Review of Pennywise - IT (1990)
Sixth Scale Action Figure

Introduction

We all know that most great books require more than a 2 hour movie to properly adapt them. We've seen the rise of the limited series on streaming services, and the great adaptations that have resulted. But before there was streaming, there was the television mini-series.

Usually a three or four day series, done on two or three hour blocks each night, the mini-series allowed creators to adapt novels utilizing a much longer run time. This was a big plus, getting more of the story covered than possible with a movie, but...it also meant conforming to the more rigid requirements of tv broadcasting. Case in point - the 1990 mini-series adaptation of the marvelous Stephen King book IT.

This show is beloved by those who were little kids that watched it at the time, who were scared by the material even in its neutered state. A big reason for this was the amazing job Tim Curry did bringing Pennywise the clown to life, and creating an evil presence even on a PG show.

We've never gotten a sixth scale rendition of this particular version...until now. Sideshow has stepped up with their new release, and while he's not cheap at $285, he does have some excellent qualities.

Packaging - ***1/2
The box uses poster art, designed to look like and old VHS cover, and is completely collector friendly. There's a couple plastic trays inside to hold the figure and the accessories, and of course you can remove it all and replace it without doing any damage.

Sculpting - ****
One of the features of this release that goes a long way to making it so special is the inclusion of two portraits. You can't go with just one expression with a character like this, and they managed to hit the two most necessary.

Of course, there's his 'normal' clown look. I use quotes, because even his normal clown face is damn creepy. There's some Bozo to it, especially with the red hair, bald top of the head, and very white face, but they used sharp edges everywhere, from the arch of the eyebrows to the edge of the mouth, and even the edge of the eye makeup, top, bottom, and sides. Throw in the color of the eyes, and you get a really weird vibe from this guy. People who hate clowns will know exactly what I mean.

The sculpting on this face is excellent, with the underlying wrinkles below the white clown makeup. The eyes and teeth are spooky in their realism, with just the right amount of glassy-ness to look very, very alive. The eyes are positioned so they are looking slightly upward, and the grin has just a hint of malice thanks to the shape and the ability to see both the upper and lower teeth. The hair is the wooly kind - if you got their Beetlejuice earlier this year you know what I mean - and tightly attached to the sides of the head. It is very fluffy, and you can make it as wild or tame as you'd like.

The second portrait is far more evil. Now we have the sharp, pointed fangs and the wild, wide, crazed eyes. The underlying sculpted wrinkles fit the dynamic expression, including the raised ridges where the eyebrows normally would be.

Either of these heads will make excellent display options. In fact, I plan on keeping one on a post next to the figure, no matter which one I choose to put on the body.

Speaking of the body, he stands about 11 3/4 inches tall, and the underlying white body has a fat suit added to fill out the costume. He might seem a little short, but remember that Curry isn't a tall dude.

Paint - ****
The makeup looks terrific on both portraits, with an even application of the white and sharp edges on the details.

Again, the eyes and teeth are real standouts. Because the sculpt and coloring in these two areas is so very life-like, this becomes one of those portraits that can easily be mistaken for an actual person, even in macro photos.

The white neck and forearms match the head and hands, creating a clean transition from one part to the other. Overall, it's beautiful work, with very high quality paint operations.

Articulation - ***1/2
The underlying body has all the usual sixth scale articulation, and you can easily pose him in relaxed, natural stances. Again, this creates a very realistic and life-like profile for the figure on the shelf.

The neck could use a little more lean, especially front to back, but the soft hair does nothing to restrict it. The ankles could use a bit more rocker movement too, but let's be honest - you won't  be using ninja poses with this guy.

Almost as important, the joints are very tight. Those balloons aren't light weight, and to be able to hold them upright long term, the shoulders, elbows, and wrists have to be tight. From my initial work with the figure, they seem to be up to the task, although only time will tell if they have what it takes to last years.

Accessories - ***1/2
The two portraits included with this figure go a long, long way to getting such a good score here. The fact both are great, and both will make excellent display choices, adds even more.

Then there's the hands. He comes with eight sculpted hands in various poses, each with their own wrist peg. That's something Sideshow has always done that I really appreciate, giving you a peg for every hand.

Then there's two balloon holding hands. One of these is permanently attached to a set of three large balloons, held up by very solid wire strings. I like this one the best, but there's also a hand with a very tiny hole in the grip, and some sculpted string wrapped around the fingers. This hand is designed to hold the single yellow balloon.

None of these balloons have any slogans on them, which bummed me out. At least a 'Welcome to Derry' would have been nice. But the strings will keep them afloat without warping or wilting, which is a big plus.

Also included are two monster hands, similar again to the old poster. Great sculpting on these, and they look appropriately terrifying. Swapping all these hands was easy enough, and they stayed in place while I was working with the figure.

Finally, there's the newspaper boat that Georgie lost down the sewer. It's sculpted plastic, so it won't get damaged, and it's fairly large.

That's not exactly the end though, because as you'd expect there's a basic display stand with crotch grabber support.

At this price point I would have liked one or two more items - maybe a severed arm? - but it's still a solid set.

Outfit - ****
The outfit has the layered collar, vest, and jump suit, along with shoes. Under all this is a fat suit to give him the right amount of 'roundness', similar to his on screen look.

The stitching and tailoring on the costume is excellent, with high quality work all around. The materials they've selected look great, right down to the pom poms. I may end up using a bit of steam on the suit to get out some wrinkles, but it's a very minor issue.

I never noticed before that he had regular sized feet, but that makes a lot of sense to me. Had they gone with big clown shoes in the movie, it would have been distracting and goofy, taking away some of that evil he was oozing.

Fun Factor - ****
This guy will be a lot of fun to pose and change over time, especially when you incorporate both head sculpts. And if you have a few more evil clowns on the shelf, he'll fit right in!

Value - **
Count me as one of the folks not happy with the current pricing in the sixth scale market. This guy is $285, at least 35 bucks more than he's really worth. But considering the market, the forces at work, and the uniqueness of the character, it's a price most of us are willing to pay.

Things to Watch Out For -
Not much. Don't get too nuts with the hair - remember it's glued in place, so brushing or combing it could create an issue. Use your fingers, and you'll be able to style it well enough.

Overall - ****
I've been really looking forward to this release, and I'm thrilled we finally got such a high quality sixth scale figure of one of the great horror icons. I'm also a huge Tim Curry fan (please, oh please, someone do a line of RHPS) so this guy gets double love.

How well this sort of glued hair lasts versus the rooted hair we see in other situations remains to be seen, although rooted hair wouldn't have looked as screen accurate. The fact it looks more like a wig is a benefit, and makes it all the more realistic.

Yes, these prices are a killer, and it means far, far less is going to get pre-ordered. I don't know about you, but I've cut way back, and currently only have 9 pre-orders through Sideshow that stretch out until 2026. With the added cost of tariffs, I don't see that changing any time soon.

Score Recap (out of ****):
Packaging - ***1/2
Sculpting - ****
Paint - ****
Articulation - ***1/2
Accessories - ***1/2
Outfit - ****
Fun Factor - ****
Value - **
Overall - ****

Where to Buy 
I bought mine directly from Sideshow, where he is $285. Online you can search ebay for a deal.

Related Links -
Other 1990 Pennywise figures include the NECA 7" release, their Toony Terror version, and the NECA v2 version. And if you're looking for a great sixth scale version of the Skarsgard version, check out the Hot Toys release. Other options include the quarter scale figure.

You should also hit the Search Reviews page, in case any other applicable reviews were done after this one was published.

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