Carrie (1976)

A put upon teenage girl named Carrie White (Sissy Spacek), who is telekinetic, is constantly being tormented by her classmates mainly by Chris Hargenson (Nancy Allen) and Norma Watson (P.J. Soles).
She is also abused by her intimidating religious fanatical mother Margaret (Piper Laurie).

Well one day after gym class Carrie takes a shower after the other girls are finished and has her first period but thinks it's blood. She freaks out and the girls throw tampons at her yelling "Plug it up!!!"
Later she is sent home after her gym teacher Miss Collins tells her about girls and their periods.
Margaret thinks she sinned and locks her in a closet to pray for forgiveness as a crucifix and candles are there.

The next day the girls at gym have a weeks detention with Miss Collins giving them push up, sit ups and other exercises for 45 minutes if they want to go to the prom. Chris leaves detention so she is obviously not going to it.
One of Chris' friends named Sue Snell (Amy Irving) asks her boyfriend Tommy Ross (William Katt) to take Carrie to the prom to try and make Carrie a part of things.

Then Chris manipulates her punk boyfriend Billy Nolan (John Travolta) to plan a nasty trick on Carrie at the prom so he slaughters a pig at a slaughterhouse.
He puts the blood in a bucket and then places it with a rope in the gymnasium where the prom takes place at the stage area where the winners of the prom night as kind and queen stand to have their pic taken.
Chris gets her friend Norma and Freddy (Michael Talbott) to help out with the vouchers as they have a bunch of their own and voted for Carrie and Tommy to win while Chris and Billy is beneath the stage waiting for them to win so they can dump the blood on her and Carrie can be humiliated.

They all don't realise that Carrie is telekinetic and also don't realise how dangerous she can be but they're in for a big surprise when the time happens.

This is no doubt the best horror film in my books. Everything about this film is excellent.
It's a realistic look at a highschool lifestyle on kids picking on a person who doesn't belong in their crowd.
It is quite disturbing watching it the first time if you were ever put upon in highschool but that's what makes these films so great as it's so real.
Also, it gives you a wonderful imagination iof seeking revenge on your bullies by using telekinetic powers to do them all away after allo the years of being tormented in school too.
The Stephen King novel is just as excellent! No doubt the film is a teen classic!

The acting is superb! Sissy Spacek is great in her role as the shy Carrie and she's believable plus was nominated for an award. She knew how to portray someone greatly disturbed and her intensity also came to life whenever something terrible happened to her.
Piper Laurie was the scariest character out of them all as the abusive religious fanatical mother of Carrie's. She does a very powerful performance with her timing and everything else.
Nancy Allen is convincing as a school bully named Chris and she was married to the director. Her role as Chris does make you want to slap her like the gym teacher did to her for her nasty deeds on poor Carrie as well as how she mistreats her boyfriend with her whiney attitude as she reminds me of alot of troublemaking girls that I went to school with.
I clearly remember watching William Katt in the cheesy super hero spoof The Greatest American Hero and I liked his character as Tommy Ross the best cause he is the nice guy taking Carrie to the prom. I liked his character the best out of all as he is the most popular boy in the school but with a nice attitude.
This was also John Travolta's first major supporting role as he is the nasty Billy Nolan while he was a teen idol in the TV sitcom Welcome Back Kotter as Barbarino and he also cut some solo albums too during this time. Well, Travolta's character as the tough Barbarino helped him get work in films like this but his character in this one was way more of a heavy type as Barbarino was a good guy, Billy Nolan was a bad dude who gets what he deserves in the end for pulling a mean trick on poor Carrie. His aggression in the movie and being the typical punk is very good for it's time.
P.J. Soles is quite good too as the tomboy Norma and was a cult item in other films like the totally annoying Linda in Halloween.
We of course can't forget about Betty Buckley who was the tough as nails strict gym teacher Ms. Collins who whips her students in shape with her detention draining out every energy they put into the other day when they threw tampons at Carrie while Carrie herself was freaking out over her first period. She was another favourite of mine as boy is she marvellous with her character being very protective around Carrie.

There is nudity during the opening of the film when girls are taking showers especially with Sissy Spacek and Nancy Allen.
Sissy is also nude when she takes a bath to clean off the pig's blood after that terrible incident at the prom.

There is no gore in the film. Just the pig's blood and some intense violence during Carrie's telekinesis happening at the prom. The slaughtering of the pig wasn't shown.

