So, another favourite of mine this week! We're on a roll! Carrie is a movie I saw many years ago when I was about 10 or 11, thanks again to my dads Stephen King collection. It was released a year after I was born, so by the time I saw it, the 70's vibe was a bit dated, but I was too young to worry about such things. Had I watched it from my late teens onwards, I'd have loved the whole look and feel of it anyway :). I suppose what I'm trying to say is, for me, this movie can't date as I have a soft spot for the whole era.
Carrie is a movie which I would imagine absolutely everyone has seen. They even did a remake in 2013 which I watched and reviewed here. I wouldn't envy anyone who tried to get near to the original. In this case, it is most definately, the best.
Carrie follows the story of Carrie white, a 17 year old schoolgirl and daughter of a superstitious and deeply religious mother. Carrie doesn't fit in at school. She has no friends and has no idea how to relate to her peers as everything that is of importance to a teenager is forbidden to Carrie. In one upsetting scene (the opening scene in fact) Carrie is shown having her period for the first time. Unfortunately due to her upbringing, she has no idea what is happening to her and thinks she is dying. She runs towards the other girls, arms outstretched and hands covered in blood, screaming. Of course the other girls know what is happening and are repulsed. They all end up laughing, chanting at her and throwing tampons and sanitary pads at her as she lies sobbing in the showers. The scene is harsh and upsetting, but is a perfect introduction to Carrie and the feel of the movie. Even though this scene is shot in a girls shower room and all the women are naked, there is nothing gratuitous or sexual about it, which seems impossible, but is absolutely the case.
Carrie has a savior at school in the form of Miss Collins, the PE Teacher. She calls Carries mum, Margaret and tells her what happened to Carrie at school. In another perfect introduction to a character, we see Carries mum blame her bleeding on evil and sin. She forces Carrie into a shrine-like room to pray for forgiveness. It seems to be all the family seem to do... pray for forgiveness that is. It is during this scene we see a 3rd illustration of an 'ability' of Carries. When she becomes upset or angry, items around her seem to smash - A light in the showers at school, an ashtray in the principals office and a mirror in the prayer room. It is then that Carrie starts to research telekenesis and realises that she is not like everyone else.
The last thing I will say about the storyline is that Carrie does find a friend at school. Miss Collins manages to make one of the perpetrators of the tampon incident see how cruel the girls had been towards Carrie. She takes her under her wing and wants to make it up to Carrie. She is instrumental in a decision that would change Carries life and the lives of her classmates forever.
If you haven't seen Carrie, you must! If you have, but it's been a while, give it another go this weekend. If you watch it regularly, keep doing so. I watch this one regularly and my love for it hasn't diminished at all. The acting here is spot on. The characters are wonderful and brings you right back to your days at school as you can spot your ex classmates in the characters. The pace is perfect, there is just enough back story and character development as well as action to keep anyone happy. There are also scenes that give me chills and goosebumps. Infamous scenes, where what you watch on screen will be forever be etched in your mind. It's impressive to manage one of those in a movie, but for me, there are several that I can picture now, which I've always been enthralled with.
So, it's no surprise, I give this movie is big thumbs up. Highly recommended!!
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