Carrie (1976)

Director:

Brian De Palma

Writers:

Lawrence D. Cohen (writer)
Stephen King (novel)

Release Date:

3 November 1976 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Horror | Thriller

Tagline:

You were warned never to push Carrie to the limits. Now you must face the evil consequences.

Plot:

A mousy and abused girl with telekinetic powers gets pushed too far on one special night.

Plot Keywords:

Prom | Teacher | Student | Shower | Outsider

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 3 wins & 4 nominations

Cast

Sissy Spacek	...	Carrie White
Piper Laurie	...	Margaret White
Amy Irving	...	Sue Snell
William Katt	...	Tommy Ross
Betty Buckley	...	Miss Collins
Nancy Allen	...	Chris Hargensen
John Travolta	...	Billy Nolan
P.J. Soles	...	Norma Watson
Priscilla Pointer	...	Mrs. Eleanor Snell
Sydney Lassick	...	Mr. Fromm
Stefan Gierasch	...	Mr. Henry Morton
Michael Talbott	...	Freddy DeLois
Doug Cox	...	The Beak
Harry Gold	...	George Dawson
Noelle North	...	Freida Jason
Cindy Daly	...	Cora Wilson
Deirdre Berthrong	...	Rhonda Wilson
Anson Downes	...	Ernest Peterson
Rory Stevens	...	Kenny
Edie McClurg	...	Helen Shyres
Cameron De Palma	...	Bobby Erbeter - boy on the bicycle
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Terry Bolo	...	Bad Girl (uncredited)
Michael Towers	...	Vance or Towers (prom band) (uncredited)
Glen Vance	...	Vance or Towers (prom band) (uncredited)

Directed by
Brian De Palma

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Lawrence D. Cohen		writer
Stephen King		novel

Produced by
Brian De Palma	....	producer
Paul Monash	....	producer
Louis A. Stroller	....	associate producer

Original Music by
Pino Donaggio

Cinematography by
Mario Tosi

Film Editing by
Paul Hirsch

Casting by
Harriet B. Helberg

Art Direction by
Jack Fisk
Bill Kenney		(as William Kenney)

Set Decoration by
Robert Gould

Costume Design by
Rosanna Norton

Makeup Department
Wes Dawn	....	makeup artist (as Wesley Dawn)
Adele Taylor	....	hair stylist
Ron Snyder	....	makeup artist (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Donald Heitzer	....	first assistant director
Bill Scott	....	second assistant director (as William Scott)
Dick Ziker	....	second unit director (as Richard Ziker)

Art Department
Gary Seybert	....	property master
Michael Casey	....	leadman (uncredited)

Sound Department
Lois Freeman	....	assistant sound editor
Bert Hallberg	....	sound mixer (as Bertil Hallberg)
David Rust	....	boom operator
Dan Sable	....	sound editor
Dick Vorisek	....	sound re-recording supervisor

Special Effects by
Greg Auer	....	special effects (as Gregory M. Auer)
Ken Pepiot	....	special effects (as Kenneth Pepiot)

Stunts
Dick Ziker	....	stunt coordinator (as Richard Ziker)
Janet Brady	....	stunts (uncredited)
Glory Fioramonti	....	stunts (uncredited)
Mags Kavanaugh	....	stunt double (uncredited)
Mary Peters	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Dustin Blauvelt	....	first assistant camera (as Dusty Blauvelt)
Joseph Cosko Jr.	....	second assistant camera (as Joseph Cosko)
Jim Dyer	....	best boy grip (as James Dyer)
Gene Griffith	....	key grip (as Eugene Griffith)
Joel King	....	camera operator
Ken Miller	....	dolly grip (as Kenneth Miller)
Joe Pender	....	gaffer
Jerome L. Posner	....	best boy (as Jerome Posner)
Dave Friedman	....	still photographer (uncredited)
Wynn Hammer	....	still photographer (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Agnes Lyon	....	costumer

Editorial Department
Maria Iano	....	apprentice editor
Michael Kirchberger	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Michael Arciaga	....	music supervisor
Natale Massara	....	conductor

Transportation Department
Gary Littlefield	....	transportation

Other crew
Wendy Bartel	....	secretary to Mr. DePalma
James L. Carter	....	production assistant
Angelo Corallis	....	craft service
Dow Griffith	....	location manager
Patricia Heade	....	production secretary
Hannah Scheel	....	script supervisor
Robert Sinclair	....	auditor

