Synopsis:

The story follows the experiences of seven friends as they are terrorized by an evil entity that exploits the fears of its victims to disguise itself while hunting its prey.

Intentions:

IT was a pretty solid film. Chapter One was, anyway. Chapter Two, not so much in my opinion, and apparently in the opinion of the general audience. Trying to figure out why there’s such a gap in quality, I realized my core issue with the films is that it’s difficult to connect the adult cast to their younger counterparts. By the time the young group defeats Pennywise at the end of Chapter One, much of the second film feels like a retread. The original Stephan King book intercut between the young and adult versions of the Losers Club, something that neither the recent films nor the 90s miniseries really embraced during their second chapters. Therefore, I decided to recut It Chapters One and Two together, tying the separate stories together and attempting to reclaim some of the original book’s narrative style. Ultimately, my hope is that this is the best King adaptation…okay so Shawshank and Stand by Me still exist…my hope is that this is the best King horror adaptation…after The Shining…and Misery…and Gerald’s Game…and…1408…

Change List:

The film opens with the start of Chapter 2 - the flashback to 1989 with the young Losers Club. Beverly recalls being caught in the Deadlights and describes seeing her friends when they’re grown up. Bill makes the Losers swear a pact to return to Derry, Maine if Pennywise ever returns. Twenty-seven years later, a couple is terrorized by local Derry bullies before Pennywise murders one of them, Adrian. One of the Losers, Mike, investigates the scene of the crime, discovering Pennywise's return. Opening credits from Chapter 1. Cut adult Mike's prologue. Once young Bill asks the Losers to make their pact, the film cuts directly to the flash forward at Derry's festival. Then after Adrian's murder, the film cuts right to Mike awakened by his police scanner. Removed Aidan's references to Meg Ryan. Do people still remember who she is? Cut frames of Pennywise approaching and attacking Adrian to help build some tension around Its reveal in the sewer with Georgie. Trimmed frames of adult Mike searching under the bridge to find Pennywise's message to the Losers to quicken the pace. Mike calls Bill, who is embarrassing himself on a film set. Young Bill helps his brother Georgie put together a paper boat to sail. Georgie sails the boat before meeting his demise in the maw of Pennywise. Cut scenes from the flashback that include opening credits. The following scene and subsequent dialogue covers lost expository dialogue. Removed the roar when Pennywise first opens Its eyes in the sewer when meeting Georgie in an attempt to soften Its first up-close appearance. Adult Richie bombs his comedy gig after Mike calls. The young Losers leave school and run into town bully Henry Bowers and his cronies. Trimmed the moment when adult Richie agrees to go back on stage. To me it's funnier if he's immediately escorted into the venue without saying anything. Removed Henry Bowers licking his palm and wiping it on Bill's face to help make his character more serious, and because this moment is icky. Adult Eddie drives and ignores a call from his wife to talk to MIke. Walking past the Neibolt house, young Eddie's harassed by a vagrant with leprosy, along with Pennywise. The next day, Eddie prepares to explore the sewers with his friends at his house before saying goodbye to his mother. Cut moments when Pennywise speaks to Eddie after the vagrant’s chase to minimize moments with Pennywise, hopefully helping him maintain a more mysterious, menacing presence in the first act. Adult Stan plans a vacation with his wife before Mike calls. Young Stan prepares for his bar mitzvah before the flute woman from his family’s painting haunts him. The next day he and his friends search the sewers and happen upon a shoe belonging to one of Its victims before a frantic Ben approaches them. I eliminated adult Stan's death to make for a greater dramatic reveal later on. Cut young Stan saying, "We're supposed to be having fun!" because this line is redundant and whiny. Adult Ben commands a business meeting before Mike calls. Young Ben embarrasses himself in front of Bev. He goes to the library to research Derry but is haunted by a burnt, headless child. He flees the library and is pursued by bullies before happening upon The Losers. (9 minutes) Trimmed