A chilling classic horror/drama with the atmosphere of the 70's. An adaptation of a Stephen King's novel and directed by Brian De Palma that tells the story of Carrie a girl that is bullied in school and psychologicaly and physical abused by her christian fanatic mother.
I found some Hitchcock's elements in the film and I can see that De Palma was influenced by his works, particularly in some of the camera work and in the music score.
Another really interesting thing is the ending, now I understand where many others came up with that idea! This ending is one of the most used endings in horror/terror films! You'll understand when you see it.
Sissy Spacek is great as Carrie very creepy and believable. Piper Laurie is also amazing playing Carrie's fanatic mother.
This year will be released the remake of this film with Chloe Grace Moretz in the role of Carrie and Julianne Moore as her mother, I'm interested to know how it will be.
Absolutely stupid and boring by today's standard...
Carrie was just a baby and that people at prom kinda deserved to burn. You can't change my mind.
One of the meanest gags imaginable backfires on a high school class who will never again get the chance to pick on "Carrie".
There are going to be some younger viewers of this film that won't be able to get past how dated this looks or the surprising way that the teachers, specifically Miss Collins (Betty Buckley), slaps some of her students around. There are also some who will recoil at the extreme bullying portrayed or maybe even the copious amounts of full-frontal nudity on display throughout.
But "Carrie" is filled with wonderful directorial choices and great moments. The way that Carrie (Sissy Spacek) stands up to her lunatic mother, played way, way over-the-top by Piper Laurie. The touching moments of Carrie becoming a beauty and the way that Senior Class stud Tommy (William Katt) ends up falling for her. John Travolta, Nancy Allen and P.J. Soles are mischievous but clearly misguided teens that you also get all kinds of chances to loathe.
The use of split screen is amazing and when Carrie, covered in pig's blood, glares insanely from the stage with flames leaping behind her...it's nightmarish stuff. Also checkout the amazing extended shot of Tommy and Carrie dancing at the prom. The camera is closely zoomed in on them and then spins in a 360, around and around, over and over, faster and faster. It's very disorienting and in addition, a not too subtle hint that things are about to spin horribly out of control.
There is a strange sense of humor that runs through this movie. John Travolta plays the role of Billy as a complete idiot. His girl Chris, the clearest teen antagonist, is slapped numerous times by him, but she has him wrapped around her little finger. When Billy jumps into a pen to bludgeon a pig, it's so ridiculous it's funny. And the religious ravings of Carrie's mother are so wide-eyed crazy and boisterous, they come off as a parody of preachers most of the time. There's also a moment when a red Pontiac Firebird skids and veers off the road, only to roll over and erupt into flames as a Chevy Chevelle. It makes me laugh at the thriftiness employed on that shot.
I usually over-analyze endings and the finale of "Carrie" packs a wallop. And while the face-off between Carrie and her Mother is satisfying, the tortured screams of lone survivor Sue (Amy Irving) wraps up a nightmare that's even more cruel than the way Carrie was treated. And what's even more terrible is that Sue's curse was her reward for attempting to help Carrie.
"Carrie" is an emotionally affecting film that really engages you in the plight of Carrie and then repulses you with her extreme form of vengeance.
