Stephen King's IT - [£3.99@HMV.co.uk]

"We all float down here." To people of a certain age, Stephen King's "It" is more than just a televisual nostalgia fest. It was a life changing experience. Indeed, it's a testament to just how monumentally creepy this made for TV adaptation is that it inspired so many people to develop a lifelong phobia... of clowns.

The clown in question is Pennywise, a form taken by an ancient evil to lure small children to their doom. As played with relish by the excellent Tim Curry, he is one of the most genuinely unnerving screen monsters King has created, dragging small boys to their eerie deaths in the sewers beneath the town of Derry, Maine.

The mini series retains the book's clever device of telling the story in two timeframes; when our heroes, four boys and one girl, first confronted and (seemingly) defeated the evil, and later, as grownups when they return to their home town to deal with its return.

There is a palpable feel of dread that perfectly captures that feeling of childhood fear of the monster in the dark, and poses the question - what if the fear, and the monster, never went away?

Facing it are a great ensemble cast of actors you wouldn't normally find in a horror story. Richard Thomas of "The Waltons" plays nominal hero Bill Denbrough, while comedy stalwart John Ritter is grown up fat kid Ben Hanscom. Also look out for a very young Seth Green as the young Richie Tozier.

But it's Tim Curry you'll remember. You'll never want to go the circus again...

Special Features
* Audio Commentary With Dennis Christopher, Tim Reid, John Ritter, Richard Thomas And Director Tommy Lee Wallace
* Widescreen 1.85:1
* Dolby Digital Stereo