some awkward moments from young Ben and Bev's first already awkward conversation. Removed the flash of Pennywise chasing Ben in the library to again minimize Its appearances until the full Losers group is united. Adult Bev escapes her abusive husband after Mike's call. Young Bev is bullied in the school bathroom. The next day she finds the Losers trying to get supplies for an injured Ben. She distracts the pharmacist so that they can steal the supplies. Back home, she's confronted by her abusive father before cutting her hair in distress. The next day she joins the Losers at the quarry and later Ben’s house, where he reveals his research into Derry's dark history. Later that night, Bev is assaulted by a supernatural force causing blood to fountain out from her sink, ruining the bathroom, yet her father cannot see the damage. Meanwhile, Bill is visited by Pennywise in the guise of his dead brother. Reduced the sexualization of preteens during the quarry scene. There's no sequence set to "Bust a Move" where the Losers all project male gazes upon Bev. Cut the overt shot of Pennywise in the drawings that depict the signing of Derry's town charter. Minimized the New Kids on the Block musical interlude during the Loser's visit to Ben's house. Trimmed some of the bloody sink scene to make it appear somewhat less indulgent in gore. The next day, the Losers convene to help Bev clean the blood from her bathroom. Then, the adult Losers meet for the first time in 27 years, slowly remembering more of their past over dinner. Mike reveals that he’s remembered his past because he never left Derry. Young Mike is scolded for hesitating to kill a sheep at the farm where he works. He bicycles into town to deliver meat and is accosted by Henry Bower and his crew. The Losers reluctantly share their experiences with It before discovering Mike's bike alongside Bowers’ car. They save Mike and fend his attackers off with stones. The next day in Bill's garage they investigate the murders and connect them to the sewer system before Pennywise terrorizes them Removed the flashback of young Bev signing Ben's yearbook from the adult’s dinner scene. Trimmed some of the less than humorous dialoge (ie, moments like Richie shouting FUCK YOU in response to Eddie replying, fuck you - this repetition isn't funny, imo) Connected two disparate scenes by cutting the sequence of Henry and his crew nearly hitting Mike before the car stops so that the audience can infer that they picked him up and brought him to the quarry, where the Losers soon find him. Eliminated the slow-mo section from the rock battle in the quarry, along with the scenes surrounding it that include obvious CGI backgrounds. Back at the reunion dinner, the adult Losers remember Pennywise and their oath. They open their fortune cookies to uncover a message that Stan ended his life rather than return. They’re then attacked by Pennywise in the guise of mutated creatures emerging from the cookies. The group eventually part ways, angry at Mike for not being forthcoming about Pennywise when he called. Mike convinces Bill to hear him out. Meanwhile, Pennywise lures another child. Trimmed some moments from the chaotic fortune cookie scene to quicken pace, largely moments Richie and Eddie Trimmed some minor sequences during the cookie sequence, largely overreactions by Eddie and Richie. Cut down on the time it takes the young girl to reach Pennywise under the bleachers In 1989 Bill decides to bike to the house on Neibolt Street where all of the sewers in the town converge. His friends decide to join him before they are separated and attacked by Pennywise. Trimmed down the unrealistic CGI zooms whenever Pennywise runs towards the camera. Cut Eddie's mom insulting Bev. She's been gossiped about enough at this point, no need to pile it on further At the boarding house where the adult Losers are staying, Ben confronts Bev because she knew the way Stan died, and she reveals that she's seen all of their deaths. At Mike's loft in the Derry library, he doses Bill with a chemical that allows him to see Pennywise's origins and the method necessary to defeat it. The two rejoin the Losers at the boarding house, where they recall Pennywise's Deadlights. Mike leads them to their old club house, which is rediscovered in flashback, to gather Stan's personal token before explaining that each of them will have to collect their own token to complete a ritual to defeat Pennywise. Remembering that the club split apart when