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IT: The Filmic Kairos of King’s Year and a Zeitgeist of Nostalgia

I teach first-year composition at a regional university in North Carolina, and every semester, I cover the concept of kairos....

Aaron

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Did the movie 'It' premiere at the perfect time in today's zeitgeist?

The recent Andy Muschetti film 'It' (adapted from the titular Stephen King novel) has been a monstrous success (pardon the pun). Is it the 1980s setting and vibe that connects with adults and kids today? Is it the links it shares with thematic elements of the wildly successful Stranger Things (a show gleefully inspired by Stephen King)? What has made this horror film such a hit?

  • I think this makes for a compelling discussion. Having seeing both 'IT' and 'Stranger Things', the 80's horror aesthetic and visual is very much so trending right now. I think Stranger Things has pioneered modern pop culture by reviving this style in mainstream television/film. – AdilYoosuf 8 years ago
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  • I think a great point to add to this is the nostalgic aspect of such revivals of the 80s settings, which are appealing to the demographic of movie goers and TV viewers that grew up during this period. I think also that the desire to throw back to this period is akin to most nostalgia media in that it allows for a greater sense of connection to occur between the viewer and the product. An interesting discussion to have. – SaraiMW 8 years ago
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  • Amidst a string of 80s nostalgia driven tripe (with the occasional good one), I cannot think of a better time to release an It movie that is not only true to the book, but also a great movie on its own merits. It was exactly what we needed in this current uninspired, wash-rinse-repeat market. – AGMacdonald 8 years ago
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  • I belief the success of 'It' stems from its source material. Stephen King is a bit of a unicorn in the adaptation world - movie renditions of his books rarely flop. You might explore the reasons behind this. For example, Stephen King spares no detail when it comes to character development. Perhaps the wealth of personality he provides in his novels helps the films adapt themselves (so to speak). And if character development is a contributor to the success of 'It', what does that say about other, lackluster recent releases? Is Hollywood lapsing into one-dimensionality? At least when it comes to developing characters? And our we, as viewers, beginning to notice that lack? Interesting topic! – Jude Romines 7 years ago
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