Carrie (1976)

User Rating:

7.4/10   

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:

Girl | Prom | Teacher | Student | Outsider

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 3 wins & 4 nominations

Cast

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
Cindy Daly	...	Cora Wilson
Deirdre Berthrong	...	Rhonda Wilson
Anson Downes	...	Ernest Peterson
Rory Stevens	...	Kenny
Edie McClurg	...	Helen Shyres
Cameron De Palma	...	Bobby Erbeter - boy on the bicycle
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Terry Bolo	...	Bad Girl (uncredited)
Michael Towers	...	Vance or Towers (prom band) (uncredited)
Glen Vance	...	Vance or Towers (prom band) (uncredited)

Directed by
Brian De Palma

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Lawrence D. Cohen		writer
Stephen King		novel

Produced by
Brian De Palma	....	producer
Paul Monash	....	producer
Louis A. Stroller	....	associate producer

Original Music by
Pino Donaggio

Cinematography by
Mario Tosi

Film Editing by
Paul Hirsch

Casting by
Harriet B. Helberg

Art Direction by
Jack Fisk
Bill Kenney		(as William Kenney)

Set Decoration by
Robert Gould

Costume Design by
Rosanna Norton

Makeup Department
Wes Dawn	....	makeup artist (as Wesley Dawn)
Adele Taylor	....	hair stylist
Ron Snyder	....	makeup artist (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Donald Heitzer	....	first assistant director
Bill Scott	....	second assistant director (as William Scott)
Dick Ziker	....	second unit director (as Richard Ziker)

Art Department
Gary Seybert	....	property master
Michael Casey	....	leadman (uncredited)

Sound Department
Lois Freeman	....	assistant sound editor
Bert Hallberg	....	sound mixer (as Bertil Hallberg)
David Rust	....	boom operator
Dan Sable	....	sound editor
Dick Vorisek	....	sound re-recording supervisor

Special Effects by
Greg Auer	....	special effects (as Gregory M. Auer)
Ken Pepiot	....	special effects (as Kenneth Pepiot)

Stunts
Dick Ziker	....	stunt coordinator (as Richard Ziker)
Janet Brady	....	stunts (uncredited)
Glory Fioramonti	....	stunts (uncredited)
Mags Kavanaugh	....	stunt double (uncredited)
Mary Peters	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Dustin Blauvelt	....	first assistant camera (as Dusty Blauvelt)
Joseph Cosko Jr.	....	second assistant camera (as Joseph Cosko)
Jim Dyer	....	best boy grip (as James Dyer)
Gene Griffith	....	key grip (as Eugene Griffith)
Joel King	....	camera operator
Ken Miller	....	dolly grip (as Kenneth Miller)
Joe Pender	....	gaffer
Jerome L. Posner	....	best boy (as Jerome Posner)
Dave Friedman	....	still photographer (uncredited)
Wynn Hammer	....	still photographer (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Agnes Lyon	....	costumer

Editorial Department
Maria Iano	....	apprentice editor
Michael Kirchberger	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Michael Arciaga	....	music supervisor
Natale Massara	....	conductor

Transportation Department
Gary Littlefield	....	transportation

Other crew
Wendy Bartel	....	secretary to Mr. DePalma
James L. Carter	....	production assistant
Angelo Corallis	....	craft service
Dow Griffith	....	location manager
Patricia Heade	....	production secretary
Hannah Scheel	....	script supervisor
Robert Sinclair	....	auditor

Production Companies

• Redbank Films

Distributors

• United Artists (1976) (USA) (theatrical)
• UA (1977) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1978) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• CBS / Fox Video (1984) (USA) (VHS)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (1984) (USA) (VHS)
• United Pictures Finland (1991) (Finland) (theatrical)
• SF Film (2002) (Denmark) (DVD)
• Cinema Mondo (2005) (Finland) (theatrical)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2007) (USA) (DVD)
• Chapel Distribution (1997) (Australia) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (Brazil) (DVD)
• Carlotta Films (France) (re-release)
• Criterion Collection, The (laserdisc)
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (video)
• Paramount Home Video (video)
• Warner Home Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)

Other Companies

• Get Set  set decorating

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) (uncut) (1977) | Finland:(Banned) (cut) (1978) | 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:

John Travolta drives a 1967 Chevelle SS 396 hardtop in this film, and in Pulp Fiction (1994), he drove a 1964 Chevelle Malibu convertible.

Goofs:

Continuity: There are several signs posted about the time of the prom, all of which say from 9 - 1. (One says 9 - 1 pm, which, of course, is incorrect.) Sue Snell asks the time at the family dinner on the night of the prom and is told that it is 8 o'clock. Shots immediately before and after the dinner scene show the prom going full swing, even though it is not scheduled to start for another hour. Additionally, it would still be light outside on May 25th at 8 pm.

Quotes:

Margaret White: 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. At first, it was all right. We lived sinlessly. We slept in the same bed...
[...]

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "True Blood: Plaisir d'amour (#1.9)" (2008)

Soundtrack:

I'm Still On My Way

Carrie: 8/10

Carrie boomed Sissy Spacek's and John Travolta's career. I understand why.

Carrie starts off at a gym locker room, where we find out how much the other kids hate Carrie. But, we find out that Carrie has some powers. Like in other Stephen King book-movies, the supernatural aspect is only minor compared to the rest of the story, but it comes into play at the end. Carrie's mom (Piper Laurie) is an over-protective religious zealot who makes The Royal Tenenbaums seem normal. So Carrie tries to cope with her horrible life, but it's getting tougher and tougher.

Spacek is exceptional as Carrie, and I now know why she was nominated for Best Actress. Her emotions are real, not some fake tear drops that make us think she's sad. Either she has great motivation, or she's one of the best actresses of the century (or both!). Laurie was equally good as her mother who locks Carrie up in a closet everytime she thinks that Carrie has sinned. This movie wouldn't be half of what it was if the acting wasn't so great. When Carrie was sad, you were sad. When the other kids ridiculed her, you felt like you wanted to kill the kids. When she smiled, you smiled. Emotions that raw couldn't come from just any movie.

If you know me, I'm a stickler for character developement. Carrie didn't take much time, but from the opening scene you knew about Carrie and her weakness. So are the secondary characters; they're nicely developed even if their role isn't that major. Travolta had a miniscule role, but he was fine in it; it led to Grease and Saturday Night Fever.

The prom scene has got to be one of the most memorable scenes from a horror movie. That red tint is awesome; it's like a premonition. In fact, the movie is full of premonition: the red tint, the freaky looking voodoo doll, "They're all going to laugh at you." I'm assuming that director Brian De Palma meant to put that in, so it just isn't about some supernatural powers, it's also about foreshadowing. Also, I dig that camera movement during the dancing.

The blood and gore wasn't held back, but they just put in what was necessary. De Palma obviously stole from Hitchcock's Psycho, mainly the music cue whenever Carrie is using her telepathy. Also, her school, Bates High, is another Psycho refrence.

Carrie was also very creepy. It wasn't a thrill-a-minute, but at the ending, that was Scary with a capital S. The last ten or twenty minutes were scare-inducing for sure. That last jump scene in the dream...wow! It's still jumping at me. If there was one complaint I had to do about the movie, it's that it took too much time to get to main scene and the prom went on a little too long, but other than that it's a first class horrror/thriller that any horror buff needs to see.

My rating: 8/10

Rated R for nudity, some language, and blood.