The directing by Brian DePalma is terrifically good like the acting and realistic as there's plenty to talk about on his work but I will try not to give too much away..
He has good shots of the girls playing volleyball during the opening as it focuses on the whole cast and then it zooms down to Sissy Spacek as she was supposed to have hit the ball and of course doesn't. The girl cast really react nasty to her very well along with a good shot on P.J. Soles whacking her with her cap and then Nancy Allen walking up to her insulting her vulgarly. DePalma gives the film a good start with all of this as to know what to expect which is about highschool bullying on a misfit.
There are good shots during the opening credits in a change room and a nice shot on Spacek washing herself and then putting her hand near her crotch with soap and discovering what she thinks is blood as she had her period and really was great running towards Allen and Amy Irving freaking out. Of course we have great close up shots on Allen and Soles taunting her as well as Irving opening up a tampon box and throwing stuff at her with other great shots on the girl cast screaming PLUG IT UP!
Spacek looked great crawling to a corner of the shower while this is all happening and Betty Buckley coming in and trying to shake sense into her and Spacek is still screaming and crying. Buckley showed good sympathy later on making her action believeable too.
as well as them doing aerobics during their detention plus the footage at the prom is very suspenseful.
There's a nice camera looking up at Spacek with her head pouting down at an ashtray in the principal's office as it shows that she's in a different thinking zone while it shows Stefan Gierasch and Betty Buckley talking to her and a great outburst from Spacek when she tries to correct Gierasch that her name is Carrie and not Cassie and she shows nice upsetting emotions and a good shot on the ashtray spinning and crashing to the ground.
There is a perfect and still shot on Piper Laurie picking up the phone to answer it and later on really showed what she got by slapping a big bible at Spacek making her fall to the ground and really acted intense when she forces her to say what she said and then dragging her to a closet. Spacek really was screaming bloody murder when she is being dragged which makes it look well done and disturbing.
A nice shot on Spacek almost crying staring at her bedroom mirror and the mirror breaks.
A perfect look on William Katt in a classroom with Spacek two desks behind him looking at her paper and expressing how she liked his poem. Supporting actor Sydney Lassick really knew how to act mocking about this and Katt showed a nice disgusting look.
Buckley looked great calling out her students name in the gymnasium for their presence, really scolded them well about what they did to poor Carrie and told them their punishment which came across perfectly.
Excellent camera shots on the girls doing workouts on the athletic field with Buckley being strict about it. She really belted it out towards Allen by slapping her across the face and acting tough with her while Allen was crying and acting aggressive with her which DePalma definetely makes the viewer feel good about teaching a bully a lesson.
More good shots on Allen riding in a car with John Travolta grooving to some music and then later on they show a good, twisted and dysfunctional dialogue together. Travolta really knew how to act psysically abusive to her when she curses to him and a good sleazy shot with Allen towards him later on too.
I loved the dialogue with Buckley towards Spacek when Spacek acts mopey thinking that she is being tricked about being invited to the prom and Buckley tried to cheer her up on not being so hard on herself as the two had great chemistry with this scene.
Another perfect moment was when Buckley was scolding both Katt and Irving for her fear that Carrie will get hurt by this.
There were terrific shots at a slaughterhouse farm that involved Travolta slaughtering a pig with a sledge hammer.
Laurie knew how to act crezy again at the dinner table with Spacek after being told that she is invited to the prom making out that it's a sin. Good shots on windows shutting by themselves and Spacek almost acts wicked about all of this later on telloing her that she is going to the prom regardless which is a real change on Spacek's behalf.
Spacek really had great lung power that prom night towards Laurie when she is getting ready to go demanding her to sit down and to be quiet and the telekinetic force looked good when Laurie fell on her bed.
The setting at the prom looked great and very 70's like with a groovy band performing.
There's a nice and touching dialogue between Buckley and Spacek at the prom as it looked like a great and happy moment.
We see a perfect shot of the camera on Katt and Spacek slow dancing as it shows them spinning around and good dialogue of them talking too.
A perfect shot on Laurie at home in the kitchen chopping up a carrot making it look deadly.
A great shot on the bucket of blood ready to be dumped too when both katt and Spacek are on the stage after winning the nomination for prom king and queen. Another good shot on Allen holding the rope beneath looking very nervous.
Then DePalma really twists things around after the prank happens as you hear nothing but silence and in slow motion the bucket hits Katts head and he slowly falls to the ground which looked great. Nice close up shots on people laughing and Spacek freaking out then she really showed a nice pose of her being frozen and expressionless with her eyes growing wide when her powers are being unleashed.
Real disturbing shots on people being killed at the gymnasium as well as it being caught on fire.
Great slow motion shot on the school doors opening while the school is on fire and Spacek walking out.
Classic shots on the house with candles all lit and Spacek noticing all of this too.
The most shocking part is during the dream sequence when Carrie's bloody hand from the ground grabs Irving's arm which will make anyone jump but I won't say what happened before this as it's a spoiler as I fear I may have given a bit away here but this was worth reviewing for such a terrific effort on DePalma's behalf.

The music was done by Dino Donaggio which he composed music for tons of other shows too.
I liked his disco type music during the scene where Tommy Ross and his friends go to a place to rent a tuxedo for the prom.
There is also songtracks by film producer Merrit Malloy.

Chris Hargenson: You eat shit!

Margaret White: I'm here on the Lord's work, Mrs. Snell; spreadin' the gospel of God's salvation through Christ's blood!
Mrs. Snell: Yes, of course...

