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:

Prom | Teacher | Student | Pig Blood | Gym Teacher

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) (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:

Sissy Spacek wasn't considered for the role of Carrie until her husband, art director Jack Fisk, convinced director Brian De Palma to allow her to audition.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Miss Collins begins calling the roll, the first shot reveals a girl dressed in dark blue sitting among several girls higher on the bleachers. In the next shot, she's sitting in the front row next to Helen. But in the shot after that, she's in her original place.

Quotes:

Billy Nolen: That Carrie White, she sure is cute.
Chris Hargenson: Shut up.
Billy Nolen: I thought you said they were gonna win.
Chris Hargenson: They will. It won't even be close. I called in a few favors.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Scream (1996/I)

Soundtrack:

Born to Have It All

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.