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Summary: Early Stephen King Classic -- fun cast of (then) unknowns
Review: This early Stephen King creation is not one of my favorite stories, but I enjoy watching this film for the many actors who went on to play bigger and better roles. My favorites are "Mrs. Poole" (from "The Hogans") and a very young Amy Irwing (who made her fortune by marrying/divorcing Stephen Spielberg). Sissy Spacek is authentic as the tormented "Deep South" teen who takes the ultimate revenge against her incredibly cruel class mates. Although you'll find yourself cheering for Carrie, the "punishment" just doesn't fit the crime here. This is a bit much to swallow and makes very little sense in the end.
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Summary: Long live "Carrie"
Review: "Carrie" and "American Graffiti" emerged at almost the same time; films that depictued all-American High School life in the 70s. However, there was obviously one difference: no one in "American" whacked out and killed her senior class. "Carrie" is an excellent, shocking, and evocative tale of high school life gone awry (think "She's All That" with a blood bath). While "Carrie" is bloody, violent, and almost a warning of the carnage that would come 2 decades later, it is unforgettable: from Carrie's traumatic shower-scene to the prom-turned orgy of destruction. Years from now, my generation will find the cruel, bitter "Carrie" to be a much more accurate potrayal of high school than "American Graffiti" ever was.
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Summary: New Carrie SE DVD !
Review: My very first DVD I ever bought was "Carrie" and over time I realized what a poor transfer it was and No extras. This is one DVD I'am glad to buy again just for the extra features on the new SE DVD. I hope the transfer is better this time. I gave it 5 stars just because it sounds so good. The old bare bones version I would give 2 stars.
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Summary: An Unforgettable Horror Film And Tragedy
Review: I am somewhat of a Brian DePalma fan and saw an edited version of the director's "Carrie" on CBS Network-television in 1978. I recently saw an uncut version of this film. "Carrie" is one of the greatest horror films and tragedies in movie history.Socially awkward high school student Carrie White(Sissy Spacek) uses telekinetic powers to get back at her vicious classmates and religiously fanatical mother(Piper Laurie). "Carrie" rivals "Dressed To Kill" as Brian DePalma's greatest thriller. This movie is the ultimate revenge fantasy for anyone who was picked on during their school days. Both Sissy Spacek and Piper Laurie should have won Oscars for their magnificent performances. Spacek gives an unforgettable performance. Laurie is almost charismatic as the domineering and crazed Margaret White. This character offered the perfect comeback role for Laurie after her fifteen-year absence from the big screen. Nancy Allen's malicious Chris qualifies as one of the greatest villainous characters in movie history. DePalma made "Carrie" when he still knew how to make great movies. In recent years, DePalma has not only forgotten how to scare and shock viewers, but he has even forgotten how to make his audience feel genuine emotions. DePalma forces viewers to empathize with the pain and anguish of Carrie White. "Carrie" is a tragedy as well as a horror film. Perhaps no other film director has more realistically depicted adolescent cruelty than DePalma did in "Carrie." The shock conclusion will jolt viewers right out of their seats. DePalma's "Carrie" is very well-recommended.
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Summary: You'd Expect to See the Whole Movie in this Format
Review: Since the Special Edition is not yet out, this review refers to the 1998 MGM DVD in widescreen format with Dolby digital 5.1 soundtrack. I rarely buy movies and was greatly disappointed with this one. The bottom 10% of the screen was chopped off as if they were trying to fit it into some other format. It almost looks like they took the standard VHS format and chopped from the bottom and top to put it back into the widescreen. Extra clarity does not justify censoring parts of the original movie.
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Summary: Unique blend of horror and sentiment.
