Great direction by De Palma

Rating: 7/10 (27 October 1999)

[This comment contains SPOILERS.]
I have seen "Carrie" two times. The last time was just the other night, the first time was when I was very young, probably around ten or eleven years old. As those of you who have seen this film can imagine, I was scared half to death watching "Carrie" the first time. The scene where the mother gets crucified was very disturbing to me back then. Well, that was ten years ago and I must say that the film did not scare me this time. I still find it rather unsettling, but not scary.
However, the film is great!! It may seem contradictory to say that a horror film that didn't scare me is great, but it's not [contradictory]. Brian De Palma has put the film together in such a brilliant way that everyone, whether they are scared or not, must admit that it's a good film. The editing (great use of split screens), the acting, the weird camera angles (e.g. when Carrie and Tom are dancing), the music, the script

I really liked this film, and one thing *did* actually make me jump: the final scene involving Sue and an arm that looks uncannily like Carrie's... I give this film 7/10. Yet, I can't stop thinking about how great this film would have been if it had ignored the horror in Stephen King's novel and skipped the bloodbath at the end and written another ending. I know that seems contradictory as well, but I really think that De Palma handled the bullying, the pain Carrie feels, and her problems with her mum in a brilliant way. The horror didn't have to be there at all, as the story is so strong in itself. Just a thought.