Carrie (1976)

Director:

Brian De Palma

Writers:

Lawrence D. Cohen (writer)
Stephen King (novel)

Release Date:

3 November 1976 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Horror | Thriller

Tagline:

You were warned never to push Carrie to the limits. Now you must face the evil consequences.

Plot:

A mousy and abused girl with telekinetic powers gets pushed too far on one special night.

Plot Keywords:

Prom | Student | Teacher | Gym Teacher | Revenge

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 3 wins & 4 nominations

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Sissy Spacek	...	Carrie White
Piper Laurie	...	Margaret White
Amy Irving	...	Sue Snell
William Katt	...	Tommy Ross
Betty Buckley	...	Miss Collins
Nancy Allen	...	Chris Hargensen
John Travolta	...	Billy Nolan
P.J. Soles	...	Norma Watson
Priscilla Pointer	...	Mrs. Eleanor Snell
Sydney Lassick	...	Mr. Fromm
Stefan Gierasch	...	Mr. Henry Morton
Michael Talbott	...	Freddy DeLois
Doug Cox	...	The Beak
Harry Gold	...	George Dawson
Noelle North	...	Freida Jason

Runtime:

98 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Canada:R (Nova Scotia/Ontario) | West Germany:16 (re-rating) | West Germany:18 (original rating) | Portugal:M/16 | Finland:(Banned) (cut) (1978) | Finland:(Banned) (uncut) (1977) | Finland:K-16 (uncut) (1993) | Finland:K-18 (uncut) (1991) | Brazil:16 | South Korea:18 | Argentina:16 (re-rating) (2000) | Argentina:X (original rating) | Argentina:18 (re-rating) (1983) | Spain:18 | New Zealand:R16 | Australia:R | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:18A (Alberta) (2000) | Canada:PA (Manitoba) | Chile:18 | France:-16 | Iceland:16 | Netherlands:16 | Norway:15 (2000) | Norway:18 | Peru:18 | Singapore:M18 | Sweden:15 | UK:18 | USA:R (certificate #24688) | Ireland:18 | UK:X (original rating)

Filming Locations:

Culver City Studios - 9336 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, California, USA

Company:

Redbank Films

Trivia:

Amy Irving, who played Sue Snell, originally read for the part of Princess Leia, and William Katt, who played Tommy Ross, originally read for the part of Luke Skywalker in Star Wars (1977).

Goofs:

Continuity: When Miss Collins is pacing in the principal's office after the shower incident, she pauses in front of his desk. Carrie's blood is visible on her shorts, making the principal uncomfortable. She then continues pacing around the office and the blood disappears. Although she is moving, her sweatshirt would not move that much as to cover all traces of the blood.

Quotes:

Miss Collins: You too, Chris, and spit out that gum.
Chris Hargenson: Where will I put it, Miss Collins?
Miss Collins: You can choke on it for all I care just get it out of your mouth.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Scream (1996/I)

Soundtrack:

(Love is Like a) Heatwave

Kinetic Energy

Youthful energy. That's what this is -- and what it is about.

Spacek, King and Depalma are all at their most committed exuberance. Sometimes callow, but sometimes so rawly honest one often tingles quite apart from the story. See it on this basis alone. DePalma's camera has a sense of dance -- Scorcese does too, but DePalma's is more emotional. Spacek is so clean in her acting that her ability frightens. How strange it went away, like a poltergism.

The story has a haunting tone, also centered on youth and yearning. Menarche as a horror, the innocent acceptance/fear of the basest religion, the brash director intelligently spoofing Hitchcock. Odd mix that, so an odd and intriguing experience.