Carrie 1976

     High school student Carrie White is nearing the end of her senior year.  She is a social outcast, doesn't have any friends and the other students constantly tease her.  Most of Carrie’s problems are due to her upbringing because her mother is unstable and she is a religious fanatic.  Margaret White had a failed marriage and her husband/Carrie's father left her for another woman.  PE Teacher Miss Collins is her only adult authority figure and she tries to help Carrie but she can’t go against Carrie’s mother's beliefs.  Because of an intense teasing session in gym class, the other students receive after school punishment from Miss Collins.  This event leads to several of the students setting up a situation that will happen at the senior prom.

     Even though this film is from 1976, I haven’t seen it before.  I thought it might be too scary since it’s based on a Stephen King novel.  It’s not scary at all after its years of mellowing.  It’s more hilarious and a comedy than scary.  Originally, I didn’t know that John Travolta was in this film.  3* (This movie is OK)

98 min, Horror directed by Brian De Palma with Sissy Spacek, Piper Laurie, Army Irving, William Katt, John Travolta, Nancy Allen, Betty Buckley, P.J. Soles, Priscilla Pointer, Sydney Lassick, Stefan Gierasch, Michael Talbott.

Note:  Imdb 7.4 out of 10, 93% critic 76% audience on Rotten Tomatoes, TCM user rating 5* out of 5*, Roger Ebert 3 ½*, Amazon 4.5* out of 5* with 810 reviews.

Special Note:  Filmed in Santa Paula, Vernon, Hermosa Beach, Culver City, Los Angeles, San Fernando, California.  This was the first book for Stephen King and he was paid $2500 for the movie rights to Carrie.  The name of the school is Bates High and a reference to Norman Bates in Psycho of 1960.  Piper Laurie thought her character was so over the top that this film must be a comedy.  She constantly burst into laughter between takes.  The scenes of the prom took over 2 weeks to film and 35 takes.  Spacek was 25 at the time of filming but Carrie is 17 in the novel.  Carrie grossed over $33 million in the US with a $1.8 million investment and the film ending is different from the book.  During the writing of the novel, King got some of his character and plot ideas while working in an industrial laundry for $1.60 an hour.  Also, some of the King’s experiences as a teacher are included in the book.