Carrie (1976)

A young, abused and timid 17-year-old girl discovers she has telekinesis, and gets pushed to the limit on the night of her school's prom by a humiliating prank.

Director:

Brian De Palma

Writers:

Stephen King (novel), Lawrence D. Cohen (screenplay)

Stars:

Sissy Spacek, Piper Laurie, Amy Irving

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 4 wins & 4 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Sissy Spacek	...	Carrie
Piper Laurie	...	Margaret White
Amy Irving	...	Sue Snell
William Katt	...	Tommy Ross
John Travolta	...	Billy Nolan
Nancy Allen	...	Chris Hargensen
Betty Buckley	...	Miss Collins
P.J. Soles	...	Norma
Priscilla Pointer	...	Mrs. Snell
Sydney Lassick	...	Mr. Fromm
Stefan Gierasch	...	Mr. Morton
Michael Talbott	...	Freddy
Doug Cox	...	The Beak
Harry Gold	...	George
Noelle North	...	Frieda

Storyline

Carrie White is a shy young girl who doesn't make friends easily. After her class mates taunt her about her horrified reaction to her totally unexpected first period one of them takes pity on her and gets Tommy Ross, her boyfriend and class hunk to invite Carrie to the senior prom. Meanwhile another girl who has been banned from the prom for her continued aggressive behaviour is not as forgiving and plans a trick to embarrass Carrie in front of the whole school. What she doesn't realise is that Carrie is ... gifted, and you really don't want to get her angry.

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Plot Keywords:

prom | school | telekinesis | teacher | student | 

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Taglines:

If You've Got A Taste For Terror... Take Carrie To The Prom.

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Genres:

Horror | Thriller

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Certificate:

R

Details

Official Sites:

MGM

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

3 November 1976 (USA)

Also Known As:

Carrie: Extraño presentimiento

Filming Locations:

USA

Box Office

Budget:

$1,800,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Technical Specs

Runtime:

98 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The success of Carrie at the box-office cemented Stephen King's name as an author. King himself was delighted with the film.

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Goofs

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.

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Quotes

Chris Hargenson: Don't be in such a hurry.
Billy Nolen: Don't be in such a hurry. I'm hurrying away from you, you know that?
Chris Hargenson: No, you're not.
Billy Nolen: Pain right in the ass.

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Connections

Featured in Visualizing 'Carrie' (2001)

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Soundtracks

"Education Blues"
(uncredited)
Written by Glen Vance and Mike Towers (as Michael Towers)
Performed by Vance or Towers
Courtesy of A&M Records

User Reviews

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.