Carrie (1976)
Catharsis for all the high school injustice.
Presentation:
Why does every movie in high school have bullies? Are awful teenagers really so ubiquitous? Well in Carrie they truly are despicable and quite deserve what’s coming. This is the iconic high school revenge on irredeemable bullies, satisfying that subconscious desire to get revenge on those that have wronged us in a very cathartic climax. Even knowing this, the film still offers so much, which has somehow been simplified over time with this character being one of the most complex. If you like Stranger Things, this could be up your alley.
Conclusion:
One of Stephen King’s more well known adapted films, this one stands the test of time for being so universal. I suppose it is because everyone gets bullied that we are able to relate to the characters so intimately. Carrie’s story stands out because of a truly traumatic and catatonic performance from Spacek, whom takes the crown for queen of horror. This makes it so that the remake in 2013 with Chloe Grace Moretz falls flat, as we can’t really imagine her being bullied to that extent, but it is much more believable in this 1976 original. Iconic to the horror genre and still delivering more than you’d expect, this is on par with Shelley Duvall’s performance in The Shining, and probably influenced her performance.
Recommendations
Let’s sleep with the lights on.