Creepy Carrie Still Lives

On 10/22/15, my dear daughter surprised me with movie tickets to see the film Carrie. We saw the flick at the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema in Yonkers, NY.

She knew that Carrie continues to be my favorite horror movie of all time, and I was more than happy to see it once again. The scary movie presented to me was the 1976 version, based on the book by Stephen King, directed by Brian De Palmer, with Carrie's role played by Sissy Spacek.

Creepy Carrie

There are some marked differences between the book and the film, but De Palmer effectively captured the flavor of total confusion one feels during adolescence. Add the tastefully done nude scenes, Carrie's growing telekinetic powers, and of course, the horror sequences, and you have a well-conceived plan to lure you in and then scare your pants off.

It was noticeable that some of the "teenagers" were slightly on the older side, but that was the only downside of the movie. The characters played by Piper Laurie, John Travolta, William Katt, and Amy Irving are well worth mentioning. Sissy Spacek's excellent rendition of the Carrie character (she is such a good actress) combined with the film's serene and haunting soundtrack, pulls you into the film's innocence and eventual tragedy.
 
 **Spoiler Alert** 
 
 (It might seem ridiculous to run a spoiler alert for a movie that's been out since 1976. Some haven't seen the movie yet, and I wouldn't want to spoil it).
 
 Personal Note- This writer has always been an avid horror watcher. I enjoy the rush of a good scare. I like to laugh and joke with friends about it afterward, but I handle myself conservatively while in all public movie theaters. Unprepared for what I was about to witness, I saw the movie for the first time.
 
Carrie's pain, passion, and motivations made sense to me. The trials and tribulations of being a teenager are hard enough, but the harassment that she endured would have been brutal for a stronger person. Once Carrie's fragile personality snapped, her reaction toward revenge made sense.
 
At the end of the movie, there is a dream sequence calming for the character Sue Snell and the audience. The set up is, Carrie has killed her mother and herself. You figure this brings closure to the movie because the main character has died. Sue, being the only survivor of the high school fire, is, of course, traumatized. She places flowers at the empty lot during her dream where her "friend" Carrie has died.

The photography is hazy, and the music is serene and tranquil. To me, the movie was winding down, as Sue was giving her tribute to Carrie. As Sue knelt, I was putting my arm in my jacket. My eyes were still on the screen as I waited for the credits to scroll down. Sue was about to place the bouquet on the ground when Carrie's bloody hand reached up from between the rocks and grabbed Sue's wrist. I half stood up and screamed, "Nooooo!!" ​

​Soon after this, Sue woke, and the dream (and the movie) ended.
 
I remember back in 1976 that others in the audience screamed in horror, but no one screamed as loudly as I did. If anyone told me that I would react this way in a crowded movie theater, I would have said they were crazy. I was genuinely scared! 
 
 Eerie movie fact – Sissy Spacek was buried under the ground to do this scene.
 
**End of Spoiler Alert**
 ​
 After Carrie, horror movies have used the "unexpected added ending," while others rely heavily on gore and special effects. Regardless of when or how often you see it, Carrie will bring you to the edge of your seat and then knock you off it. As my daughter, Danielle, has heard me say many times before, Carrie will always be a masterpiece of horror film making at its best.

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