Another lazy day at home which, really, is what these holidays are all about: a chance to get on with minor odd jobs and not be bound by work, school, whatever.

I picked up It during my Boxing Day shopping trip, which of course became the selection for this week’s Fridate Horror. Somewhat appropriate too that one of the year’s biggest hits, one of the most successful horror films ever, and one steeped in history and nostalgia, should be our last horror movie of the year.

I’m happy to report that the shine doesn’t wear off after a second viewing. One of my issues with the first time I saw the movie was that it felt like half a movie: this is because I still very much had the book in mind and was preoccupied with how well the earlier half of the story could stand on its own. This time around I barely gave that a thought. As a result, the film seemed much richer: the sense of place and character was so strong I came away wondering how Chapter Two could possibly compare. Meanwhile, the creepy bits remained just as effective.

I still haven’t managed to reread the book though. Maybe in 2018 …