A classical Stephen King tale - turned into beautiful, horrifying poetry.

Rating: 7/10 (29 November 2019)

I watched it for my course on film history and how it shaped the horror/thriller genre afterwards. Carrie got De Palma a breakthrough -
and personally, I was totally stunned by the poetry in this film, that I was totally NOT expecting. I've seen 'Taxi driver' already and had an idea on De Palma's style/voice that can be felt in Carrie already.
I am not a huge Horror-fan, also not into Stephen King's stories, so it took some willpower to see it - but that was soon forgotten - the introduction of the film was so beautiful, setting the tone for the film. That's how great pictures are created!
It is filled with beautiful and then psycodelic imagery when Carrie visits the annual Ball with her new crush and it turns into a total nightmare. The light is already colorful and dreamlike, just like her dream come true - and then, as a bucket of blood is dumped onto her, she runs insane with her telekinesis orgy.
I am amazed how basically the whole scene turns blood red (I now understand the reference (?) in SUSPIRIA (2018), same built-up, similar complex chaos-orgy...).
Basically the whole movie thrives on its sound design, mimicking the screeching violin sounds (PSYCHO reference?) and the beautiful symphonic interludes in calmer scenes. It gives the whole movie another, supernatural layer.
The 'horror' builds in the long shots, the slow narration, the wonderful music - not a lot of splatter is used (apart from some stabbing with knives) and the whole plot focusses more on the scary unknown hidden inside a silent, pretty girl. (To be honest - with a troubled mother like that, who would not become a 'freak'? I am sure Carrie could feel her whole life misunderstood and unaccepted. That's the true horror!)
Also I love the lens / camera equipment the DOP chose, a blurry filter softening all the faces, light and creating noise. Sure, it was normal in the 60-70s, but it fits so well: in the last scene, a class mate of Carrie walks towards a graffiti smeared post in shape of a cross and her white dress bleeds the light due to the blur like an aura around her. Magical!
So, I understand now, why De Palma is truly an artist and a pioneer of cinema.