Production Companies

• Redbank Films

Distributors

• United Artists (1976) (USA) (theatrical)
• UA (1977) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1978) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• CBS / Fox Video (1984) (USA) (VHS)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (1984) (USA) (VHS)
• United Pictures Finland (1991) (Finland) (theatrical)
• SF Film (2002) (Denmark) (DVD)
• Cinema Mondo (2005) (Finland) (theatrical)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2007) (USA) (DVD)
• Chapel Distribution (1997) (Australia) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (Brazil) (DVD)
• Carlotta Films (France) (re-release)
• Criterion Collection, The (laserdisc)
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (video)
• Paramount Home Video (video)
• Warner Home Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)

Other Companies

• Get Set  set decorating

Also Known As:

Carrie (Argentina) (Peru) [es]
Carrie (Canada: French title) (France) [fr]
Carrie (Denmark) [da]
Carrie (Poland) [pl]
Carrie (Finland) [fi]
Carrie - Des Satans jüngste Tochter (West Germany) [de]
Carrie au bal du diable (France) [fr]
Carrie, a Estranha (Brazil) [pt]
Carrie, lo sguardo di Satana (Italy) [it]
Carrie: Extraño presentimiento (Mexico) [es]
Ekrixis orgis (Greece) [el]
Günah tohumu (Turkey: Turkish title) [tr]
Keri (Serbia) [sr]
Kiusaajat (Finland) [fi]

Runtime:

98 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Canada:R (Nova Scotia/Ontario) | West Germany:16 (re-rating) | West Germany:18 (original rating) | Portugal:M/16 | Finland:(Banned) (cut) (1978) | Finland:(Banned) (uncut) (1977) | Finland:K-16 (uncut) (1993) | Finland:K-18 (uncut) (1991) | Brazil:16 | South Korea:18 | Argentina:16 (re-rating) (2000) | Argentina:X (original rating) | Argentina:18 (re-rating) (1983) | Spain:18 | New Zealand:R16 | Australia:R | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:18A (Alberta) (2000) | Canada:PA (Manitoba) | Chile:18 | France:-16 | Iceland:16 | Netherlands:16 | Norway:15 (2000) | Norway:18 | Peru:18 | Singapore:M18 | Sweden:15 | UK:18 | USA:R (certificate #24688) | Ireland:18 | UK:X (original rating)

Filming Locations:

Culver City Studios - 9336 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, California, USA

Company:

Redbank Films

Trivia:

Linda Blair auditioned for the role of Carrie but turned it down fearing being typecast. Jill Clayburgh also auditioned for the title role, but was passed over. Farrah Fawcett also auditioned for the part, but dropped out due to scheduling conflicts from "Charlie's Angels" (1976).

Goofs:

Continuity: Norma has her hair styled at the salon in preparation for the prom. Immediately afterwards, she is back at the gym setting things up, with her hair in braids and wearing her baseball cap.

Quotes:

Margaret White: [Referring to Carrie's prom gown] Red. I might have known it would be red.
Carrie: It's pink, Mama.
[Presenting corsage]
Carrie: Look what Tommy gave me, Mama. Aren't they beautiful?
Margaret White: I can see your dirty pillows. Everyone will.
Carrie: Breasts, Mama. They're called breasts, and every woman has them.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Bubba Ho-tep (2002)

Soundtrack:

I Never Dreamed Someone Like You Could Love Someone Like Me

Anyone who expected just another horror movie is obviously dissapointed!

I just came back from a special showing of Carrie in the student's cinema of my university and I must say one thing: THANK YOU to the director, for this is one of the best, most moving films I've ever seen. I honestly don't understand the "it's not scary" mentality!

Now, whether you want to call this horror film or thriller or whatever else is up to you, but I think Carrie's scope cannot reaches beyond just one genre! It is a thriller, but at the same time a very humane movie. You can feel the girl hurting, you hate her mother, you dislike her friends! This movie wasn't made for cheap scares: every scene is brilliantly captured. The scary parts may be rare but when they are there you just can't move from your seat!

The acting is also excellent, Sissy Spacek of course deserving most of the credit, but that is not to say that the other actors aren't great too.

Concerning the script, all the credit goes of course to Stephen King. When you see this movie you can really tell the difference between an artist like him an some cheap Hollywood writer (Scream?). There is so much more to the story than: -Booooo! -Aaaaaa!

So, if you want to see a "scary movie", go see Scream or some other shallow horror film. However if you are looking for a terrifying but also moving film, Carrie is just right for you. And please, if you must put this work of art into one genre, its better if you put it in social drama rather than horror film. Of course it's not scary! It's MUCH more than just that.