STORY: Art Imitating Life
The Movie "IT" 2017 and “Witches of Eastwick” In the 2017 remake of IT, a group of kids, each with their own deeply rooted fear, come face to face with a terrifying clown that uses those fears against them. The Clown creature—known as "IT"—learns what frightens each child the most and uses that fear to manipulate and isolate them.
One by one, the kids are thrust into terrifying situations that mirror their personal nightmares, making it harder for them to think clearly or escape. Since the kid that "IT" decides to target already told his group of friends what scares them most, they begin to understand each other’s fears. They also begin to understand that the only way to defeat "IT" was to work together and understanding each other's fears becomes their greatest strength. By supporting one another, they’re able to break the hold "IT" (fear) has over them. Fear is the clown creature’s greatest weapon. "IT" is only able to truly paralyze a person by knowing their specific fear—when it understands what unsettles them at their core. In those moments, the child trapped in fear becomes disoriented, unable to think clearly or escape. But that’s where friendship becomes powerful. The other kids, who aren’t affected by that particular fear, remain grounded and are able to step in and help. Because the group had shared and discussed their deepest fears with one another, “IT’s” power was weakened. The creature thrived on isolating its victims, but unity made that impossible. This is an excellent example of when fear is exposed and shared, it loses its grip—and in the end, that’s how the kids defeated "IT".
Interestingly, this theme contrasts sharply with The Witches of Eastwick a 1987 movie. In that film the "witches", Alexandra, Sukie, and Jane also reveal their fears and vulnerabilities, but they do so in the presence of Daryl Van Horne—the very one who would later use those fears to manipulate them. Instead of becoming each other’s protectors, the women’s emotional honesty is turned against them, not because they shared with each other, but because they shared with someone who preyed on that openness. Where"IT" shows how shared fear can empower and protect, The “Witches of Eastwick” explores how fear, when exposed to the wrong person, can become a tool of control. Daryl Van Horne, in The “Witches of Eastwick”, is the perfect example of how someone can appear trustworthy without truly being so. He didn’t walk in with malice exposed—he masked it. Daryl carefully earned the trust of Alexandra, Sukie, and Jane by appealing to their desires, using his charm, resources, passion, and almost a supernatural charisma, like casting a spell of his own. He presented himself as safe, supportive, and alluring—but it was all calculated. Slowly, subtly, he manipulated their vulnerabilities and used their fears against them. Unlike the bond in “IT”, where fear shared among friends brought protection and strength, in “Eastwick”, trust was twisted into control.
And that raises the deeper question: how do we learn to discern who can truly be trusted—especially when someone wears the right mask?
Real trust often grows quietly. It isn’t forced or flashy. It shows up consistently over time through things like:
* Actions aligning with words
* Respect for boundaries and truth
* Mutual vulnerability that isn't exploited
* How someone acts when there's nothing to gain
Deception, like Daryl’s, often relies on urgency, intensity, and emotional shortcuts—too much too soon, too perfect to question. Discernment takes time, patience, and listening to that inner voice we sometimes silence when we want to believe the best in someone.
So perhaps one of the greatest forms of wisdom is not just in learning who others are—but in trusting ourselves enough to notice when something doesn’t feel quite right, even if it looks too good to be true on the surface. In the end, Daryl Van Horn is the one who gets manipulated, a touch of divine intervention applies.
This type of trust is very fun!