Margaret White: These are godless times, Mrs. Snell.
Mrs. Snell: I'll drink to that.

Margaret White: And the raven was called sin... Say it. The raven was called sin.
Carrie White: Why didn't you tell me momma...
Margaret White: Say it.
Carrie White: No.
Margaret White: The raven was called sin.
Carrie White: No momma... And the raven was called sin.

Carrie White: Eve was weak. Eve was weak.

Miss Collins: [to girls] Now, my idea for this little trick you pulled was three days' suspension and refusal of your prom tickets.
[The girls gasp]
Norma: [in disbelief] What? God!
Miss Collins: That'd get you where you live, wouldn't it? And you deserve it. I don't think any of you have any idea of just how nasty what you did really was. But the office has decided you're to have one week's detention.
[The girls sigh with relief]
Miss Collins: Still, there's one little catch. It's to be my detention.
[The girls are once again perturbed]
Miss Collins: That's fifty minutes every day starting today in the athletic field. Get the picture?
Chris Hargenson: I'm not coming.
Miss Collins: That's up to you, Chris. That's up to all of you. Punishment for skipping detention is three days' suspension and refusal of your prom tickets. Any other thoughts? Good. Now change up.
[the girls proceed begrudgingly]
Chris Hargenson: Where are you going?
Norma: Come on.
Chris Hargenson: I'm not coming.
Norma: You're really not gonna come? You're gonna miss out on the prom?
Chris Hargenson: I'm not coming.
Norma: Well, I'm not gonna miss the prom.
Chris Hargenson: Fuck.

Chris Hargenson: She can't get away with this. I'm gonna get her.
Sue Snell: Let it go, Chris.
Chris Hargenson: Like Hell, I will!

Miss Collins: The period's not up, Hargenson.
Chris Hargenson: It is for me.
Miss Collins: [to the other girls] Keep running!
[to Chris]
Miss Collins: Well, there are ten minutes left.
Chris Hargenson: Stick 'em up your...
[Miss Collins slaps her]
Chris Hargenson: You can't hit us! You'll get canned for this, you bitch!
Miss Collins: One more word out of you, and I'm gonna knock you down! Do you understand me?
Chris Hargenson: She can't get away with this if we all stick together! Norma? Helen? Sue!
Sue Snell: Shut up, Chris. Just shut up.
Chris Hargenson: This isn't over. This isn't over by a long shot!
Miss Collins: You're out of the prom, Hargenson. Okay, the show's over. In place. Run! One, two. One, two. One two.

Miss Collins: Carrie? Carrie. Carrie, what's the matter? What happened?
Carrie White: Nothing.
Miss Collins: Was it one of the girls? Did one of the girls do something to you?
Carrie White: No.
Miss Collins: What is it, then? You can trust me, you know that? Would you tell me?
Carrie White: I got invited to the prom.
Miss Collins: That's great! That's fantastic! So what are you down here moping around for?
Carrie White: Tommy Ross asked me.
Miss Collins: That's even better. He's really cute, huh?
Carrie White: I know who he goes around with. They're just trying to trick me again. I know.

Margaret White: Carrie, you haven't touched your apple cake.
Carrie White: It gives me pimples, Mama.
Margaret White: Pimples are the Lord's way of chastising you.

Margaret White: Witch. Got Satan's Power.
Carrie White: It has nothing to do with Satan, Mama. It's me. Me. If I concentrate hard enough, I can move things.

Margaret White: [Referring to Carrie's prom gown] Red. I might have known it would be red.
Carrie: It's pink, Mama.
[Presenting corsage]
Carrie: Look what Tommy gave me, Mama. Aren't they beautiful?
Margaret White: I can see your dirty pillows. Everyone will.
Carrie: Breasts, Mama. They're called breasts, and every woman has them.

Margaret White: There're all gonna laugh at you.

Carrie White: Tommy?
Tommy Ross: Yeah?
Carrie White: Why?
Tommy Ross: Why what?
Carrie White: Why am I here?
Tommy Ross: Because it's the prom.
Carrie White: Why am I here with you?
Tommy Ross: Because I asked you.
Carrie White: Why'd you ask me?
Tommy Ross: Because I wanted to.
Carrie White: Why'd you want to?
Tommy Ross: Because you liked my poem. Only I didn't write it. Somebody else did.
Tommy Ross: Oh.

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

Carrie White: It was bad, Mama. They laughed at me.

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, but we never did it. And then, that night, I saw him looking down at me that way. We got down on our knees to pray for strength. I smelled the whiskey on his breath. Then he took me. He took me, with the stink of filthy roadhouse whiskey on his breath, and I liked it. I liked it! With all that dirty touching of his hands all over me. I should've given you to God when you were born, but I was weak and backsliding, and now the devil has come home. We'll pray.
Carrie: Yes.
Margaret White: We'll pray. We'll pray. We'll pray for the last time. We'll pray.