A few years ago, I saw the modern remake of this same film. Now it's finally time for this one, which I just saw a few minutes ago. Made in 1976, the film became a classic and has survived the test of time. In fact, I would say that it is one of those old horror films that any fan of the genre must see.

I will not go on too long to describe the story, I think it is well known. It was inspired by an original Stephen King novel (according to the information available here, the writer really liked this film, and even considered the ending to be better than the one he had originally written),tells the story of Carrie White, a young teenager who is extremely naive and who has lived all her life under the supervision of her mother, overprotective and religious fanatic, obsessed with the sin of the flesh and the weakness of the female sex. She is the target of mockery from schoolmates and it gets worse after she panics with her first menstruation, in the gym locker room. She simply knew nothing about her own body and sexuality because the mother was sure that a sinless woman (as her daughter had to be) would never be "tainted" by the blood that, for her, was the mark of Eva's original sin. Well, things get worse from there, with Carrie discovering that she has telekinetic powers amplified by fear or anger, and an anthological ending in a prom that goes terribly wrong.

The secret to the success of this film is largely due to the main character. For us, it is clear that Carrie is a victim: victim of a wicked and crazy mother who mistreats her and carries on a permanent psychological terror; victim of cynical and selfish schoolmates who never think of the reasons why she behaves that way and never give her a chance to integrate; and finally victim of an extremely rare mental power that she doesn't know well or know how to control. Carrie is never truly a bad person or a wicked being. She has no pleasure in the pain of others, she is the one who is suffering. It moves us, it causes a strong empathy with the character, which we would like to help. The way it all ends seems filled with a poetic justice that also satisfies us, despite feeling for Carrie, and seeing that she will never be understood by anyone.

Sissy Spacek was extraordinary in her work and obtained, in this film, her great work as an actress. Despite continuing and making other films, it is Carrie who immortalizes Spacek and makes her memorable. She gave the character a lot of psychological depth and drama, as well as having the strength for some nude scenes so brutal, due to their harshness, that other actresses with more experience would surely refuse them without thinking twice. The film also features the participation of Piper Laurie (in the role of Carrie's mother),Amy Irving and John Travolta.

Directed by Brian De Palma, a director recognized for his meticulous spirit and attention to detail, its a film with good production values and an excellent pace, with time for everything, without haste or speed. Cinematography deserves a close look with a series of truly successful moments, from the use of colors (white and red, as at the prom) to the work of the camera (the scenes at the prom, the kaleidoscope, the punctual resource to division of the screen),everything was extremely thought out and done with great care. For more than one occasion, the film "blinks the eye" to Hitchcock, the most evident feature being the famous sound effect of the film "Psycho", used here by De Palma. The sound, visual and special effects worked perfectly, even though the fire in the house, at the end of the film, makes it quite evident that the house is a miniature and not a real building, all it takes is a certain sense of scale. The costumes also deserve applause, they fit perfectly into the big picture. The soundtrack, by Pino Donaggio, is one of the most beautiful in classic horror cinema. Truly a magnificent melody that is in the ear.

Carrie White (Sissy Spacek) is an introverted isolated girl. She gets picked on by all the other girls. Her mother (Piper Laurie) is a crazy religious type who locks Carrie in the closet. Lead girl Sue Snell (Amy Irving) tries to make amends by getting her hunky boyfriend Tommy Ross (William Katt) to take Carrie to the senior prom. Chris Hargensen (Nancy Allen) refuses to take the punishment and is banned from the prom. Chris plans revenge on Carrie with the help of her boyfriend Billy Nolan (John Travolta). The plan triggers Carrie's supernatural powers.

Director Brian De Palma makes this Stephen King story into a prom epic. The scene is iconic. However this movie is more than just one scene. This is about the great Sissy Spacek. She is absolutely perfect as the shy insecure Carrie. This is about her character. This is about the awkward years. This is a horror, a thriller and so much more.

I cannot compare this movie to the Stephen King novel, since I haven't read it. So keep this in mind when you read my review.

Carrie is a very socially awkward teenager who was made this way my an insanely religious and deeply disturbed mother. While students laughed at her, they didn't realize how hellish her existence was at home. Sadly, when Carrie does open up to those around her and finally tries to fit in, the kids at her school proved at the prom that they were truly evil and deserved to die...and then they did! The film is very well done and I think much of the credit is due to Sissy Spacek for her incredibly gutsy performance. Not only did she do some incredibly rough nude scenes, show a wide range of feeling but also put herself out incredibly far in order to get the best performance (read the trivia section carefully to see what I mean). The film succeeded more for her performance than the other supporting ones--as it's a lot easier to play a jerk than to play the full range of Carrie's emotions.

As far as the direction by Brian De Palma goes, I must point out that I am NOT a fan of his style. De Palma NEVER leaves anything to the imagination and seems to usually believe that more is best (see SCARFACE). I would have preferred a few moments had been played more subtly and the film been less crude (for a 70s film, this movie had amazingly rough language). But, on the other hand, there was a lot of very creative camera-work and the ending (done in slow-motion much of the time) worked very well.

Overall, it's an exceptional film but too bad there's so much nudity and foul language--as it was intended as a teen film. I do think that it's okay for most teens to see it, but parents should beware that the film does cross the line from time to time--making it a better choice for adults even though the message is one most kids should see.

By the way, the statue in the closet is Saint Sebastian who was supposedly martyred with arrows. In a neat but not particularly subtle moment, this is recreated at the end of the film. Also, if you haven't noticed, Carrie and her mother are VERY similar to Waterboy and his mother...think about it.