Director: Chris Griffiths
Cast: Tim Curry, Seth Green, Richard Thomas, Tim Reid
Have I Seen it Before: No. Normally wouldn’t have been interested, but it happened to be the right price on iTunes as I enjoyed a glass of wine on Christmas Eve, You might be in for a few strange reviews over the next several months.
Did I Like It: The greatest behind-the-scenes documentary of all time is undoubtedly Hearts of Darkness (1991). To compare this film with that film would be to compare its subject—It (1990)—with something like Citizen Kane (1941). They aren’t in the same league.
This film ultimately runs like a DVD special feature. There’s nothing wrong with that. There are plenty of fascinating special features to watch on DVDs and Blu Rays. The Beginning, the fly-on-the-wall, but still Lucas-approved look at the production of Star Wars - Episode I: The Phantom Menace (1999) feels comprehensive, even if it may be largely staged.
There’s a fundamental standard of criticism of documentaries as a whole in those examples. Do they have an unusual level of access to its subject, so much so that something candid might rise to the surface? On that level, Pennywise doesn’t even feel the need compete on this level. There probably isn’t that much to reach for in that arena, though. The film itself was only controversial in the context of its airing on prime-time broadcast television. It itself has always been a four hour movie with a few good performances, one great performance, and about five non-consecutive minutes of real terror.
So then we must move on to another criteria. Does this film have anything unique to say about its subject, without blindly drifting into the territory of criticism of the film? No, unfortunately. There are a few anecdotes of note, plenty of earned deference to Curry—without whom there would scarcely be a reason to have a documentary in the first place—and Jonathan Brandis’ early demise, and more than enough talking heads.
Ultimately, though that makes for a completely average DVD special feature. I’m willing to give the affair a pass, as the disc special feature is becoming something of an endangered species, but I can’t imagine I’ll come back to it at any point. I’d probably just listen to the commentary on the DVD itself. If memory serves, both Harry Anderson and John Ritter are on that one, and as one might imagine, not present for the proceedings here.