I'm not particularly into horror movies, but the story of Carrie always got a hook on me. I've watched the 2002 version when I was just a kid, and for some crazy, freaky reason, I liked it. There was no happy ending and still, I understood -- there was not supposed to be one. It was a different kind of movie. Then, I found out about Stephen King's book, and I got curious, so I read it. Again, no ordinary kind of book, but still, I loved it -- Carrie's story was no ordinary story, so it deserved to be told differently. I've watched the latest version (2013) too, but I simply fell in love with this first one! Sissy Spacek did a terrific job, she WAS Carrie. I actually believed those kind of events were possible, and the way that poor girl was mistreated... God, the whole cast is amazing! This movie is GENIUS and I simply love it... again, in a crazy, freaky kind of way. xD (Sorry if there are any mistakes guys, English is not my first language)
Carrie is one of the earliest portrayals of a girl or any person with telekinetic powers put on film, and is an adaptation of Stephen King's first novel of the same name. It predates Star Wars, Scanners, Akira, Matilda, and might have even given inspiration to those said titles. The story and terrific acting makes you feel sad, angry, dream-like all at once. You can't help but feel for Carrie White when she's at her highest and her lowest because she's bullied at school all the time and has a crazy Christian mother. But you better watch out when her emotions spike; you definitely don't want to be around when she's angry. Actress Sissy Spacek, who played Carrie, makes some strikingly mean facial expressions combined with the high violin notes that will send chills and turn you to stone that very moment. Some of the music is nice; I especially like the ballad-like love theme that played at the beginning and during the prom, but there are a couple funky 70s synth tunes in between. There were a couple times when I swear I thought I heard the famous shrieking violins from 1960 Hitchcock's PSYCHO play. Perhaps that might've been intended to add the sense of "psychokinesis".
There are some characters that try to do good, but things end up tragic for them as well. A young John Travolta is a sight to see, and I can not forget William Katt in this whom I remember from the 1986 horror, HOUSE. Carrie's mother, Margaret, is played by Piper Laurie, whom later I realized that she has starred as the mother in Return to Oz (1985) and also as Catherine in Twin Peaks (1990). There's a good use of red in this, and seems to be the prominent color representing blood, or even "the devil" as Carrie's mother mentions.
I sure would like to see a prequel film or even a series that tells the story of Carrie's father (and mother) because it seemed as if Carrie had carried her powers over from her father's (whose name was mentioned in the film but I keep forgetting) genes. I had not seen any of the later Carrie films and/or remakes that came after this one. Maybe some day I'll eventually get to those, but Scream Factory just released a collector's edition Blu-ray of this 1976 Carrie this month, so I'm looking to get that. It is currently available on VUDU for free if you're curious and have never seen the original Carrie.
Good little story with some deeper meaning. It can be very cruel and disturbing as it shows on the unnecessary suffering of Carrie.
The character's motivation are very well displayed all throughout the film. Spacek does a great job in going from tenderness to hatred. DePalma elevates tension with his dual camera.
Kinda goofy, kinda serious. Could be better.
I can see why young people that were raised on modern horror movies would think this is boring and overrated (there are no scares every 10 minutes to keep the audience engaged) but it's the filmmaking that raise it above the rest.
Pretty good story, and just the filmmaking alone puts it over the 2013 remake in my book. Sure, the sound effects and use of music can be clunky, but the camerawork and lighting are so much more adventurous than in the remake. Nevertheless, there are a lot of things that make it a tough watch nowadays. The acting and dialogue are really bad (Spacek’s the only one who’s alright), and just about every character fits one of those 80s highschool movie stereotypes. It’s also pretty light on horror until the climax, but once you get to that point, the pay-off is definitely worth the wait. All in all, it’s not worthy of its classic status, but still a fine watch.
6/10
Teenagers can be just as nasty and scary as any ghosts or demons.
A thoroughly enjoyable climax, despite being so dated.
A girl with paranormal powers takes revenge on everyone around her.
Watched with someone special to me. Made it very special to me, as it is for her. 10/10
When I rate this movie I try to look at it with 80’s eyes being that it came out in 76. It’s a hard task to do. The story concept is good. It’s just really outdated and over the top in some areas.
Minors gripes
It feels like forever and a day from the time Tommy and Carrie are announced as the winners to her dumping the blood on her. I swear I took a bathroom and a snack break and was back in time to see the pig blood come down
The pail dropping and killing Tommy?? Knocking him out maybe.
It’s always confusing just who knew about the prank and who didn’t, given that some knew about it in the book that apparently don’t know about it in the movie
One of Stephen King's best earlier works and it remains a timeless piece, but it's a hard one to watch if you've ever been abused and/or bullied.
This is a classic coming of age horror film which reflects rather than examines - religious fanaticism, sexuality, physical and emotional abuse and No one wins.
