,184-page
opus was turned into an Em-
my-winning miniseries star-
ring Tim Curry in the title role
of It, better known as Penny-
wise. Now, the novel has been
fairly-faithfully adapted to the
big screen with Bill Skarsgard
playing the demonic harle-
quin.
As the fi lm unfolds in the fall
of 1988, we fi nd 11-year-old Bill
Denbrough (Jaeden Lieberher)
busy building a small sailboat
for his little brother, George
(Jackson Robert Scott). One
can’t help but notice a pair of
observing eyes glowing omi-
nously from a darkened cor-
ner of the spacious basement.
Then, during a heavy down-
pour, a grateful George launch-
“
...A macabre
masterpiece
that will con-
tinue to haunt
you long aft er
you leave the
theater
es his new toy in the freshet
fl owing along the gutter in
front of his house. The “S.S.
George” fl oats to the corner of
the block where it is promptly
swallowed by the sewer.
And when the unsuspect-
ing kid peers down the storm
drain to retrieve it, he is greet-
ed by an ingratiating stranger
who playfully introduces him-
self as Pennywise, the Dancing
Clown. Aft er being promised
a balloon, popcorn and the re-
turn of his boat, George lets
his guard down long enough
to be dragged into the sewer,
leaving behind only a blood-
stained street.
Fast-forward to the last day
of the school year. Still-griev-
ing Bill is now the leader of the
Losers Club, a motley crew of
social outcasts who decide to
spend their summer vacation
solving George’s mysterious
disappearance. Of course, they
have no idea they’re up against
a formidable foe in the elusive,
shape-shift ing Pennywise.
Instead of apprehending the
perpetrator, the body count
merely continues to rise as
other names are added to the
Missing Persons list. Eerie
atmospherics, a talented en-
semble of adolescent actors
and the creepiest clown since
The “Losers Club” in ‘It’
Heath Ledger’s Joker combine
to create a macabre master-
piece that will continue to
haunt you long aft er you leave
the theater.
I can’t pass a sewer anymore
without half-expecting Penny-
wise’s frightening face to ap-
pear!
Excellent
Rated R for violence, profanity
and bloody images
Running time: 135 minutes
Production Studio: New Line
Cinema
Distributor: Warner Brothers
Pictures
To see a trailer for It, visit:
TheSkanner.com.
F R E E M OV I E S C R E E N I N G
wake of vanport
Digital narratives and storytelling
from fl ood survivors and residents
FRIDAY, SEPT. 29, 2017 • 1 PM
KENNEDY SCHOOL THEATER 5736 N.E. 33rd Ave., Portland, OR
Free to the public. Limited seating. RESERVATIONS REQUIRED.
Together, this touching collection of truly heartfelt remembrances
paint a poignant portrait of a short-lived, idyllic oasis —Movie Critic Kam Williams
REGISTER ONLINE AT
https://wake-of-vanport.eventbrite.com
PHOTO: Survivors gather on high ground to watch the destruction of Vanport. May 30, 1948. Photo by Allen deLay (1915-2005) ©Thomas Robinson
ESSAY
CONTEST
2 WINNERS CHOSEN
What are the Lessons You’ve Learned from Vanport?
Submit an essay telling us, in your own words, what you have learned
about the lost city of Vanport and the fl ood that destroyed it
T WO
$1,00
WIN
0
NERS
Essays must be no more than 700 words and will be judged by The Skanner editorial staff .
Two winners will be chosen. $1,000 will be given to the writer of each winning essay at “The
Wake of Vanport” event on September 29, 2017 at The Kennedy School Theater beginning at 1:00 p.m.
Participants must be present at the event to win. Submit essays by email to frontdesk@theskanner.com.
Include your full name, email and phone number with your entry. Deadline to submit entries is September
20, 2017. One entry per person. Contest is open to all ages.
SPONSORED BY:
The Skanner Foundation • North Portland Multimedia Training Center (NPMTC)
Mt. Hood Cable Regulatory Commission • Portland Community Media
The Regional Arts and Culture Council • The Oregon Historical Society
The National Endowment for the Arts: Art Works • The Hollywood Theatre