SEPTEMBER 6th, 2016
By LANA CARBON & JOHN LILIES
[John] It’s been a while since we have posted an article. Summer has been a heavy and busy one and it has progressed quickly. We are back now with a new adventure and hopefully we will begin to place ourselves back on the old tracks, moving forward. Happy September everyone… may the months ahead bring us all happy times and great adventures!
[Lana] On August 5th, while perusing through our Facebook feed as I am doing perhaps more often than I should be, I came across an interesting, semi-local piece of news. In the not-too-distant community of Oshawa, Ontario, a set was being built for a movie that, whether good or bad, is a must-see movie for me. That movie is the remake of Stephen King’s It.
I remember seeing the original way back in 1990. It was the first film I had ever seen based on the works of the author who is the master of horror. Yes, looking back it is super corny and the special effects are kind of cheesy but, you know what, I love cheese popcorn. It was one of those movies that made me feel like I could find a home in it. I was a part of the Loser Club. Plus, Tim Curry’s Pennywise freaks the crap out of me. Clowns are just wrong.
[John] I don’t remember when I first saw It. To be honest, I’m not sure I’ve ever sat through the entire movie. However, with the news of this remake coming out next year it sounds as though I will be refreshing my memory of the original as preparation for the new version. As much as this idea may not thrill me, I will take a clown over a doll any day. As I have now sat through Annabelle, I feel that taking on Pennywise may not be the scariest thing in the world anymore. Lana… this is no indication, nor in any way is it a positive affirmation, that I am looking forward to or in any way curious about or agreeing to in any fashion, even the most remote suggestion of watching any other clown movie or doll movie… or TV show for that matter, or miniseries or documentary or YouTube video… Just sayin’.
[Lana] *whispers* Until Hallowe’en…
[John] All that aside, I do enjoy the behind the scenes aspects of the film and TV industry. Set creation and design does pique my curiosity and so it was a bit of a cool idea to have access to seeing a set prop in a town not too far away. As we tend to drive through Oshawa on a somewhat regular basis, I did not hesitate at all when Lana suggested that we check out the house on our next trip through. I’ve had a lot of exposure to filming and recording and so the idea that parts of the movie were being shot in Oshawa didn’t excite me as much as the opportunity to see part of the outdoor set.
[Lana] Not just any part of the outdoor set either…no, no, no. This is to be the abandoned home where Eddie first sees Pennywise in his clown form, under the porch. So on August 13th, off we set to find the house and believe me; they have recaptured the creep factor with this set.
[John] They truly have created a house that incorporates the traditional sense of creep and fear. I only wish we had been able to walk around the area and explore closer to the house itself. As it was, we did visit and we stayed on the legal side of the boundary and took our photos from slightly a-far.
[Lana] It would have been great to get a closer look but until we get our press passes…
In the meantime we are going to have to let our little teaser hold us through until the movie comes out on September 7th, 2017; and hope that Bill Skarsgård can even come close to as memorable a Pennywise as Mr. Curry.
P.S. Just to give the house a little atmosphere (as if it wasn’t spooky enough), I did a little editing on it and some of the other set pieces.
