A Message to Bullies.

Rating: 9/10 (30 December 2015)

Carrie (1976): Dir: Brian De Palma / Cast: Sissy Spacek, Piper Laurie, Amy Irving, William Katt, Nancy Allen: Compelling high school horror film that is about as sophisticated as these films get. Sissy Spacek delivers a brilliant performance as Carrie White with hair in her face to hide insecurities, and her plain wardrobe. She is a tormented student under the ruthless religious rants of her mother. She also has telekinesis and this is discovered when she is pelted with tampons in the locker room by her peers. Piper Laurie plays Margaret White who drags her screaming daughter into a closet to cleanse herself in prayer in front of a Christ figure. Amy Irving as Sue Snell is the one student having remorse for her morbid behavior. William Katt plays Sue's boyfriend Tommy Ross whom she convinces to ask Carrie to the prom, as fallible as that is. Nancy Allen plays the nasty female antagonist who plots to have pig's blood dumped over Carrie's head at the prom. This results in an electrifying climax where Carrie cuts lose and consequences go up in flames. Brian De Palma previously made Sisters and The Phantom of the Paradise and here he propels to a higher level with an interesting social commentary on high school peer trauma and a central character time bomb awaiting to go off. The result is a captivating character study and a retaliation that goes so far that her own world caves into the ground. Score: 9 / 10