5 Things You Didn’t Know About IT (1990)

Source: Lorimar Television

Are you afraid of clowns? If so, you’re not alone. Clowns have been a popular subject of horror movies for decades, and one of the most iconic clown villains of all time is Pennywise from Stephen King’s “IT”. The story has been adapted into several movies and TV shows, but today we’re going to focus on the 1990 TV miniseries adaptation. Here are 5 fun facts about “IT” (1990) that you may not have known:

1. The Title

The miniseries almost had a different title: The miniseries was originally going to be called “Stephen King’s IT”, but the author himself requested that his name be removed from the title. King felt that the title would be too self-promoting and wanted the focus to be on the story and characters instead.

2. Filmed Where??

The miniseries was filmed in British Columbia: Despite being set in Maine, “IT” (1990) was actually filmed in British Columbia, Canada. The small town of New Westminster stood in for Derry, Maine, and many of the outdoor scenes were filmed in and around Vancouver.

3. What a Hit!

The miniseries was a ratings hit: “IT” (1990) was a ratings hit when it first aired on ABC. The two-part miniseries was watched by over 30 million viewers, making it one of the most-watched TV events of the year.

4. George Romero

The miniseries was almost directed by George A. Romero: Before Tommy Lee Wallace was hired to direct “IT” (1990), horror legend George A. Romero was considered for the job. However, Romero ultimately turned it down due to creative differences with the producers. Romero’s influence can still be felt in the miniseries, however, as several of his frequent collaborators, including makeup artist Tom Savini and composer John Harrison, worked on the project.

5. The Budget

While “IT” (1990) is known for its terrifying portrayal of Pennywise, the miniseries had a limited budget for special effects. According to Wikipedia, the production team had just $1 million to create the special effects for both parts of the miniseries. This meant that many of the special effects had to be done practically, using makeup, prosthetics, and puppetry. Despite the budget constraints, the special effects in “IT” (1990) are still effective and terrifying to this day.