Carrie

     This is Brian DePalma's movie adaptation of the #1 best-selling novel by renowned author Stephen King. In fact, Carrie is the first book that King ever wrote. Actually, we have his beloved wife Tabitha to thank for saving this masterpiece. You see, during the course of writing his first novel, King had no confidence in his abilities as a writer. Believing that it was a badly failed attempt, he threw the manuscript into the fireplace. His wife on the other hand (probably because the novel's subject matter is very empathetic among women in general) saved it from total destruction, sent it in, and a deal was made to publish it and henceforth we have the fantastic future works of Stephen King. Proving that behind every successful man there often lies an intelligent woman. I've read a lifetime of King's books and seen a lot of terrible screen adaptations of them, but the first film version of Carrie was pretty close to the book. A miniseries remake was later made under Stephen King's "strictly by the book" direction.  And even though the miniseries remake of Carrie was very well made and adheres to the book even more faithfully than the original film version, it still doesn't really compare to this masterpiece. 

      Even though the actors at the time were generally unknown, most of them have all since gone on to make many more successful movies. Of these is Sissy Spacek, whose portrayal of the lonely misfit Carrie White was truly exceptional. And even though she's gone on to have a truly extraordinary resume of films to her credit, I believe that most people will think of Carrie when they hear the name.  Piper Laurie, who was a veteran actress who'd already made many wonderful films was practically drawn out of retirement to play Margaret White, Carrie's maniacally religious and abusive mother who occasionally locks Carrie in a "praying closet". Nancy Davis plays the evil bully Christine Hargenson and John Travolta, in his very first major movie role after leaving the television show "Welcome Back Kotta" plays Christine's boyfriend and willing stooge Billy. Amy Irving plays Sue Snell, the only girl in school who feels terrible after participating in humiliating poor Carrie in the shower. And let's not forget William Katt who plays Sue Snell's boyfriend, the school's top jock with a sympathetic heart. 

      The plot is very simple and most people know the story by now and anyone (most of us) who was ever picked on in school and made to feel terrible for being different, all for the amusement of other students can closely relate to it. The story begins when after being picked on all day in gym class, during an otherwise relaxing shower, Carrie White gets her first period. Since her mother never told her about menstruation, she naturally assumes that she is actually somehow bleeding to death. Terribly frightened she asks for help from the other girls in the class, who end up humiliating her by cornering her in the shower and throwing tampons at her. The girls who assaulted her are all punished, which doesn't sit well with Christine (school hottie/total bitch) who thinks that Carrie White deserves to be picked on because she's just so damned weird. 

      The Prom is quickly approaching and it's all anyone can talk about. Feeling horrible about participating in the tampon assault, Sue asks her boyfriend Tommy to take Carrie to the Prom. At first, he refuses, but after some coaxing from his girlfriend, he reluctantly agrees. Apparently, he's gotten more agreeable since they started having sex. 

      Another issue that should be brought up is that Carrie is also telekinetic, and at first, strange things seem to happen whenever Carrie is scared or upset. During the shower assault, the gym teacher slaps her because she's hysterical and an overhead light bursts into sparks. While walking down the street, a young boy on a bike peddles by screaming "Creepy Carrie, Creepy Carrie". She glances at him and he instantly crashes to the ground. As the intensity of her mother's overly religious cruelty increases, Carrie has noticed that the objects around her are beginning to react according to her emotions. 

      Tommy does finally ask Carrie to the Prom. At first, she refuses, but after some sweet talk, she agrees. Christine still has it in for Carrie, so along with her boyfriend Billy and his minion of teen followers, they concoct the ultimate practical joke, a prank to purposely humiliate Carrie to the extent that will satisfy Christine's hatred for her. A prank that she thinks will appropriately fit the ridicule of having your first period in front of everyone and being subsequently degraded in the worst way. 

      They decide that it would be really fun to rig the vote for Prom Queen and King so that Carrie and Tommy win. Once Carrie is on stage, they will dump pig blood all over her in front of everybody. The plan goes off without a hitch. She is voted Prom Queen and poor Carrie thinks that a truly nice thing may have actually happened in her miserable life.  Once she takes the stage, with tears of joy streaming down her face, suddenly a bucket of pig blood falls from the ceiling and completely drenches her. Carrie is once again totally humiliated in front of everyone and all the rage that had been inside her since the shower room incident is unleashed. Her humility is soon taken over by pure anger and an act of telekinetic revenge unparalleled in human history begins to take place. 

     With her powers increased tenfold by this heinous prank, she uses her telekinesis in ways that make sure no one at the Prom survives. With the high school burning to the ground with everyone in it, Carrie calmly walks out of the Prom in a daze. While walking home, Christine and Billy attempt to run her over, only to feel the wrath of Carrie's glance. Their car swerves around Carrie goes tumbling down the street and soon explodes. 

      When she gets home, she takes a bath and washes off all the blood, and even though her mother is a tortuous individual, Carrie seeks out her motherly embrace, but instead of love, she is stabbed in the back by her mother, all because her mother believes that Carrie has gone so far astray and "obviously" has the devil's powers and that she is a witch, and after all, the Bible does say "Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live".  

     She tumbles down the stairs, bleeding from her mother's stab wound, while her mother slowly lurches toward her with the knife to finish her off, creepily using the knife to make the sign of the cross.  In defense, Carrie telekinetically starts causing knives to be thrown at her mother, who is eventually pinned to a door frame in a likeness that's basically an appropriate replica of Christ on the Cross. 

     With her mother now dead, the devastating events of the Prom, and probably an entire life consisting of school bullying and religious onslaught by her maniacal mother, Carrie's mind is now irreparable and her surroundings act according to her diminished mental condition causing the entire house to crumble and collapse, killing her in the process.

     There are several versions of this story. The book, the original movie discussed here, a miniseries remake according to the book, and another major motion picture remake with all the expensive special effects not afforded in the first film. All versions are wonderful, and as always I recommend the book first. But if you haven't got time to read it, even though it's not that thick of a novel, but still want a version that adheres to the book "almost religiously", I suggest you watch the miniseries remake.  Only the last ten minutes stray from Stephen King's original written word. Angela Bettis plays Carrie with amazing genuineness, You may remember Angela as "May", if not you can look it up here on Cultarama, a great movie, a stellar actress. Or you can just sit back and enjoy the first movie in a mere hour and a half and witness one of the best stories ever written, told by some of the world's foremost actors and actresses before anyone knew who the hell they were.