It_2017

14 ‘IT’ subtleties that’ll make you want to see it again

[Photo by: New Line Cinema]

Now that the It remake is terrorizing everyone across the planet, it’s only right that we have a look at what little references and throwbacks were hidden amongst the horror. If you haven’t seen It yet, you’re missing out. One of the best Stephen King adaptations in recent years, the film’s attention to detail is nothing short of incredible, and the mixture of laughs and terror will keep you on your toes throughout.

So, while you’re watching the Losers’ Club try to figure out just what the hell is going on in their town, see how many of these you can spot, and let us know what we might’ve missed — because movie tickets are expensive and we’re still reeling from the last viewing.

Read more: 11 things we may see in It Chapter Two

Subtle references/Easter eggs

2017’s It was released 27 years after the 1990’s mini-series


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Big deal, right? Well, since It appears every 27 years, and the mini-series came out in 1990, that would make it 27 years since the last iteration. Let’s hope we don’t have to wait a quarter of a century for the next movie…

It: Chapter 1

And speaking of: In case you weren’t aware, the book is divided into two parts. The first part takes place in the ‘50s and the second, you guessed it, 27 years later. The movie sequel, Chapter 2, while not being greenlit as of yet, is purported to be even more terrifying, which is great. Just great. Fantastic…

The ‘90s iteration of Pennywise hidden among dolls in a room of clowns


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Yes, we used this before in our horror movie easter eggs gallery, but it’d be rude to leave it out, right? Proof that the level of detail in this remake is extremely high.

A bunch of real-life pop culture references

From Beverly being called Molly Ringwald to a few movie posters, including A Nightmare On Elm Street 5 and Lethal Weapon 2, the 1989 real world is well and truly alive in It.

Beverly’s sink scene


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Now, granted, it’s in the original book, but the shot of the blood gushing out in Beverly’s bathroom is strikingly similar to the scene in A Nightmare On Elm Street, which was released 1984. Maybe Pennywise was a fan of Freddy Krueger’s work?

“Beep beep, Richie”


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If you’ve seen the ’90s mini-series, you’ll know this is what Pennywise says to Richie in the third act. In the book, though, his friends tell him this to shut him up. Sadly, that’s removed in this iteration and is instead replaced with a rather blase “Hey, Richie, shut the hell up” — or words to that effect. They’re pretty potty-mouthed, these kids.

The Losers’ Club’s wardrobe


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A bunch of kids in T-shirts, what could that possibly mean? Well, nothing really; it’s what’s on the shirts. Richie wears a shirt with a Freese’s logo, an actual department store in Bangor, Maine, until 1985, while Bill’s shirt has a Tracker Bros. Trucking logo. An important nod to what’s to come, in the books, adult Bill first meets Pennywise again at an abandoned Tracker warehouse.

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Book references

Gulf Wax in the opening sequence


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As Bill makes Georgie’s boat (that boat), he asks him to get some paraffin wax to make it waterproof. The brand, Gulf Wax, is the same brand used in the book.

Bill’s bike, “Silver”

There’s a reason that Bill’s bike “Silver” is slyly focused upon throughout the movie. In the book, it’s Bill’s only release from the darkness in his world after (somewhat spoiler) Georgie’s disappearance.

Pennywise referencing Richie’s fear


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In the book, Pennywise adopts various guises to terrorize the kids. In the films, we see a few. However, Richie’s really isn’t alluded to unless you notice when they’re in that creepy AF house and Pennywise goes to attack, his hand briefly turns into a werewolf claw: Richie’s fear in the book.

Removal of a questionable scene

Sure, things were different back in both the ’80s and ’50s when the first half of the book was set, but it was a wise choice to leave out the Losers’ Club orgy at the end…

Derry’s pretty disastrous past


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In the novel, the fictional town of Derry, Maine’s past is well delved into. Of course, movies don’t have the luxury of time, so a lot things, like the Bradley Gang shootout (a mural on the wall next to the butchers) and the fire at the Black Spot, a club for Derry’s black population, is reference by the kids.

Jackson Street and Witcham Street

Here’s another subtle nod to the books. While a street sign may seem fairly average, these two streets are particularly noteworthy in the book, as Stephen King builds his description of Derry perfectly, right down to the street on which this iconic scene takes place. It’s referenced multiple times in the original book as a pretty cursed place — as if Derry isn’t already.

The innocently ominous final scene


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As the characters hold hands in a circle, vowing to return if It ever does, they leave one by one. Big deal, right? Well, that plays a big part in the books, and without giving too much away, all we’ll say is if it were you, you’d want to be one of the last to leave. Presumably, this should be something we’ll see in Chapter 2.