Similar offers
Postage & Packaging: £0.00
Postage & Packaging: £0.00
Postage & Packaging: £0.00
Quote-start

CARRIE

Quote-end

5 Jan 28th, 2001 

17 Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful

Advantages:
You will not want to take your eyes off the screen all the way through this film .

Disadvantages:
n/a

Recommendable Yes:

Detailed rating:

Did you enjoy it?

Story

Characters / Performances

Special Effects

How does it compare to similar films?

cherryfalls

cherryfalls

About me:

Hello, I am 31, Married to Niall Webster and we have one son called Matthew who is six. We also hav...

Member since:10.12.2000

Reviews:69

Members who trust:29

This is the film adaptation of the Stephen King novel of the same name. Carrie White (excellently portrayed by Sissy Spacek) is a shy and unassuming schoolgirl who is the brunt of her classmate’s jokes. This is mainly the fault of her overbearingly religious mother Margaret White (Piper Laurie) who preaches the gospel to everyone and everything, including her own daughter.

The film begins as Carrie is showering after her gym lesson and she suddenly begins to bleed. Carrie has been taught nothing about puberty by her mother so has no idea that this is her first period and is a completely normal part of growing up. She automatically thinks that she is bleeding to death and begins to scream. The other girls in the changing room cannot believe her reaction to this and they take it as an opportunity to taunt her further by throwing sanitary towels at her while she cowers in the corner. The ringleaders of this are Chris Hargensen (Nancy Allen) and Sue Snell (Amy Irving).

Their taunts are brought to a halt by their gym teacher, Miss Collins (Betty Buckley), and Carrie is helped away to get dressed. Miss Collins is also amazed that Carrie knew nothing about puberty but is sympathetic and takes her to the Principal in order for her to be allowed home. It is during this meeting that we are given the first clue that all is not well.

Once Carrie arrives to her house she immediately wants to know why her mother did not tell her anything about the changes that occur during teenage years. Margaret White believes that girls who begin to menstruate have given in to the sins of the flesh, which in turn causes the blood to come. She punishes Carrie by locking her in a room so she can think about what she has done. However, the beginning of menstruation is not the only change in Carrie and as a result, dormant telekinetic powers are awakened in her.

In the meantime, Miss Collins punishes the other girls by giving them detention after school. Chris Hargenson is a reluctant attendee of this and refuses to take part in any of the activities given. As a result of this insolence her tickets to the prom are taken away. She is really unhappy about this and blames Carrie for her misfortune. Chris decides to take revenge on Carrie for this so enlists her eager boyfriend, Billy Nolan (John Travolta) to help her in this quest. Sue, on the other hand, regrets her actions and is determined to make amends. She does this by forgoing her own ticket and persuades her boyfriend, popular football player Tommy Ross (William Katt), to ask Carrie to the prom.

He does so but at first Carrie thinks that it is another practical joke. She is advised otherwise and reluctantly accepts his invitation. Carrie even allows herself to become somewhat excited at the prospect of attending and makes her own dress for the occasion. She is also becoming used to her new-found powers and is beginning to stand up more to her mother, in particular when she lets her know that she is going to the prom. News soon travels about whom Tommy is going to the prom with and Chris’s evil plan is hatched.

Prior to the dance Billy and his friends carefully plant buckets full of pigs blood in the rafters of the school gym above marked points. On the evening of the dance the votes for prom king and queen are sabotaged by Chris in order to ensure that Tommy and Carrie are voted into these roles. Up to the point where the results of the vote are announced Tommy finds that he is really beginning to like Carrie despite being reluctant to attend with her originally and they enjoy a romantic dance together. It is from the point where the King and Queen are announced that events take a dramatic turn as Chris’s plan unfolds.

The buckets are released and soon the screen is covered in crimson. Sue is at the prom but is hiding under the stage to make sure Carrie has a good time without being seen. She realised at the last minute what was going to happen but was powerless to stop it. Carrie’s powers are sent into overdrive and as she walks out of the gym a trail of carnage is left in her wake. Many students and teachers are killed, including Miss Collins, Chris and Billy. Carrie arrives back at her home as if nothing has happened until her mother appears and aggravates the situation further. Carrie’s powers now seem to spiral out of her control resulting in the death of her mother and Carrie herself as the house collapses to the ground.

