Movie Review: Stephen King "Carrie" 1976

Stephen King is the most recognized name in horror and suspense. King wrote his first novel: Carrie" in 1974 which became a big-screen movie in 1976. Since then, many of his novels have been made into successful movies lime "It" and "Christine". He is among my favorite horror and suspense authors though I would rather read the book than watch the movies.

Wikipedia tells that King almost didn't go through publishing "Carrie". His wife encouraged him to publish the book. King based the novel on two girls he knew in school who were tormented much like the main character. He was studying telekinetic powers at the time and used it for the basis of the book.

The movie starts Sissy Spacek as Carieta "Carrie" White, Amy Irving as Sue Snell, Piper Laurie as Margaret White, Carrie's mother , Nancy Allen as Chris, and John Travolta as Billy. Carrie doesn't have any friends, has no luck with the boys and rarely speaks to anyone. She uses telekinetic powers to get back at those who taunt her like in one scene, she throws a boy off his bicycle. Carrie lives with her fanatical Christian mother who believes everything is sinful.

In the opening scene, Carrie gets her period at school during PE class. She bolts out of the shower not knowing what is happening to her. Girls hurl tampons at her yelling "Plug it up!" .Ms.Collins, the gym teacher, comes to what the trouble is.. It stuns Ms.Collins is stunned Carrie didn't know what was happening to her. Ms.White had failed to teach her daughter about the facts of life.

Carrie calms down when Ms Collins explains everything. She is sent home only to face the wrath of her mother who shoves her into the closet to pray for forgiveness. Ms.White preaches sin is why she got her period. Ms.Collins requests the girls involved get detention and the main instigator, Chris Hargensen, be banned from the prom. An angry Chris is determined to seek revenge on Carrie with he help of her boyfriend Billy. On the other hand, Sue Snell regrets her role in the fiasco and asks her boyfriend Tommy Ross to take Carrie to the prom. Not surprisingly, Ms. White objects believing Tommy will lead Carrie down a path of sin. She exclaims "Your dirty pillows, everyone will see them. " and pleads with Carrie to burn the dress.

The movie wasn't as gory as I thought it would be. "Carrie" doesn't offer much in the way of horror. It is rather tame compared to other horror flicks. There are a couple of bloody scenes but none too gory. Many characters turned out to be one-dimensional and underdeveloped. It contains violence, a scene or two with partial and frontal nudity, and a few four-letter words, which may offend some viewers. It has an R-rating so parents are strongly cautioned.

On the good side, Sissy Spacek and Piper Laurie deliver an outstanding performance. "Carrie" was was one of the few horror movies nominated for multiple Academy Awards. I can't help but feel sorry for Carrie. I know how Carrie felt about being the underdog. I couldn't imagine not knowing about the facts of life a girl her age should know. I especially like it when Carrie stands up to her and goes to the prom anyway. Now, I don't condone disobeying parents but Carrie was pushed too far. The movie plays as the beauty queen seeks revenge but in the end, Carrie gets revenge. "Carrie" is still suspenseful and scary without going overboard in spite of its shortcomings.