Time For A Halloween Horror Classic!
As we celebrate “Shocktober 2023”, time to we turn off all the lights and have our pants scared off!
For me, a great horror film is more than slashing and shock scares…it’s a film that tells a great story and builds to a horrific climax – by a filmmaker who creates tension through great storytelling and acting – and my year-long celebration of the greatest decade in cinema – the 70’s – takes a Stephen King novel and turns it into a masterpiece!
Classic “Carrie!”
Let’s begin with one of the greatest films ever made – horror or not!
In 1976, the brilliant Director Brian DePalma took a very young cast – including Sissy Spacek, John Travolta and Nancy Allen – and made a classic horror film, based on Stephen King’s debut novel!
It’s not just a great horror film – it’s classic filmmaking from a master filmmaker – let’s look first at the trailer for “Carrie”:
“Carrie” starts off with a lyrical opening credits sequence, when Carrie takes a shower after gym class…but we quickly learn this is going to be a thrill ride as she discovers an unknown horror in the shower…
After her class mates taunt her about her horrified reaction to her totally unexpected first “period”, the story takes a dual path: we see how the “mean girls” at school treat Carrie, while she discovers that she is “gifted”, and you REALLY don’t want to get her angry.
Casting “Carrie” – AND Princess Leia!
Here’s great trivia: George Lucas and Brian De Palma held joint casting sessions for “Carrie” and “Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope”.
There is a long-standing rumor that originally, Sissy Spacek was cast as Princess Leia, and Carrie Fisher as Carrie, but when Fisher refused to appear in nude scenes and Spacek was willing to do them, they switched parts.
Princess Leia Says “NOT TRUE!”
However, Fisher refuted this story in a Premiere magazine article called “The Force Wasn’t With Them,” about actors who auditioned unsuccessfully for “Star Wars” That article got into the “switched roles” legend, and quoted Fisher as saying:
“Not only do I love being nude, I would’ve been nude then… But anyway, it’s total bullshit that Fisher refused to play Carrie.”
So there you go!
Travolta’s Smarmy Supporting Role!
John Travolta, hot off his TV hit “Welcome Back Kotter”, nails his role here as Billy Nolen, a punk who just wants to make his girlfriend Nancy Allen happy – and if that means taunting Carrie, so be it. Their big dramatic scene takes place underneath the stage where Carrie White is about to be crowned homecoming queen:
Billy Nolen: “Keep the light straight!
Chris Hargenson: [blood drops onto the flashlight] Watch it, you stupid shit, you’re getting blood all over the place!
Billy Nolen: [starts laughing] Who are you calling a stupid shit? I mean you can’t even keep that fuckin’ light straight
Chris Hargenson: [whines] Just hurry up, I wanna go home!
Billy Nolen: [drawls] Yes, Ma’am! We’re doing the BEST we can, we sure are!
Billy Nolen: Just keep your tits on, and I’ll let you pull the rope!
Chris Hargenson: I intend to!
Billy Nolen: I know…”
What happens next cemented “Carrie” as one of the most shocking horror films ever.
Piper Laurie was Oscar-nominated as Carrie’s crazy, religious Mom…in a virtuoso performance that was central to the film’s success as well – and her scenes are equally shocking…sadly, she just died, and I watched this incredible performance as a tribute to her…
“Carrie” is a masterpiece, and brilliantly directed by a master filmmaker – check out all of the special editions DVD’s and Blu-rays that delve into much more great behind-the-scenes trivia about the making of the film…
If this makes you eager for more classic Stephen King, how about this?
Director Stanley Kubrick took Stephen King’s book and turned it into one of the greatest horror film of all time!
You can see a bunch of great trivia about the making of this masterpiece by clikcing on my story here:
I saw this film at the theater and enjoyed it – then saw the expanded version on HBO and LOVED IT!
That’s the way to check out this terrific shocker – see more here:
Here’s another great King adaptation – from the Director of “Halloween!”
Yep, a classic “killer car” film and it’s great!
Click here for the trailer and more!
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Let me know your favorite Stephen King books and films – and if you like the story, please share on social media!
Categories: 70's Cinema, Action Films, Art, Cult Movies, Film Fight Club, Great Films, Halloween, Horror films, Movies, Pop Culture, Revenge Movies, Talent/Celebrities
johnrieber 
Hi John, Carrie was an excellent book and film. I am reading The Green Mile and there is a scene that reminded me of the end of Carrie.
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I always like your backstories, John.
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Thank you for reading…there are a lot of people online sharing their favorite scary movies for Halloween season and I always enjoy a dive into movies – makes me want to watch them right away!
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Watching great movies again…I need to do more of that.
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Not a scary movie fan at all. Carrie was the last film in that genre that I ever watched. I still remember that hand coming out at the grave.
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I am not a fan of the stab and slash films that have taken over – no suspense, just gruesome death…no entertainment value in that at all for me. I will tell you at George C. Scott in “The Changeling” from 1980 and a terrific haunted house film that is genuinely suspenseful and a great story!
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A great parade of the fabulous films based on one of my favorite authors.
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His creative output is nothing short of amazing! Thanks for the note!
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My pleasure, John.
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‘Carrie’ was a great film adaptation of a very good book, and so superior to the ill-advised remake in 2013. Sad news about Piper Laurie indeed. She was excellent alongside Mel Gibson in the film, ‘Tim’. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0080024/
Best wishes, Pete.
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Thanks for sharing that Pete…yes, the “Carrie” remake is just one of countless example of unneeded remakes that do nothing but sully the reputation of their far superior original!
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Carrie was one of my scariest movies ever!
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It’s on my top five films of all time….scary of course, but the characters are so well scripted, acted and directed – you actually care about what is happening, as opposed to so many current horror film who deliver cardboard characters and shock scares that aren’t!
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One of my favs, too. Perfectly written, cast, and executed
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