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Nostalgia is King
- Jill Brashear
- Oct 31
- 2 min read
The 2017 film adaptation of Stephen King’s IT shattered box-office expectations, quickly establishing itself as one of the most successful horror films in history. So what made IT such a blockbuster phenomenon? It was the perfect storm of nostalgia, character-driven storytelling, and smart marketing.
IT tapped into a powerful wave of 1980s nostalgia. The film arrived at the height of our cultural obsession with revisiting the past, heralded by shows like Stranger Things and movies like Ready Player One. By setting the film in 1989 instead of the novel’s original 1950s timeline, the creators struck a sentimental chord with viewers who remembered childhood bike rides, arcade games, and summers that offered a brief hiatus from school bullies.
The Losers’ Club reminds us of the childhood vulnerability we all experienced. Whether it was being called names at school or being fearful of an authority figure, IT reminds us how terrifying it can be to feel like an outsider. The group creates a safe space for outcast kids to band together, then takes it a step further by making their unity the key to their survival. Without each other, they can't kill Pennywise.
Humor contributes mightily to the success of the movies. After jump scares push viewers to a breaking point, humor follows quickly, like a balm to a wound. The jokes are intentionally awkward and juvenile, which briefly disarms the audience and makes the next scare even more effective. Rinse. Repeat.
Marketing played a crucial role in driving viewers to the theaters. The trailer scared the crap out of everyone. It sparked online conversations, generated memes, and ensured Pennywise’s image floated into every corner of social media long before the movie hit theaters.
Pennywise may have drawn viewers in, but it was the Losers’ Club and their shared experiences that made the film unforgettable. As they struggled to remember their childhoods in Derry, it made me remember the forgotten pain of adolescence when Stephen King novels were my best friends.
On a side note, someone tied red balloons to the gutters on every street in my neighborhood. Happy Halloween!
I'm not a horror fan, and I'm definitely showing it when I say I completely forgot about the comedy in IT. Sometimes I fixate so much on the horror stuff I forget everything else that happens, but I appreciate you pointing out that there's comedy in the movies too, and how crucial it is to the story's pacing.
Did you get the feeling watching IT that Stranger Things is sort of a clone? Maybe it's the reusing of the exact same actor, but it really felt like S.T. was trying to capture the vibe just a little too hard. The shifting of IT from the 1950's to the late 80's with the film added to that feeling for me.
That photo is hilarious and really speaks to the film's impact on Halloween. I also saw so many children dressed as Pennywise, complete with masks too big for their heads and squeaky red shoes. I assumed children would be more inclined to stay away from those movies, but considering the franchise had a massive impact, perhaps it's a given.
Oh jeez! That's like a Halloween miracle, seeing a red balloon tied to a gutter while you are revisiting "It" for class :D I hope that is a tradition that catches on, haha. Like putting decorations on a Christmas tree.