Review: There's one thing I specifically like about certain horror films, and that is those that contain the horror elements, yet have a story that allows you to feel a great deal of emotion for a main or secondary character, depending on the focus of the plot. When Stephen King wrote his first novel, Carrie, it was shocking as well as emotionally heart-stopping. Brian de Palma's film, following soon after, is groundbreaking and intense, and captures the horror of the character's actions as well as the horror of her secluded and alienated school and home life. Carrie White has never been popular in school, and the verbal and physical abuse has apparently gotten worse with each year. One day, she gets her first period in the showers of the girls locker room, and frantically running to everyone for help, she is bombarded by shouts of banter and flying tampons. After it is learned that she was never told by anyone about this process of life, we soon learn the reason why: her mother is a Bible-thumping embodiment of a true maniac, who believes that every action committed by man is a sin in the eyes of God. Her treatment of her daughter is extremely harsh, but only until Carrie learns that she possesses a special gift, the ability to move objects with her mind. Meanwhile, Sue Snell, one of the girls involved in the malicious locker room incident, feels guilt over her actions and asks her boyfriend Tommy to take Carrie to the prom. Carrie accepts, and attends the event despite her mother's warnings of doom and sin. But something much worse will happen, something more terrifying than Mrs. White could ever imagine. "Carrie" is one of the most well-known horror films of all time, and has set the standard for many later films of the genre. The entire premise for the movie is quite original, and the execution of the material is even more powerful and emotional than the novel itself. What makes it so emotional is the fact that there is a human story that happens everyday around the world. Carrie is constantly bantered and teased about every aspect of her life: her home, her mother, her apparel, and her demeanor, and it is done in such a manner that you cannot help but feel a great deal of sorrow for her when she commits the ultimate act in the finale of the film. De Palma's camera angles and cinematography add an immense amount to the overall effect. Many of his shots usually center on someone in the foreground, while Carrie is somewhere within the near background, making her appear minute and small among everyone else. His use of the two-window effect for the prom sequence helps us to see more of the destruction and the reactions people have to events going on around them. One more notable sequence is opening scene, in the girls locker room, where we see the rest of the girls having fun and making merry while Carrie is alone and singled out in the shower stall. Throughout the movie, De Palma does a spectacular job in making Carrie seem insignificant when put with a group of people. Sissy Spacek was brought to the project to play the title character, and does a top-notch job. She is the perfect "ugly-duckling" type for the role, and she is able to play out all of the emotion and terror that Carrie experiences throughout the novel. Amy Irving is does a credible job as Sue Snell, and her performance makes us believe that Sue really does feel sorry for what she has done to Carrie. The rest of the ensemble makes the movie believable, and never is there a moment where you will question the authenticity of a performance. Certain to remain a hallmark of moviemaking, "Carrie" will shock, scare, and incite emotion for years to come. It is a movie that operates on many different levels, each beginning at separate times of the film, yet converging in the end to sweep us up in horror and sorrow.
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Summary: A Classic !!
Review: Well, I just read that MGM is issuing a special editon of this DVD. I hope they improve the sound as the sound of the first DVD is lame. Its 1999 sequel (The Rage Carrie 2) has a super Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack. Anyway this DVD's picture quality is good. Bright and sharp. You won't notice this is a 1976 movie. You should know the story by now. About a nerdy high school student played by Sissy Spacek who has telekinetic power. And things turn deadly as the other students make fun on her during prom night. John Travolta, Nancy allen and Amy Irving Co star. Brian De Palma reunited Travolta and Allen 3 years later in Blow out that is coming soon on DVD as well.
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Summary: high school days
Review: Remember back in high school, when you were getting picked on because you weren't pretty, or smart, or popular enough. Those days are brought vividly to life by brian depalma's adaptation of Carrie. Sissy Spacek is tragic as the girl that everyone loves to torment. Her performance is so real, that I found myself close to tears. Piper Laurie as Margaret White, Carrie's religion-crazed mother is so over the top, but it does not detract from her (oscar nominated) performance one bit. A young John Travolta, and Nancy Allen are featured in the cast, as well as Amy Irving in her film debut. (And a very cute William Katt). Some people say that Carrie is a horror movie, but I think it is a tragic coming of age love story--with a twist (the twist being that our little "ugly duckling" has the power to move things with her mind). the suspense is racked up so high, especially the "prom night" scene, that you don't even realise you have been holding your breath. Brian DePalma's direction, as well as the cinematography (effective use of spilt-screen visuals), and an amazing soundtrack propel this movie above any movie I have seen in a while. Most movies made from stephen king books tend to be horrible, but this one hit the nail on the head.
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Summary: WHAT AN AWESOME MOVIE!!!!