they were young, they’ll now have to collect these items alone. The Losers embark on their treks to find their personal tokens. Beverly visits her old apartment and finds the poem Ben wrote her before the possessed tennant attacks. I rearranged the following scenes so that Ben remembers a time after school when Pennywise took Bev's form and attacked him in a locker, Bill retrieves his old bike and before Pennywise tricks him by again posing as Georgie in the sewer, and Eddie remembers a traumatizing bullying event before Pennywise attacks in the form of a Paul Bunyan statue. Cut frames from the possessed old woman to reduce shots of her over-the-top CGI face mode. Removed Bill recognizing his old house, along with the flashback to Georgie leaving his house to sail his paper boat. Eliminated Bill shouting, "TELL ME YOU UNDERSTAND," because the delivery feels forced. Eliminated cuts from Paul Bunyan attacking Rickie to heighten the dramatic tension and show less of the CGI creature. Ben and Bev meet back at the boarding house and reminisce about the poem Ben wrote, but she remembers it being from Bill. Richie returns, intending to leave. Eddie visits his old pharmacy and recalls a memory he had as a child where he discovered his mother being held prisoner by the vagrant in the pharmacy basement. Adult Eddie searches the basement to cross paths with the vagrant once again. He returns to the boarding house, followed with Bill, where he and Bev rekindle their romance until Pennywise sends a message to distract the group. Bill leaves to help the kid that Pennywise threatened in his message, while Richie escapes the group through the house's rear exit. Removed Eddie being hit by balloons on the street. Cut an indulgent moment of the pharmacist trying to pop Eddie's mole. Excised much of young Eddie's boobery when he's searching the pharmacy's basement. Trimmed shots of the vagrant's face in an attempt to prevent suspension of disbelief in its uncanny valley effects. Replaced the score for the scene when the vagrant vomits on adult Eddie, swapping "Don't Call Me Angel," with a clip from earlier in the film when Bev's sink ejected blood. In 1989 Henry Bowers is caught playing with his father's gun before he immediately catches and embarasses his son in front of his friends. Bev attempts to leave but is confronted by her father, who she is able to overcome before Pennywise catches her. Pennywise coerces Henry to kill his father before pursuing the Losers. Upon discovering that Pennywise captured Bev, Bill regroups with Richie. Eddie returns to the pharmacy to finally get his prescription and the pharmacist's daughter informs him that he's on a placebo before signing his cast. The Losers regroup to find Bev, returning to the Neibolt house to descend the sewer shaft they discovered in the basement. Henry Bowers intervenes and attacks Mike before falling down the sewer shaft. Stan is separated and encounters Pennywise in the shape of the woman from his family's painting Young Henry Bowers returns home, where he is arrested for his father's murder. Twenty-seven years later, Pennywise aids him in his escape, alongside his deceased lackey, Patrick Hockstetter. Replaced the flashback of Patrick Hockstetter's death with scenes from Chapter 1 An adult Henry Bowers surprises Eddie in the boarding house and stabs him before fleeing. Bill arrives at the Derry festival and fails to save a child from Pennywise. Richie, en route to leave Derry, stops at a synagogue and remembers Stan's heartfelt message delivered during his bar mitzvah, motivating his return, and allowing him to arrive at the library in time to save Mike from an attack against Henry. The remaining Losers reconvene and receive a call from Bill learning that he's heading from the festival to the house on Neibolt street to pursue Pennywise. Removed Eddie's line prompting Henry to cut his mullet. Trimmed shots from the scene in the magic mirror hall where Pennywise slams his head against the glass, hoping to make the sequence more intense. Young Bev awakens in the bottom of the sewer within Pennywise's lair and becomes trapped in Its Deadlights. The Losers discover It feeding upon Stan before fleeing and leading them to Its chamber. Young Bill runs off alone to chase an apparition of Georgie, and an adult Bill arrives alone at the house on Neibolt street. His friends join him to battle Pennywise, overcoming a phantom taking the form of a young Stan before descending into the depths below