The product of a fundamentalist household, shy & quiet Carrie White discovers that she may nest telekinetic powers. While researching these suspicions, she is soon asked to the prom by a fellow classmate. Initially reluctant and suspicious of trickery, she agrees. What follows, however, is a night that nobody at Carrie's school of Bates High will ever forget...should they live to tell about it.
Holy jumped up jesus, had I never really seen Carrie until this year? Seriously? Well, yes, I never had. I am also currently in the process of reading the novel of the same name, which I hope to finish by the end of the month if I'm lucky. I would have been finished sooner had I not been occupied with finalizing this very list and with, again, dealing with hospital bills. If you happen to have eight thousand dollars to spare, you will be my best friend until the day that I die. And that is a promise.
Unlike Ms. Carrie White though, who seems to have no friends whatsoever (save for one or two highly debatable ones), and is one of the more fascinating and tragic figures of horror cinema. I can see why Sissy Spacek has become so synonymous with the title character. She may not have the look of Ms. White down (according to the novel, she's a bit more slovenly and chunky), but she has absolutely nailed the characteristics and personality. She's naive, stupidly earnest, likable, and creepy when the time is right. I wish I could say the same for her mother, played by the devilish Piper Laurie. She's a complete psychopath for most of her screen time, and her character is the first in many of Stephen King's long obsession and hatred for all things religious-related. I always have to blame one Doug Walker for ruining/enhancing my love for Mr. King by introducing the Stephen King Drinking Game, though admittedly that may only work for tales such as It and the like. But yes, Laurie is great as Carrie's mother, reciting bible verses in an attempt to keep her daughter as clean and pure as possible, striking her down, throwing water on her. You know, the usual fun stuff.
I would argue that Carrie also really helped make director Brian De Palma into a decently well known somebody, as the guy had a handful of well received pictures prior to the release of this King adaptation, but I doubt he would have been able to make a film like Scarface years later had this film been a critical or financial failure. Even more shocking considering that the original novel that this was based upon was thrown out by Stephen King himself, but urged to be finished by his wife. Truth be told, the chemistry and direction he's able to get out of everyone here is just fantastic, and I'm disappointed that Spacek herself didn't win the Academy Award she was nominated for here. Pino Donaggio's score deserves some sort of extra praise as well. I recall liking his work on last year's Unseen Terror entry, the rather well done Don't Look Now, and wish this very talented man had more work on his resume outside of a few select works. The violin, when utilized properly, is just as effective as a piano could ever be.
As it stands, I'd place Brian De Palma's adaptation of Carrie in the top five of best adaptations of a Stephen King novel to date, up there with films like Stand By Me. It cuts out a lot of the fluff I've been trudging through in the novel so far that feels wholly unnecessary and just cuts to the chase, leaving you with a largely more satisfying product and never forgetting to develop the characters into interesting people. Even if you know the whole concept and infamous conclusion to Carrie, but have never seen any version of the story, go watch this. It really is a great film. I'm curious as to how the upcoming remake with Chloe Moretz and Julianne Moore will turn out, as this version is forever fresh in the minds of the horror public, and even the public at large. They will have very big shoes to fill, despite their instantly recognizable names and attachment to a respectable director as well (Kimberly Peirce of Boys Don't Cry fame). Perhaps you'll see a review pop up sometime this month?
Come back tomorrow as we'll fly in for another Stephen King work with THE LANGOLIERS!
I would argue that Carrie also really helped make director Brian De Palma into a decently well known somebody, as the guy had a handful of well received pictures prior to the release of this King adaptation, but I doubt he would have been able to make a film like Scarface years later had this film been a critical or financial failure. Even more shocking considering that the original novel that this was based upon was thrown out by Stephen King himself, but urged to be finished by his wife. Truth be told, the chemistry and direction he's able to get out of everyone here is just fantastic, and I'm disappointed that Spacek herself didn't win the Academy Award she was nominated for here. Pino Donaggio's score deserves some sort of extra praise as well. I recall liking his work on last year's Unseen Terror entry, the rather well done Don't Look Now, and wish this very talented man had more work on his resume outside of a few select works. The violin, when utilized properly, is just as effective as a piano could ever be.
As it stands, I'd place Brian De Palma's adaptation of Carrie in the top five of best adaptations of a Stephen King novel to date, up there with films like Stand By Me. It cuts out a lot of the fluff I've been trudging through in the novel so far that feels wholly unnecessary and just cuts to the chase, leaving you with a largely more satisfying product and never forgetting to develop the characters into interesting people. Even if you know the whole concept and infamous conclusion to Carrie, but have never seen any version of the story, go watch this. It really is a great film. I'm curious as to how the upcoming remake with Chloe Moretz and Julianne Moore will turn out, as this version is forever fresh in the minds of the horror public, and even the public at large. They will have very big shoes to fill, despite their instantly recognizable names and attachment to a respectable director as well (Kimberly Peirce of Boys Don't Cry fame). Perhaps you'll see a review pop up sometime this month?
Come back tomorrow as we'll fly in for another Stephen King work with THE LANGOLIERS!
1 comment:
Carrie is a great flick!
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