Rish Outfield's reviews
An unpleasant film because it works so well, Carrie is one of perhaps three film adaptations of Stephen King's works that not only does justice to, but surpasses the original work. It manages to capture the feel of the book, but also the beauty of the character: Carrie White is a real person who we feel for, and who we associate with, even if we can never entirely understand her. Sissy Spacek truly excellent in the role everyone always identifies her with, managing to be innocent, submissive and tortured without being pathetic or whiny. One of my pet actors, William Katt, is also really good as the handsome Tommy Ross with way too 70's hair. Nancy Allen is strangle-worthy as Carrie's always-nasty nemesis, and John 'Plastic Bubble' Travolta is at his despisable best as her troublemaking boyfriend. I imagine audiences cheered when they got theirs. But even more loathsome is Piper Laurie as Carrie's insane religious fanatic mother, the scariest character in the film (perhaps most frightening because it's possible to imagine actually running into someone like her).
The terrific score by fluctuates between horrendous 70's TV movie themes and Hitchcock-inspired 'shock strings.' I was lucky enough to see a letterbox copy, which is really necessary to appreciate the split screens at the 'black prom.' Brian DePalma created a fantastic film here (nominated for a Best Picture Oscar), which he was never truly able to top. It was a very sad film that moved me as much as it scared me.
Best Scare: The final visit to Carrie's 'grave.' That brought me screaming out of sleep more than once in my childhood, which, though detested back then, I look back on fondly today.
I'd Recommend It To: Oh, see it sometime. See which character you relate to.

The tyranist's thoughts
This is one of those borderline horror movies that really could be put elsewhere justifiably. For the most part, it is a sad tale of a little girl facing a world she doesn't understand. Still, all that blood and death at the end probably pushes it over the edge.
I feel like I need to justify my choice of threat for this movie. Especially if you are going to go on and check out my review for The Rage. For most of the movie it seems like the kids that surround Carrie White are the true villains and I won't argue with you there, but in the end, I think more than the other kids, the real villain is Carrie's mother (who just happens to exhibit very strong psychopathic characteristics). Carrie never would have had the problems she had if she had been given a normal childhood. She still might not have been popular, but at least she wouldn't have given the other girls a reason to hate her so much
One of the fun things about this movie is seeing all the people who would go on to have great roles in other places. There is, of course, John Travolta who we already knew from "Welcome Back, Kotter." William Katt is young and looks like better than he ever would again. P.J. Soles is just a couple of years away from her role in Halloween. Sissy Spacek would go on to a lot of roles, mostly because she was amazing as Carrie. Nancy Allen later played our favourite female cop in the Robocop series. And they are all so young here.
Carrie spooks me in a couple of places but I have to say that the most frightening thing in the whole movie is that crucifix that Carrie prays to in the closet. Wow. If my god looked like that, I'd probably want to kill a lot of people too.
You owe it to yourself to check this one out if you haven't, and not just if you are a Stephen King fan. This is one of the finer movies adapted from his work and ends up being a sad story that you'll think about for days.