Stephen King’s first published book – Carrie – a story about a teenage girl using telekinetic powers to get revenge on bullying classmates – became one of the most well-known movies in horror history when Academy Award filmmaker Brian De Palma took it to the big screen in 1976.
The movie has become a horror classic; bridging the gap of mid ’70s – mid 80s in which memorable movies in the scary and slasher genre were born. “Carrie” is unusual in that it’s lauded (and most remembered) for one climactic scene.
The smut of the 1970s is on display from the open, as we begin in a high school locker room with dozens of naked girls (thankfully all the actors were of legal age) bandying about. Most of King’s writings include gratuitous sexual undertones, and “Carrie” is no exception. From the blatant opening sequence to the more subtle detention scene, there’s plenty of innuendo to go around.
While the supernatural element is present, “Carrie” is, on its surface, a film focused on bullying. Sissy Spacek plays Carrie White, an introverted high school senior who is controlled and abused by her overly religious and fanatically insane mother. As such, Carrie is the brunt of the bullying and teasing by a large group of her classmates, led by Christine (Nancy Allen). Carrie has the ability to control things with her mind, but this power is only hinted at the start of the movie.
There’s something about the colors and tones of older films, particularly from the 70s and 80s, that make the atmosphere so much creepier. The lack of CGI and high definition recording devices makes every scene more gloomy and haunting. When we meet Carrie’s mother (Piper Laurie) it’s in a darkened house with religious trinkets scattered about, including a horrific looking Jesus statue with eyes that beg for a spinoff movie of its own. It sets the mood form the start that bad things are going to happen, and you should be ready for them.
Sissy Spacek is flawless as Carrie. Her shy nature and averting eyes blend with an innocent smile to make us feel sorry for her in every scene she’s in. Spacek was nominated for Best Actress at the 49th Academy Awards, and turns in a truly memorable performance. The infamous prom scene sees Spacek at her best. It’s a role that doesn’t rely heavily on dialogue, but rather the basic expressions of a quiet, unpopular wallflower who turns to a demonic rage with the flick of a switch.
The cast is completed by various 70’s looking characters, including John Travolta in one of his earliest roles. Betty Buckley plays Miss Collins, a gym teacher who befriends Carrie in a big sister sort of way. Interestingly, Piper Laurie was also nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress.
My only issues with the movie are the lack of substance. It clocks in at a smooth 98 minutes, and the prom scene is one of the best you’ll ever find in a movie. It’s the type of thing that you’ll remember long after watching. But there’s not much else that occurs. It has tension since we watch knowing something is going to happen, but there’s little to nothing in terms of scares for the first 2/3 of the film. It’s an unusual style for a horror movie, and while I would have liked to see a little more depth and exploration for some of the characters, specifically classmate Sue (Amy Irving) and Carrie’s prom date Tommy (William Katt).
I reviewed the 2013 remake without having watched the original. Ultimately there’s no comparison. “Carrie” is a great horror movie and one that has earned its status as an all-time classic in the genre.
