IT 1990 Collectors Guide: VHS, Blu-ray, and Pennywise Figures
The definitive IT 1990 collectors guide for horror fans. This IT 1990 collectors guide covers everything you need to know about the Tim Curry Pennywise film, the single-tape VHS release, the Blu-ray, the NECA Ultimate figure, and the Sideshow piece that is the prized possession of any horror shelf. If you are building a serious horror collection, this is the starting point.
The Backdoor Discovery
I did not grow up scared of Pennywise. I grew up on Texas Chainsaw, Chucky, and a shelf full of horror that would make most parents sweat. Pennywise was always around. On shelves, on posters, in conversations. But I never had a reason to sit down and actually watch IT 1990. The character was iconic before I ever pressed play.
Quick note on the format. IT 1990 originally aired as a two-part TV miniseries on ABC. For home video it got released as a single-tape VHS movie cut, and that is what most collectors have sitting on their shelf. Miniseries or movie, it is the same production with the same cast. Tim Curry as Pennywise either way.
I came to this one backwards. When the 2017 remake dropped, Bill Skarsgård did something new with the role and it got me thinking about where all of that came from. I went back to the original with fresh eyes and no nostalgia filter, which is actually a better way to evaluate it than most people get.
What I saw belongs completely to its era. It is not a hidden masterpiece. It is not more frightening than the remake. The production itself is fine. What matters is what Tim Curry did with Pennywise, and that alone puts IT 1990 in the collector conversation permanently.
Tim Curry’s Pennywise
The performance is the whole argument. Everything else around it, the dated effects, the TV-adjacent production, the pacing. All of that is secondary. Tim Curry understood the assignment better than anyone could have anticipated, and he made choices that outlasted the format they were delivered in.
What makes his version work is the unpredictability. He shifts between charming and horrifying mid-sentence. There is a scene quality to his Pennywise that feels theatrical in the best way, like he was trained for this exact role and nothing else. The voice, the physicality, the eyes. He turned what could have been a paycheck villain into a character that people still talk about 35 years later.
The 2017 version is the better film and SkarsgÃ¥rd brings a more visceral, creature-like energy. But Curry’s version is the one that became the face of the franchise before there was a franchise. That is a different kind of legacy.
The VHS Situation
The VHS release is the single-tape movie cut, packaged for home video retail. This is the copy most collectors have and it is the one I recommend. Clean artwork, easy to display, and the sleeve holds up well on a horror shelf. There is also a two-tape miniseries release floating around but the single-tape is the standard collector piece.
- Format: Single VHS tape, movie cut
- Label: Warner Home Video
- Sealed: Harder to find, commands premium
- Loose: Still easy to source
- Watch for: Clean sleeve, no mold, label intact
I have both a sealed and a loose copy. The sealed one is a shelf piece at this point. The loose copy is what actually gets handled. That is how most serious collectors approach it. One to keep, one to use.
Sealed copies show up from time to time but they are getting harder to find in real condition. The sleeves on these take a beating over the years so when you find one clean, it is worth picking up. Loose copies with good cover art and clean tapes are still easy enough to source without breaking your budget.
IT 1990 did not make it onto our most valuable horror VHS tapes price guide, but if you want to see the rare ones that are pulling serious money right now, check that list out.
Blu-ray
The Blu-ray release gives you the full film in a single package and is the cleanest way to actually watch it today. The transfer is solid and the presentation holds up better than you might expect for a film of this age.
- Format: Blu-ray, full film
- Label: Warner Home Video
- Transfer: Solid, holds up for a film of this age
- Availability: In print, easy to find
- Best for: Actually watching it today
If you want to actually watch the film rather than just display it, this is your best option. The VHS version has the format appeal but the Blu-ray is where the experience holds up. Both belong in a complete IT 1990 collection.
NECA Pennywise
The NECA Ultimate Pennywise is the entry point. It is the figure most collectors start with and for good reason. The likeness is solid, the articulation works, the accessories are generous, and the price has stayed reasonable over the years. On a horror shelf it absolutely holds its own.
The accessible entry point. Four interchangeable heads, swap hands, balloons, paper boat. Solid shelf presence without the premium cost.
Shop NECA on eBayNECA Ultimate Pennywise review and bootleg comparison.
Sideshow Pennywise
This one is different. The Sideshow Pennywise is the prized piece of my entire collection. I love it more than any other figure I own, full stop. The likeness, the costume, the proportions, the paint work. Everything about it is a tier above what you get anywhere else. When someone comes over and looks at the shelf, this is the piece that stops them.
The best Pennywise figure ever made. Sideshow’s classic Tim Curry release is sold out and long out of production. Secondary market is your only option now.
Shop Sideshow on eBayHeads up on availability. Sideshow has been sold out on this one for a long time. Direct from the manufacturer is not happening. If you want it, you are buying secondhand. That means eBay, collector groups, or private sales. Prices have climbed significantly since it went out of production and they are not coming back down.
Sideshow Pennywise Tim Curry in-depth review.
- Tim Curry’s performance is one of the most iconic in horror history
- The VHS release is a legitimate display piece with great cover art
- Pennywise is one of a handful of horror characters that transcends genre fans
- NECA Ultimate is the affordable entry for any Pennywise shelf
- Sideshow is sold out and climbing in value on the secondary market
- Sealed VHS copies are becoming genuinely scarce and prices are only going one direction
Let me be honest. I love IT 1990 for the character, not the movie. The film itself is fine. Dated but watchable. What makes this a shelf essential is Pennywise, and specifically what Tim Curry did with him. You collect this film because of one performance and because Pennywise is one of horror’s defining faces. The VHS earns its place. The Sideshow figure is the best piece in my collection. Pay respect where it is due.