the sewers. Removed Pennywise's jack-in-the-box dance. Trimmed frames where the Woman in the painting is feeding on young Stan to help diminish the uncanny valley caused by the CGI effects. Cut the split second Zach Snyder slow-mo moment before adult Bev breaks the mirror in the Neibolt house. Reduced Bill's outburst at Eddie after the latter fails to act when Mike was attacked. Removed the mutated old woman attacking adult Bev in the sewers. Back in 1989, Bill enters Pennywise's lair and finds Bev out of reach. He's distracted by the appearance of Georgie. The Losers soon follow and Ben saves Bev before they find Bill confronting Georgie, realizing It is Pennywise in disguise. They fight the creature, but It separates Bill and makes an ultimatum to grant them peaceful lives in exchange for Bill’s. The adult Losers descend the depths to discover where Pennywise has hibernated for 27 years. They burn their personal tokens to begin the ceremony of Chud. In 1989, the Losers reject Pennywise's proposal and proceed to physically assault It before It descends back down into the depths. Cut Eddie falling in the greywater and discovering corpses Trimmed down the scene between young Bill and Pennywise in Georgie's form as we'll see Georgie soon taunting an adult Bill. Eliminated the close up of Pennywise as the mummy when attacking Ben. In modern times, the Losers fail to successfully complete the Ceremony of Chud. Pennywise arrives in Its massive clown/spider form, forcing the Losers to relive their past terrors. They're able to overcome their memories and Eddie manages to injure It, but dies as a result. The Losers attempt to escape but Pennywise blocks the exit. They resort to insulting the cosmic beast, limiting their fear of It, causing It to shrink down to a diminutive size. The Losers mourn Eddie before escaping the depths and Neibolt house. Limited the moments when the spider-Pennywise chases after the Losers to help cut down on some of the effect's uncanny valley qualities. Cut frames from the segment where young Bill has Pennywise-like features to, again, reduce the CGI uncanny valley effect. Cut numerous moments from this sequence overall for the sake of pacing, but I wanted to note that after adult Eddie grasps the fence post and claims, "This kills monsters," I cut his rant stating, "if you believe it does," because it’s already inferred that Eddie believes in his ability to hurt Pennywise and the moment’s made more powerful if he’s confident in his belief. Eliminated Pennywise's sarcastic delivery of, "uh-oh" after stabbing Eddie, along with Eddie's subsequent roll down stone steps. Removed overt moments where Ben claims that It is just a stupid Mummy, because there's no significant scene in the film where Pennywise casts itself as a mummy. Excised Pennywise's final jump scare when Mike reaches for its heart. After their first defeat of Pennywise, the young Losers help Bill mourn Georgie. Bev recalls what she saw in the Deadlights before Bill has them swear a pact to return to Derry if Pennywise ever returns. As adults, Losers go to the quarry and mourn Eddie and move on with their lives, happy. End credits SCENES ENTIRELY CUT Bill's dad dismisses the idea to look for Georgie in the sewers. Musical montage when the Losers split up as kids. Adult Stan ending his life. Flashback of the young Losers cast in the reflection of the storefront window near the end of the film since nothing of importance is communicated here and the young Losers are seen moments later during Stan’s closing narration.

Additional Notes:

Overall changes My attitude towards monsters and horror in general is that the less the audience sees, the more they can imagine. Also, the less they see, the less their brains can recognize CGI and disengage from a scene's realism and tension. Almost every scare in the edit is trimmed down to best maximize suspense and shock. Next, Chapter One has some of the worst modern sound design, with deafening volume during scares in particular, so I substantially balanced the audio mix. Chapter Two is honestly a narrative slog. It's 35 minutes longer than the first film for no great reason because the many scenes tend to linger, with redundant dialogue and improvisations that don't always land. The color grading is also very green across both films to the point of muddiness, so I brought up the reds and blues to make the hue look more natural. I also brightened the picture, increased contrast, and added some film grain.