‘Pennywise: The Story of IT’ Review: A solid documentary that doesn’t quite have the IT factor

The original television adaptation of IT aired in the USA as a two-part miniseries in 1990 on the ABC network, eventually reaching the UK a few years later thanks to the emergence of satellite television.

Based on the 1986 novel of the same name written by Stephen King, the miniseries was adapted for screen by Lawrence D. Cohen and directed by Tommy Lee Wallace. The show follows an evil entity whose goal is to spread fear and terror among its prey. The entity can transform itself into the darkest nightmares of its victims and is mostly seen taking the form of a menacing clown named Pennywise. Seven pre-teens battle Pennywise when they are targeted by the evil killer and 30 years later, they reassemble to stop the monster once and for all.

‘Pennywise: The Story of IT’ is a documentary which explores this cult classic which spawned a generation of coulrophobes (people scared of clowns) and showcases a wealth of behind-the-scenes footage and photos rarely seen before.

I have to say, going into the documentary my knowledge of IT and Pennywise was limited. Yes, I’d watched the miniseries as a boy and quite rightly covered my eyes at times due to the terror unfolding on screen, but I knew little more about this iconic franchise. Thankfully, the whole premise of a documentary is that prior knowledge is often not needed, so all was good.

The documentary boasts an impressive line-up of guests including cast members Tim Curry (Rocky Horror, Hunt For Red October, Congo, Home Alone II), triple Emmy Winner Seth Green (Family Guy, Robot Chicken, Austin Powers), and Emmy Winner Richard Thomas (The Waltons, The Americans, Wonder Boys). Each guest has their own unique story of their time on the series and how it has shaped their lives and careers.

The Story of IT does have lots of facts and titbits as well as insights into the production of this horror phenomenon. We learn about the origins of the tv adaptation along with the battle over its running length, the struggle with finding the eventual director etc. all of which would be great for a bundled documentary included with the DVD or Blu-Ray release of the series itself. But what about as a standalone release, such as this?

Pennywise: The Story of IT is an in-depth documentary which does indeed tell the story behind the miniseries, albeit a tale of mostly good fortune compared to other productions we’ve heard about in the past. This unfortunately doesn’t make for the most entertaining of viewings and whilst at times eye-opening, I felt there wasn’t enough substance or bite to really capture the intrigue of anyone but die-hard IT and Stephen King fans.

Those also looking to glean information about chapters one and two of the movie remake will also be sadly disappointed as the documentary doesn’t cover these titles. For me, Pennywise: The Story of IT is a solid documentary that doesn’t quite have the IT factor. Pennywise: The Story of IT is available on Digital Download and Blu-Ray / DVD now.

PENNYWISE: THE STORY OF IT

• Directors: John Campopiano & Gary Smart
• Cast: Tim Curry, Seth Green, Tommy Lee Wallace and Richard Thomas
• Length: 126 minutes
• Release: 3rd October 2022 (Digital Download), 24th October 2022 (Blu-Ray & DVD)