A heartbreaking horror movie

Rating: 10/10 (2 October 2009)

This is a highly successful Brian De Palma adaption of Stephen King's novel. And while I have never read the book itself, I can still say that this is one of the best films associated with both King and De Palma.
Carrie is the story of a shy girl who is bullied in high school. She has telekinetic powers that seem to be connected in some way with her progression into womanhood. Her religiously fanatical mother dangerously over-protects her from the wider world. Things then take an unexpected turn when Carrie is invited to the prom by one of the popular boys from the school.
Firstly, let me say that I find this film absolutely heartbreaking. It rips me apart emotionally every time I watch it. To say the least, this is not what you expect to happen when watching a horror movie. Much of the reason for this is down to the performance of Sissy Spacek. A more delicate and nuanced presentation of a troubled and bullied young girl you will have difficulty finding. She is perfectly cast. You would have to have a heart of stone not to want happiness for this girl. Another significant performer is William Katt. He too is excellent and is a highly likable presence; the romantic developments between these two characters are extremely touching and genuine. Forgetting the horror element for a moment, Carrie works brilliantly as a heart-warming coming-of-age drama. So much so, that every time I see it, I dread the horrific finale in the school. I just want this girl to be happy. By the end of this movie I feel emotionally drained. Although many horror films end in a pessimistic way, the manner in which events in Carrie are built up and then ripped apart is incredibly cruel and carry an unusually high emotional impact.
Stylistically, as is typical for De Palma, this is a great looking film. The widescreen format is used beautifully throughout but the cinematic style is truly taken to the fore in the final showdown in the school. De Palma's combination of split-screen photography and jump cuts really accentuates that scene. It's a mesmerizing sequence that does not disappoint. If I had to voice a minor quibble about the movie it would be regarding the soundtrack. In a couple of the lighter scenes it's cheesy in a horrible way and later it unfortunately resorts to shrill Psycho-esquire strings when Carrie uses her telekinetic powers. This latter factor, along with the use of the 'Bates School' name, are the type of Hitchcockian references that De Palma has become notorious for. However, aside from this, Carrie is not an obvious ode to the master of suspense and should not be thought of as such.
Overall, this is a great film. Aside from Spacek and Katt, Piper Laurie is also excellent here, in what is a film full of strong performances. The exemplary acting contributes to the strong dramatic impact of Carrie, and this allied with De Palma's mastery of cinematic style, means that this is a film of a very high calibre. Effective horror films to tend to work on the emotions, as they play on our inner fears. Carrie is no different in this. But what sets this film apart from so many of its contemporaries is that it is not only about that, it's also about adolescence, loneliness and bullying. It might even make you cry. And how many horror movies can you say that about?