This has to be one of the best movie adaptations of a Stephen King novel ever made but even the detail I have gone into here comes nowhere near close to the true horror/brilliance of this film. It is a must for any Stephen King fan and I also strongly recommend it to those who are not familiar with his work because you will be pleasantly surprised. I also recommend that anyone should read the novel as it goes into much greater depth about the characters involved and the events that occur as Carrie leaves the school gym. All of these factors lead to a greater understanding of why and how things happen especially if you watch the film first and are left confused by certain parts of it.
 

How helpful would this review be to a person making a buying decision? Rating guidelines

exceptional

very helpful

helpful

somewhat helpful

not helpful

off topic

Products you might be interested in »

Underworld (DVD)

Underworld (DVD)

(+) Brilliant scenery, Great action, good characters
(-) Could have more SP/FX

User reviews (31)

Buy now for only £ 0.99

Saw Trilogy (Box Set) (DVD)

Saw Trilogy (Box Set) (DVD)

(+) Great price, 3 great movies, Gore fans will love it!
(-) None- I loved it.

User reviews (6)

Buy now for only £ 14.99

Bram Stoker's Dracula (DVD)

Bram Stoker's Dracula (DVD)

(+) Brilliant performance by Gary Oldman
(-) Terrible performance by Keanu Reeves

User reviews (20)

Buy now for only £ 0.01

Scary Movie (DVD)

Scary Movie (DVD)

Production Year: 2000 - Horror - Director: Keenen Ivory Wayans - Original Language: English - Classification: 18 years and over - Starring: Carmen Electra, Anna Faris, Kurt Fuller, James Van Der Beek, Keenen Ivory Wayans

User reviews (173)

Buy now for only £ 3.02

Supernatural - Series 1 - Vol.1 (Box Set) (DVD)

Supernatural - Series 1 - Vol.1 (Box Set) (DVD)

(+) Humour, suspense, good acting, attractive characters.
(-) Long plot, special effects aren't great.

User reviews (12)

Buy now for only £ 1.99

Final Destination (DVD)

Final Destination (DVD)

(+) Memorable deaths, good performances and special effects
(-) Some dodgy dialogue, a few inconsistencies

User reviews (205)

Buy now for only £ 1.24

Comments about this review »

Harryslarry 26.10.2003 19:08

one of my fave horror films!

Pacyesangel 06.02.2001 10:20

I think your opinion is very well written but you may be giving the story away just a little bit. Keep writing . luv Shant

flashpointz 02.02.2001 01:18

very good review - i hope the standard stays this high and if it does you'll go far. Well done (blimey I sound like a teacher marking a report - Oh No with mine it was more like - "Unsatisfatory, must try harder")

Related offers for Carrie (DVD) »

Amazon UK 722 Ratings

Amazon UK

Find "Carrie (DVD)" New and Used on Amazon. Free UK Delivery on orders over £25.

 Visit Shop  >
Amazon UK


More reviews »

Carrie (DVD) - review by stoffy

Advantages: great acting by Sissy Spacek
Disadvantages: looks a little bit dated now

Carrie (DVD) - review by stoffy stoffy 06.09.2001 · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of Carrie (DVD)

Carrie (DVD) - review by wampyrii

Advantages: see review
Disadvantages: see review

Carrie (DVD) - review by wampyrii wampyrii 05.10.2001 · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of Carrie (DVD)

Carrie (DVD) - review by veryhairymonkey

Advantages: brilliant acting and directing
Disadvantages: nope

Carrie (DVD) - review by veryhairymonkey veryhairymonkey 07.02.2001 · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of Carrie (DVD)

Carrie (DVD) - review by mark_carpenter

Advantages: It will scare you witless!
Disadvantages: ...it will scare you witless!

Carrie (DVD) - review by mark_carpenter mark_carpenter 15.07.2000 · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful
Review of Carrie (DVD)

Carrie (DVD) - review by mookielidl

Advantages: see txet
Disadvantages: see text

Carrie (DVD) - review by mookielidl mookielidl 16.02.2001 · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful
Review of Carrie (DVD)



Are you the manufacturer / provider of Carrie (DVD)? Click here