Time For A Halloween Horror Classic!
I am finishing up “Shocktober” 2019 on a cinematic high note, with the second greatest horror film ever made.
More than a great horror film, “Carrie” is a beautifully made movie, which began as a Stephen King novel – his first novel in fact!
Classic “Carrie!”
In 1976, Director Brian DePalma took a very young cast – including Sissy Spacek, John Travolta and Nancy Allen – and made a classic film that stands the test of time, and is Oscar-nominated Star Sissy Spacek’s only true horror film!
1976’s “Carrie” is more than a great horror film – it’s classic cinema from a master filmmaker – let’s look first at the trailer for “Carrie”:
“Carrie” is a master class in filmmaking. I mean, how can you top this opening credits sequence, when Carrie takes a shower after gym class and has her first period – but doesn’t know what is happening, because her Mother never told her…
After her class mates taunt her about her horrified reaction, the story follows a dual path: both “good” and “bad” girls at school have plans for Carrie.
At the same time, Carries discovers that she is “gifted”, and as events unfold, you realize that you really don’t want to get her angry.
Travolta’s Smarmy Supporting Role!
John Travolta broke out big in a small role as Billy Nolen, a punk who just wants to make his girlfriend, Chris Hargenson, happy. Chris is played by DePalma favorite Nancy Allen. 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…”
Nancy Allen plays Chris, and she appears nude in the film’s shower scenes, a very erotic underpinning to the film…she worked later with DePalma on “Dressed To Kill” and “Blow Out”, and was married to the Director as well!
Piper Laurie was Oscar-noiminated as Carrie’s crazy, religious Mom…in a virtuoso performance that was central to the film’s success…
“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…Sissy Spacek made this film just 4 years after her big screen debut:
Sissy Spacek had a very revealing debut in the “B” movie crime classic “Prime Cut” – click here to see the film’s trailer:
All month long, I’ve focused on “Cult Horror Queens” from the 60’s until modern day – and it all began on day one with a chainsaw:
“Shocktober 2019” started with 80’s Scream Queen Linnea Quigley – click here to see the films that made her a star:
If you like these stories, you can go to my website’s front page and see ALL 31 that I posted in October…like this one:
Yes, they were real-life twins, Playboy Playmates, and the stars of “Twins Of Evil” – so of course they were day #13…see the story here:
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And check out ALL 31 days of Shocktober – there are so many great Horror Movie Queens!
Categories: 70's Films, Artsploitation, Books / Media, Classic Horror, Cult Classics, Grindhouse, Horror films, JRsploitation, Nudity, sex kittens, Talent / Celebrites
Carrie is a classic indeed, and a great adaptation of the novel too.
But the recent remake is best avoided. Just awful.
Best wishes, Pete.
Pete, Ic ant think of a “remake”I’ve watched..while one or two might be worthy, for the most part, especially in the horror genre, they are dreck!