Movie: Carrie

Release Date: November 3, 1976

Director: Brian De Palma

Starring: Sissy Spacek, Piper Laurie, Amy Irving, William Katt, Betty Buckley, Nancy Allen, John Travolta, P. J. Soles, Edie McClurg.

Tag Lines: “You were warned never to push Carrie to the limits. Now you must face the evil consequences.”

“Take Carrie to the prom. I dare you!”

“Carrie may look perfectly innocent, but she’ll shock you right out of your seat… and that’s a promise!”

“A chilling blend of American Graffiti and Psycho.”

“A Brian DePalma film.”

“The bone-chilling classic based on the novel by Stephen King.”

“If you’ve got a taste for terror… take Carrie to the prom.”

“If only they knew she had the power.”

“If you got a taste for terror, than you have a date with Carrie.”

“If The Exorcist made you shudder, Carrie will make you scream.”

Relevance: Stephen King’s first published novel, “Carrie” was released in 1974. I would not run across it until 1983, when I read it as an ambitious twelve year old boy who loved everything “horror.” I was instantly hooked and Mr. King easily became one of my favorite authors of all time. The reason why I read the novel was because I was introduced to the film adaptation on television that same year during the spooky month of October.

‘Carrie,’ originally released in 1976, was a huge critical and commercial success at that time. A few years later, it became one of those movies that was shown on television during the Halloween season. My dad was a fan of the horror genre, so we ended up watching it together. Once the hand protruded out of the grave at the end of the movie, making both my father and me jump, I immediately searched out the book so that I could read it. Now the first time I saw the film, it was playing on a regular, non-paying channel, meaning it was edited for content. That made me very eager to see the unedited version, and as soon as it played on HBO, sometime around 1984, I relived the horror that was ‘Carrie.’

By the time I had watched the movie on HBO, I already finished the novel. A year older and wiser, I was now even more prepared for what the movie had to offer. That second time through I watched it alone and was terrified in my darkened living room as HBO only played rated “R” films after 8 pm. Needless to say I did not sleep that night. Even though I had read the novel and seen the edited version of the film, I was still scared shit-less. The hand coming out of the grave made me jump…again. Right then I knew I was watching a classic that would stay with me forever.

‘Carrie’ has spawned a sequel, a television movie, a remake and a musical. Who knew this little telekinetic teenager from Maine would be the star of her own franchise? But for me, all of them are completely unnecessary. All one really needs is the novel by Stephen King and the original horror classic by Brian De Palma to scare the hell out of you. And that’s what it’s been doing to me since 1983 and will continue to do for the remainder of my life.

Today’s Thoughts: “I should’ve killed myself when he put it in me. After the first time, before we were married, Ralph promised never again. He promised, and I believed him. But sin never dies. Sin never dies.”

Carrie White. First person to ever give “side eye. ” And what a wallop that “side eye’ bestows. I never, ever get tired of this Stephen King adapted, Brian De Palma classic. There is so much to love. And I got to love it all over again today.

‘Carrie’ still remains one of the creepiest movies ever released thanks to the terrifying story like only Mr. King can conjure and the brilliant performances by both Sissy Spacek and Piper Laurie. Talk about your dysfunctional mother daughter relationship. Both Ms. Spacek and Ms. Laurie are stellar in their performances and totally deserved the recognition they received for them. However, their performances are not the only great parts of this film. There is oh so much more to this movie.

The rest of the cast including Amy Irving, William Katt, Betty Buckley, Nancy Allen, John Travolta, P. J. Soles and Edie McClurg (in a tiny role) are all perfect. Its director, Mr. De Palma creates such an iconic and intense look to the film, it is hard to take your eyes off of it. Its cartoon-like, but a hell of a lot scarier than Scooby-Doo. And that music! ‘Psycho’ like strings that will make you scared to be in or out of the shower. Thanks Pino Dinaggio.

After watching ‘Carrie’ today, I was almost expecting the leaves to be falling off of the trees when I looked out into the August heat. The film always reminds me of Autumn, probably because it is mostly aired and watched in October during the Halloween season. Alas, they were not. Its rare that a movie leaves me feeling melancholy, terrified and giddy all at the same time. Melancholy and terrified for obvious reasons, but giddy for the simple fact that I was alive when this movie was produced. Geeky, I know.

“They’re all gonna laugh at you.”

Awards: Academy Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role, Sissy Spacek (nomination), Academy Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role, Piper Laurie (nomination), Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Supporting Role – Motion Picture, Piper Laurie (nomination), National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Actress, Sissy Spacek (winner), New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Actress, Sissy Spacek (nomination).

Ways to Watch: Hulu, Sling TV, Showtime, YouTube, iTunes, Google Play, Vudu, DVD Availability.