Review: Carrie is a stylish, well-cast, immensely powerful movie. Sissy Spacek is amazing as Carrie, a tortured teenager who discovers her considerable telekinetic abilities and attempts to take control of her life. Just when she seems to be truly happy for the first time in her short, miserable existence, a cruel classmate hauls out a grotesque practical joke that amuses everyone and leaves Carrie enraged beyond the point of endurance. What follows is one of the most terrifying and satisfying sequences in movie history. When Carrie finally got even at the prom, I was on her side all the way, because--and I don't care who criticizes me for this--THEY DESERVED IT. Carrie wanted to avoid such an incident, but they made it impossible. This movie and its fans have taken a lot of heat lately because of certain events in the news, when common sense will tell you that if you torment someone enough, their self-control will give out and they will strike back. The best way to prevent violence is to leave people the hell alone, but no one seems to understand that. I feel as I can realate to Carrie. I have been mad fun of in school and I have actually been known to want to do some of the things Carrie does. Sometimes I wish I had the powers she had so I could do the things she does. All I Have is ESP... oh well back to the movie... Carrie is a movie I could see 1 MILLION times and NEVER get tired of it. "Everybody will laugh at you!" It's funny how 5 words can mean so much to a person. I will never forget the image of this pale girl, with a look on her face of horror, embarassment, shame and raw emotion, covered in blood and through her eyes, the whole gymnasium, stands and laughs heartlessly at her humiliation. Carrie was a landmark for me, as I'm sure it was for a certain Mr King. It displayed for the whole world to see that school,(high school, secondary school) could actually be hell. In my mind Sissy Spacek was born to play Carrie White. She encapsulated all the emotions and feelings so well, your heart couldn't help but go out to her. In my mind this is a horror, but not in the sense of Carrie White's telekinesis, but of life, and of the people in it. Those who just wanna push things that little bit too far, for some nondescript reason. The girls squealing for Carrie to "plug it up" when she gets her first period and has no idea what it is, and when they start throwing tampons at her, is alot more frightening than most of the episodes of Carrie's telekinesis,(with the exception of the 2 final incidents). Piper Laurie's excellent portrayal of the religiously fanatical Magaret White, her determination that Carrie is first dirty and polluted which eventually gives way to her belief that Carrie is evil, is disturbing viewing especially considering that at the crux of this all, Carrie is her child. A WORD OF WARNING: De Palma's version differs from Stephen Kings novel, however that does not make it bad, since the initial essence is there. Carrie is an unfortunate victim of circumstance, trapped in a world that she does not control, one thread that is evident in both the film and the novel is that Carrie's ultimate empowerment and her decision (arguably based on instinct and reaction)to initiate it, leads to destruction of the town and finally of herself, but throughout the whole thing she remains, unsure and often even unaware. Carrie is a victim you care about and you understand the revenge she exacts upon her classmates and the redeemed Sue Snell(Amy Irving), however, you get the feeling that Snell's attempts to bring Carrie happiness is slightly a case of trying to forgive herself for descending into madness in the girls locker room. The final scene (one of the best classic endings of a film ever:discuss!?) is a final triumph for Carrie, her final revenge, her gift to Sue Snell, her legacy. But throughout the whole film, never was this more a case of just an innocent victim of circumstance. A triumph for King and De Palma, (plus a chance for De Palma to home his skills down, in particular his trademark split screen filming). If any parent ever said life was easy for kids, sit them down and make them watch Carrie. This movie is a must for those who can understand its themes. The low budget is utilized to great effect. The art direction is wonderful, illustrating the pain and horror lurking in everyday life--the White bungalow, for example, seems like any other house on the outside, but is a jumble of shadows and twisted religious images inside. Director Brian De Palma is at his flamboyant best, especially during the nightmarish split-screen climax. Piper Laurie excels as Margaret, Carrie's fanatical mother from hell, and provides some very frightening moments. And of course, the image of Sissy Spacek covered in blood, except for her bulging blue eyes, is one that will remain with me forever... The Ending is the best part besides the prom... (....)
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Summary: Carrie, more than just words
Review: Carrie is the first adaption from Stephen King's novel, which is done by Brian de Palma. For such a classic as Carrie which has been released in 1976 this movie is still timeless for watching. Carrie (Sissy Spacek) is a telekinetic girl and she moves things with her mind. She's an ugly girl as the movie wants to tell you. Everyone is making fun at her....UNTIL THE BLOOD'S FALLIN'.... "They are all going to laugh at you".. Carrie, one of the scariest all-time classics with: Sissy Spacek, Piper Lauri, Amy Irving and John Travolta.
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