The IT Spot: Rereading, part 20

So, after spending time with the adult losers for so long, and enduring their horrors, how can King shock us anew?

SPOILERS

By going to visit Henry Bowers in the asylum, of course!

This scene plays a bit like the mini-series. It follows the (now diagnosed) crazy adult Bowers through a typical day at the Juniper Hill asylum for the criminally insane. The guards beat the inmates with rolls of quarters regularly, and Henry is mostly just a has-been.

He was locked up after being convicted of murdering Victor Criss and 'Belch' Huggins, along with some of the other missing Derry kids. There's planted evidence from IT, and Henry confesses, unable to resist after seeing IT kill his friends. IT apparently ripped the head off of Belch in the guise of Frankenstein.

Henry is still dwelling on how the losers bested him as well, 20+ years after the fact. IT uses this, beguiling Henry onto his side to kill them. IT even tells him "I can get them if they half-believe, but you can get them if they believe, half-believe, or don't believe at all."

It's interesting to see IT admit even a sliver of weakness, even to one of ITs henchmen. I can only assume that with Bowers being crazy, IT wasn't exactly worried about him remembering, caring, or using the info in any way.

The night ends with IT killing a guard, dressed as a clown with a doberman pincher head. I can't find the video clip, but that didn't translate well to film.

The main takeaway from this is that Henry is only crazier as an adult, and IT is not above calling in old favors. IT has always been happy to use the townsfolk to do ITs dirty work, and nothing has changed, or will change for the remainder of the book.

SAFE

Next up, Tom Rogan comes back and is an utter shit-head abusive bastard. Yaaaay.

Somebody throw a pie!

If you're like me, you've seen the War for the Planet of the Apes and Transformers 5 trailer at least 12 times.

This isn't by choice, mind. I just see a lot of movies with those trailers in front. And one thing struck me each time:

Since when did movies starring giant robots and monkeys with guns get so serious?!

Now, the first in the current line of Apes movies was really good, and also serious, so I kinda get it. I think that treating it like a serious drama is a bit much, but I get it.

But the first and second Transformers movies had ball and weed jokes. Now they just have sad Marky Mark.

Oh yes, we remember, Wahlberg.

I mean...why? These are supposed to be fun movies! Summer Blockbusters! Even Independence Day 2 looked like more fun than this!

Keyword: looked like.

Other film companies, don't be like DC. Dark and gritty doesn't automatically mean good. Sucking the joy from fun franchises doesn't equal awards or money.

Except for Transformers. Somehow. There are 14 more planned.

Seriously.

Are you happy, movies? You made me quote Family Guy!

The IT Spot: Rereading part 19

So, this segment purports to focus on Mike Hanlon, but it's about Bill again. It's very short, focusing on Bill going to Mike's, fixing up silver, and asking about the posts. Mike replies that it's a speech exercise that Bill tried in vain to master, to win his mother's love back. Bill protests that he did manage once, but neither of them can recall it.

This segment is actually in the mini-series, with 'It's all right' playing in the background, as Bill rides Silver gleefully. They did a 180 on the tone and impact of the scene; Bill has no intention to ride Silver, he protests (too quickly.)

The only thing that's odd is that when playing cards are brought out (for the spokes, of course) there's an extra ace of spades with a red back in the deck. It and the blue back ace (the deck's color) are the only cards that land face-up when Bill spills them. Bill is scared, but says something to the effect of 'Of course this is happening, it's literal magic, why am I surprised?'

Really, all this segment is is a chance to have a bit of normalcy before we visit Henry Bowers in the asylum, raving mad, and ready to kill.

See you then!