Carrie (1976)

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  TheMovieDiorama

  8 / 10

  Carrie hosts possibly the most memorable prom scene in Hollywood's history. If you haven't seen it, then you've atleast heard of it. The moment a timid innocent girl is titled prom queen before she causes catastrophic chaos nearly wiping out her entire year group. Best. Prom. Ever. Glitzy sequin dresses aside, there are subtle subtextual layers that really elevates this supernatural horror into classic status. A shy bullied girl named Carrie White is invited to prom, however she soon discovers that she has the power of telekinesis. The coming-of-age tropes outweigh the horror elements, granted there are scenes of gore and supernatural violence but these are incredibly dated now. It's how Carrie evolves as a young girl that truly captivates. Her first period, dealing with her fanatical religious mother and overcoming bullying, for its 98 minute runtime you see Carrie rapidly evolve as a character. The religious allegories that are presented, Carrie and her mother depicting Satan and Jesus respectively, works well the themes of maturity and motherhood. It's a spellbinding human portrait, expertly directed by De Palma. That prom scene was nothing short of genius. The five minute rotational dance sequence, the over excessive slow motion, cross cuts and excellent use of props. The whole narrative built up to that final act, and it did so with bravura. Spacek gave an expressive performance, intelligently using her eyes to capture the fury and anger within Carrie. But it's Laurie who steals the show, professing her adoration for God and repenting her sins by abusing Carrie. Their final scene together was poetic. Cohen's screenplay surprisingly embeds tongue-in-cheek humour, particularly with the character of Miss Collins, making the first act feel more like a teen high school film. The sudden shift in tone later on felt seamless. De Palma did use some detractors, his utilisation of slow motion stretched out the prom scene substantially yet adding nothing. Also further exploration into the motherly bond with Carrie would've made for a more sinister turn at the end. However this still remains a supernatural classic.

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