Fan-Lit: Stephen King and IT

Stephen King is one of the most well known authors, with over 50 books published. Even if you haven't read one of his stories chances are you have seen a movie or TV show adaptation of his work. From movies like The Shining and Carrie to shows like the new Mr. Mercedes and Under the Dome, King’s work can be seen everywhere. With the new release of the movie IT based on King’s novel of the same name, I thought I'd take this week to talk about Stephen King, his legacy and impact on literature.

Known as the King of Horror, it's no wonder that several well known horror movies are based off of King’s work. But he's not limited to the horror genre. King has written well known works of fantasy, science fiction and drama as well. His epic fantasy series The Dark Tower was recently made into a movie, of little success. The period drama The Shawshank Redemption, known to many fans as a great movie, is based on a novella by King. There is a reason that so many of his stories have been adapted for visual media, it's simply because King knows how to tell a great story filled with suspense.

Given his ability to write several genres and variety within the genres themselves, it's no wonder King has been incredibly successful. Not just in book sales, but King has received several awards and achievements for his literary work. He was won the World Fantasy Awards, The British Fantasy Society Awards, the O. Henry Award, and the World Fantasy award for Life Achievement, just to name a few. While these aren't the most prestigious awards, and some literary snobs would even say that King is not a serious writer. But does he have to be?

Stories and works of literature are written for several different reasons but the main ones are to entertain and inform the readers. Not everything has to have deep themes and philosophical questions. In that context, King is a credible writer and should be respected for the work that he has done and the influence he has had on other writers and filmmakers as well.

So back to the new IT movie. I have seen it (no pun intended) and I've also seen the 90's mini series of IT and this new version is very different, while keeping the spirit of the book. As a suspense/horror film, the movie does a good job building the intrigue and mystery of the town of Derry and Pennywise the Clown. The story is focused on the kids and their fears. This very much feels like a young coming of age story in the vain of another Stephen King adapted movie, Stand by Me. There are some good jump scares but the movie does not overly rely on those and uses impressive special effects for the demon clown and what IT is capable of doing. One thing that the movie does overly rely on is the music cues. The scare beats become a bit predictable. But what this movie succeeds at is telling the story of all of the young kids. The child actors all do a great job, and the characters are really engaging which allows the audience to become sympathetic. The movie touches on some of the mythology about Pennywise and the town of Derry, but it's important to remember that this is the first part in the story and there is going to be a sequel that can delve deeper into some of the material from the book.

Are you a fan of Stephen King? If so, what's your favorite story of his? Go watch the new IT movie and share your thoughts.

Read my review for King's short story "The Man Who Loved Flowers"

If you like to read stories on WattPad, then you're in luck! Because I have recently posted some short stories on WattPad! Get ready for Halloween by reading my spooky/thriller inspired stories!

"Grave Little Witches"

"Through the Blackout"