Carrie: Classic King

Rating: 10/10 (16 October 2012)

On paper, "Carrie" was, and still is, one of Stephen King's greatest literary creations, one that almost didn't happen. It is a moving but disturbing horror-drama, unique and frightening in every way. Since film adaptations of King's novels are mostly hit or miss, this story had to be made correctly and with enough class and scares to mark a memorable place in the film-goer's mind. Unsurprisingly, Brian De Palma's 1976 adaptation of "Carrie" is brilliant.
Working from a script by Lawrence D. Cohen, the film brings us the story of Carrie White, a mousy, quiet high school misfit who suffers at the hateful hands of her peers and takes tremendous physical and emotional blows from her overly religious psycho of a mother. Only one adult, gym teacher Miss Collins, truly looks out for her. After a terrible experience in the girl's locker room, classmate Sue Snell takes it upon herself to fix things for Carrie by persuading her boyfriend, Tommy Ross, to ask Carrie to the prom. Carrie accepts, and at first, prom night is an exciting and engaging experience, until someone pulls another joke, a prank that goes way too far. Then people begin to laugh. That's when Carrie takes her revenge. The school doesn't know that Carrie has a secret power, and tonight, she's going to use it to her full advantage.
De Palma's "Carrie" is a respectful adaptation of the book, one that hews closely while making some appropriate changes. There are two ways to view this film: as a drama and as a horror movie.
From the dramatic standpoint, "Carrie" hits all the right buttons as the viewer is subjected to what could be the worst case of school bullying ever committed to celluloid. The torture Chris Hargensen and her fellow females inflict upon our poor title character is overwhelming and shocking, especially in the opening shower scene, which is iconic for its heavy amount of nudity. You feel sympathy for Carrie, which is intimidating because of the transformation she undergoes in the third act. She is an ugly duckling, the shy little fish in a big pond.
The behavior of Margaret White, Carrie's mother, is arguably as cruel as that of the teenagers at Bates High School. A nightmare of a woman who dedicates her time to tea and the constant reading of the bible, Mama's own sins have convinced her that since her daughter is now a woman (Carrie has her first period at the beginning of the movie), she is equally but unjustifiably guilty.
On the flip side of the coin, there's the horror aspect, and boy, is that important. "Carrie" is a perfect scare show. When it's scary, it's very scary. When it's gory (and it has to be), it is very gory. Certain times, the film is also surreal and hallucinatory. When Carrie gets doused in pig's blood at the prom, are her peers really laughing or is it all in her head? We don't know, but from the look in Carrie's eyes, we tell right away that she is angry. The prom scene is a disturbing, epic sequence where a moment of bliss turns into utter chaos. It's an excellent turning point for the movie.
The cast, filled with young talent, is led by the unforgettable performances of Sissy Spacek and Piper Laurie as Carrie and Margaret White. Spacek, at the time, was almost 30 years old, but still looked young enough to play a teenager. She was almost not given the part, but her determination and personal makeover earned her the role. She is pitch perfect as Carrie; she puts in the perfect amount of sympathy before taking a hard left turn. It is a wondrous and gut-punching performance that got Spacek a well-deserved Oscar nomination. The same is equally said for Laurie, who viewed Margaret as a satirical look at religious stereotypes. Her performance recalls the portrayal Jack Nicholson put in for Kubrick's "The Shining," another Stephen King adaptation. One can't tell if she's being over the top or if her method acting is making her disappear into the character. She scares us probably more than anything that could be prevalent in Carrie's personality. Her monologue at the end of the film is absolutely chilling.
Brian De Palma's direction is spot-on and creative. Split-screens are employed with some of the most horrific imagery, and his other sequences are almost dream-like.
The movie is finally helped by Pino Donaggio's unsettling score, which, in this viewer's opinion, is one of the best musical orchestrations in horror movie history. It is, at some times, sweet and lullaby-like, but other times screeching (echoing "Psycho") and dread-filled. There's really no other score like this one.
Overall, "Carrie" is a classic horror film through and through. Its religious and pubescent metaphors make the viewer cringe, the casting is unbelievable, the scares are palpable, and it does all of this well while sticking closely to its source. There's no movie like it, and after 36 years, it shows no sign of aging. It will have you seeing red in the best of ways. King fans, be not afraid. "Carrie" is completely worth its status! P.S. The ending still makes you jump!