Carrie - Review

For for my first official review in my new horror-themed blog, I figured I'd review the film that is mainly responsible for turning me into a horror buff, Brian De Palma's 1976 classic, Carrie. The film, is an adaptation of the Stephen King novel of the same name (his first published work as a matter of fact) about an outcast teenage girl who discovers that she has telekinetic powers. While I don't necessarily think it's THE best horror film ever made, I definitely consider it one of the best, and easily one of my personal favorites. What makes this little masterpiece so good? Let's take a look, shall we?

Sissy Spacek (in an Oscar nominated role) stars as the 16-year-old high school student Carrie White. She is a shy, quiet, and outcast teen picked on by her classmates and abused by her religious fanatic mother (Piper Laurie, who also received an Oscar nod). After a rather embarrassing incident in gym class, Carrie is taunted by her schoolmates, who harass her to a point making her so angry that she suddenly destroys a light with her mind. After discovering her newfound abilities, she researches telekinesis and learns to control her powers. Meanwhile, following the locker room incident, the gym teacher scolds the students who harassed poor Carrie and properly punishes them. A few of those students, who consider their punishment a major injustice, enact a scheme to take revenge on Carrie at the upcoming prom. Others, who feel guilty over the incident, approach Carrie in an effort to help her. One way or another, prom night will a night to remember... for everyone.

So what exactly is it that I love about this film? Well, not to be too general, but pretty much everything. I love the story, the characters, the actors, the drama, the thrills, the camerawork, and even the subtle comic relief... everything just kind of fits into place. Not only is it one of the best offerings of the horror genre, but I also think it's one of the most genuinely poignant high school movies. It's one of the few teen movies not written or directed by John Hughes to feature themes of teen angst, expectations, maturing, and most importantly, bullying. For all of it's over-the-top moments and not-so-subtle themes, the film surprisingly avoids becoming preachy and even 36 years later, still feels relevant.

The film's biggest accomplishment has to be the cast, namely Sissy Spacek and Piper Laurie. It's not every day that a horror film scores two Oscar nominations, especially in the acting categories. Spacek's famous performance as Carrie shows her as a victim of her peers, teachers, and mother, trapped in a hell from which she is helpless to escape. It's hard to watch this movie without having at least some sympathy for poor Carrie, and this mainly comes from the natural dramatic range of Spacek. Another thing I love about Spacek is her more homely appearance who, while very pretty, is not some teen pop-star or supermodel. A pet peeve of mine in so many high school films is when filmmakers will take so Maxim model or Playboy-like centerfold, put them in an off-color outfit, fit them with a pair of glasses, and tries to pass them off as their school's resident nerd/outcast. I always found that trope very distracting and typically would have a hard time buying the actor's performance. Spacek had just the right look for the movie, selling herself as an outcast but looked good enough in her prom dress to make the ending work.

As for the remainder of the cast, I've already mentioned how incredible Piper Laurie is in this, but I haven't exactly explained why. Her incredibly over-the-top performance as Carrie's religious zealot of mother, Margaret, is unforgettable. She's such a psychotic Bible pusher, that I think even someone like Mel Gibson would tell her to calm the hell down. That said, if there's ever been a role that needed some good old fashioned scenery-chewing, this is one! The film doesn't have any one villain per se, but Margaret White might be the closest. Her performance borders, and sometimes crosses, the line of camp, but there's no denying that she's an incredibly despicable character who contributes to much of the film's drama, and at the very least, Laurie is absolutely unforgettable. The rest of the cast serves the movie well. Nancy Allen and John Travolta (in one of his first films) have a few memorable scenes as two of the high school's nastier bullies, both adding some tension as well as a few moments of comic relief. Amy Irving shows some decent range as well as Sue Snell, one of the few teens who actually has some remorse for Carrie. Finally there's William Katt (and his awesome blond afro) as Tommy Ross, the good-natured and well-meaning high school jock and Carrie's prom date, who brings his much needed goofy charm to the flick. Overall, it's a pretty spot-on cast, and I don't have any major issues.

In terms of story, it's definitely one of the best the genre has to offer. As I mentioned, the movie is ultimately a character study, focusing on themes of teen angst and cruelty. If you disregard the film's supernatural elements, this story might be one of the most authentic and genuine portrayals of teen life that I've seen. Another issue I tend to have with most high school flicks is that they generally portray teen life via stereotypes and generalizations without ever feeling very authentic. The ones that bother me the most are those that show all teen guys to be borderline alcoholics who think of nothing but getting laid, girls who care about nothing other than fashion and popularity... that kind of thing. This movie, takes the time to actually develop their characters and give them some depth. Oh sure, some are just snobs and/or bullies, but the filmmakers' attempts to actually create a diverse crowd is definitely seen. Better yet, a good chunk of the teens are actually decent people, and not generic one-note jerks. Oddly enough, the adult characters are portrayed in kind of a negative light. While none are extensively "bad" or "evil" (Carrie's mother excluded), most are shown to have some significant character flaws. You have Carrie's mother of course, but in addition there is Miss Collins, the well-meaning if not somewhat tyrannical gym teacher, the smoking principal who forgets Carrie's name, the English teacher who is just as rude to Carrie as her classmates, and a few others. Overall, it's a simple though very well-written story that features good moments of scares, drama, thrills, and light comedy.

All of this goes hand in hand with Brian De Palma's stellar direction. His visual style is excellent, using his trademark eye for cinematography and lighting to deliver a very distinct look creating a believable world with stylistic dreamlike qualities. His ability to balance the film's pacing and mood is pitch perfect too. The film starts off as more of a drama with some light suspense here and there. As the film progresses, it's disturbing qualities slowly ascend, creating light scares and moody moments. The finale is with all hell breaks loose. Carrie's infamous prom scene is by far one of the most terrifying, disturbing, and exciting finales I've ever seen. It's made all the more tragic by the state of Carrie's character by that point (I won't spoil exactly what happens), making it one of the most memorable climaxes I've ever seen in a horror film. The film has a few bloody scenes here and there, but for the most part it's not exactly what you would call "gory." Personally I thought the use of blood and gore was actually pretty spot on. Also, while there aren't too many jump moments, there is one particular point (and I won't dare reveal when it happens) that nearly made me fall out of my seat, and even with repeat viewings when I know it's coming, it sometimes still gets me. A few of the cast members, namely William Katt, do bring some much needed comic bits too to ease some of the tension, fortunately they're not overplayed and usually are brought it at just the right times. It's hard to go wrong with Brian De Palma, and this is no exception.

So that's Carrie, the 1976 horror classic and one of the best offerings of the genre. While I wouldn't call the movie "perfect," since I do admit that the 70s vibes do make the movie seem a little dated. That said, while the retro setting might be a little distracting, I think the movie holds up magnificently thanks to it's poignant story. It's themes and messages still hold true even today, and as long as teens keep facing similar problems and issues, I think this movie will continue to be relevant. I related to it when I first saw it at age 15, and I know many others who have too. What else can I say, but that I just love this movie! If you haven't seen it, go do that!

My Score: 5 out of 5!