Title: Carrie
Year: 1978
Director: Brian De Palma
Country: US
Language: English
Based on the first published novel of acclaimed writer Stephen King, Carrie would seem to be a challenging film to adapt onscreen for a director of lesser talent. Too much or too little of one element could make the picture tasteless, misogynistic or exploitative. Thankfully Brian De Palma is immensely talented; he takes Kings' heavy text and creates a meaningful feministic drama.
Carrie White (Sissy Spacek), a shy, friendless teenage girl who is sheltered by her domineering, religious mother, unleashes her telekinetic powers after being humiliated by her classmates at her senior prom.
Carrie is a story wherein the most horrific elements come from society itself. Our cruelty towards women speaks volumes & inevitably comes back to bite us. De Palma manages to use his camera to create stunning visual thematic elements that highlight our contempt for women. The picture is a punishing experience as we are faced with the worst of our misogynistic tendencies, but incredibly necessary.
Carrie is a remarkable socio-political picture that ought to be elevated above the rest of the horror genre. Beloved film critic Pauline Kael once wrote, “No one else has ever caught the thrill that teenagers get from a dirty joke and sustained it for a whole picture.” It is quite fascinating that Carrie is written to be a sympathetic figure and yet, as the climax happens, we are not happy by the comeuppance. We feel bad for being bystanders of this cruelty.
The film represents the frustration women as a collective unit have over their many battles against a tyrannical patriarchal system that often leaves them behind. Our fear of women create this monster; we can only expect tragedy if we continue down a patriarchal road.
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