Fuck the remakes, it didn’t need them or a sequel because the original classic is unbeatable and still lives up to a great horror today.
I thought this film, based on the classic Stephen King novel, was pretty good. The actors played their roles very well, especially the actresses who portrayed Carrie and her mother did a really good job. The story was good in my opinion, I especially thought the scene where Carrie goes on a killing spree after she got covered in pigs blood was pretty good. There were a lot of good kills, the ending was pretty good as well. After her mother attacks her with a knife, Carrie kills her by using her telekinesis. Overall a pretty good film in my opinion.
It is better not to piss off teenager. Bullying can lead to revenge. ;>
Carrie, a classic tale of horror from Stephen King, is adapted for the big screen by Brian De Palma. However, the film hasn’t aged well and doesn’t really hold up. The story is rather familiar and will be revisited in King’s work again and again; a social outcast develops psychokinetic powers and ends up wreaking revenge upon those that have mistreated her. The acting is mediocre and doesn’t give any depth to the characters. And, with the exception of a couple of scenes that have become iconic in horror cinema, De Palma’s directing is unremarkable. A poorly paced and morose film, Carrie hasn’t withstood the test of time.
Classic horror movie that seems a little dated but still worth watching. Carrie is a repressed girl and her mother is religiously fanatical and sometimes it comes off comical. Carrie is bullied and with her special powers she teaches them all a lesson. Loved it.
I love this movie so much. Even though there are a few weird parts...the score while the class works out, the sped up part at the tux store, a few other moments...those just add that odd De Palma touch that makes me love this movie so much more. Sissy Spacek is unbelievable!!!
Carrie
The overall plot of a tormented Carrie, getting revenge was good.
However, I didn't like this film at all and I couldn't wait for it to end.
The acting was across the board bad.
Style choices I didn't like and scenes that went far too long.
4.5/10
#NicksMiniReview
https://t.co/VEbCm8Dvge
Carrie may be underwhelming considering today's standards, but which of the early horrors is not? I believe the movie should be approached by bearing in mind its context, and in 1976 this movie indeed had a lot to offer. In my opinion, the opening scene in the locker room which sets the plot in motion, and the last part of the movie which represents its culmination, including of course an amazing performance by Sissy Spacek, are what makes Carrie a good movie.
I find the payoff to be a long wait in Carrie but when it does come it hits hard. The performances are a pretty good for a horror movie, but I think there are a lot of aspect of the movie that are showing their age. It was probably an excellent film in its day, its just good now.
It is a classic offbeat horror-melodrama merging harmoniously the family Gothic extravaganza, supernatural power, and a woman's movie of a peculiar kind… It remains the cinema's best adaptation of a Stephen King novel…
I honestly thought that after all the good critiques I heard about this movie that it would be a really good late night watch, but after watching it, I wasn't so impressed. It's got the feel of a classic horror, but its too boring for my taste. Not to mention, the film is not even in the least bit horrifying.
What can you say? Classic horror at its finest.
Shout by Simon MasseyVIP 11BlockedParent2017-05-01T21:33:35Z
Carrie is an incredibly dated horror film, but it also remains an incredibly relevant story despite this. The shocks and attempts at surprise are largely jump scares that don't work as well anymore, yet the film has become a somewhat different kind of horror film as a result. Right from the beginning, the title character cuts an incredibly sympathetic figure and the cruelties and humiliations endured by her at school makes it easy to identify with her. But the underlying themes of bullying and cruelty and the repressed rage and anger that Carrie's abilities represent, together with the religious extremism that she suffers at home is equally a stark reminder of how society can create its own monsters that can explode into violence at any given moment and the filmmakers wisely don't hold back and attempt to lessen the impact of this nor do they attempt to justify Carrie's revenge - everyone and anyone is affected by Carrie's reaction, regardless of how they had behaved towards her. It doesn't take much to see the links with modern day real-life violence carried out by disturbed individuals and the film asks its audience to consider difficult questions as a result.