Netflix viewers are going from "Stranger Things" to much scarier ones, driving this Stephen
King 1980s throwback all the way to the Netflix top ten.
"This isn't real enough for you, Billy?
I'm not real enough for you?"
When Warner Bros. first announced they were making a film adaptation of Stephen King's
"It," many were convinced the project was unnecessary.
Tim Curry's portrayal of Pennywise the Clown in the 1990 miniseries terrified audiences
for nearly three decades and trying to recapture that horror felt like an impossible task.
"Get out before it gets dark tonight!
You're too old to stop me!
However, when "It: Chapter One" finally debuted in 2017, naysayers were quickly quieted.
Even through its faults, Andy Muschietti's "It: Chapter One" introduced King's terrifying
opus to a new generation and brought Pennywise back into the public consciousness, all while
bringing in enough money at the box office to buy a lifetime supply of red balloons.
In the five years since the film's release, the popularity of Pennywise has yet to subside,
with Bill Skarsgård's memorable look continuing to be a go-to for Halloween costumes.
Now, "It: Chapter One" has arrived on Netflix and it immediately jumped to the top 10 most-watched
films of the week.
"Hiya, Georgie.
What a nice boat."
The continued love for "It: Chapter One" is unsurprising, as the film far surpasses the
1990 miniseries in quality, due in large part to the dynamic performances of The Losers Club.
"Welcome to The Losers Club, a—---!"
For those who grew up with Tim Curry as Pennywise, it may be difficult to understand the longevity
of Skarsgård and The Losers Club, but it's high time "It: Chapter One" is recognized
as the definitive horror movie for a generation raised on streaming.
"It: Chapter One" was released at a time when the nostalgia planets aligned in absolute
perfect harmony.
"Stranger Things" became a worldwide phenomenon the year before, and the highly sought-after
demographic of 15 to 24-year-olds was now entrenched in 1980s nostalgia.
"Ready are you?
What knows you of ready?
His name's Yoda.
He can use the Force to move things with his mind."
"It: Chapter One" pushed King's original story from the childhood context of the 1950s three
decades later, into the 1980s.
Younger generations now had an established familiarity with the aesthetic and cultural
landscape thanks to "Stranger Things," and in a meta twist of fate, the series' standout,
Finn Wolfhard, was part of the "It" cast — a crossover that further incentivized audiences
to actually head out to the theaters and watch their new favorite actor star in a horror film.
"School's out for summer!"
"It: Chapter One" also came at a time when heavy hitter horror favorites that are currently
enjoying a resurgence like "Scream," "Halloween," "Texas Chainsaw Massacre," and "Hellraiser"
were all in hibernation.
The "Leatherface" prequel released that year went straight to DirecTV, The Weinstein Company's
release of "Amityville: The Awakening" was dropped in the midst of Harvey Weinstein's
takedown, "Jeepers Creepers III" is forever marred by director Victor Salva's unsavory
history as a sexual predator, "Cult of Chucky" went straight to VOD, and most younger audiences
had no real reason to be invested in "Alien: Covenant."
*Walter plays** "That's it"
*Continues to play*
With the exception of "Jigsaw", who was heading toward retirement, there were no easily identifiable
horror icons holding down the fort.
2017 was a great year for original horror releases like "Get Out" and "Happy Death Day,"
but it was even better for Pennywise to reclaim his rightful throne as a horror icon.
"Tasty, tasty, beautiful fear!"
The Netflix top 10 is sincerely one of the most fascinating ways to analyze what the
average moviegoer is interested in watching, and the most puzzling entries are usually
films that were popular 5 to 10 years ago that are somehow popping back into the public
consciousness.
The reason for this sudden boom in popularity is almost exclusively related to accessibility.
Cable is dying out and streaming services continue to reign supreme.
"It: Chapter One" has been — and still is — available on HBO Max since the service's
debut, but at the time of this video, Netflix is still at the top of the streaming service
hierarchy.
Chances are this boost in "It: Chapter One" streams are coming from subscribers who don't
also already have HBO Max and are excited to rewatch or introduce new people to the
magic and terror of the 2017 film.
"We all float down here.
Yes, we do."
Interestingly enough, "It: Chapter One" isn't the only Stephen King film on the top 10 list,
as "The Mist" has also been sitting pretty in the streaming popularity contest lately.
Granted, every algorithm is different, but there's a good chance that upon completing
"It: Chapter One," films like "The Mist" and "Gerald's Game" are the recommended suggestions.
Five years after its release, "It: Chapter One" continues to scare audiences of all ages,
but we have Gen Z to thank for its refusal to leave pop-culture consciousness.
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