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Horror, Shame & Power – My First Time Watching Carrie (1976)
I always wanted to watch Carrie, but I postponed it because it’s a horror. Then one day, I woke up early in the morning and, out of the blue, chose Carrie. From the first frame, it was engaging.
I have seen many films in this genre, like bully horror. Usually, it happens to men or boys. A kid looks innocent. Everybody beats him up. This is the first time I saw a film that captures, maybe exaggeratedly, women being as cruel as men (bullies).
The film starts with Carrie getting bullied in the locker room. She gets her first period and is scared of the blood. The strangeness starts there — it’s natural, yet everybody mocks her. Carrie doesn’t know how to handle it. It was a very effective scene.
Without the opening scene, the film would not exist. The opening creates all the obstacles and holds the story. You learn about other characters in the town and the mean girls.
I was confused why the other kids picked on Carrie, then the writer introduced Carrie’s mother. Carrie’s mother is a horny, God-loving, divorced mother, still youthful, living in denial because she cannot deal with her grief about her marriage and sexuality. She goes around the town bothering others in the name of God. Carrie is a direct victim. She’s frustrated and desperate.
When the writer introduces the mom, the story takes a different turn. Carrie’s life gets weirder. The mother withholds Carrie’s freedom passively and sometimes directly, throwing her delusions like sins. Carrie having a period is a sin. Sex is a sin. Sexuality is a sin.
The writing, characterization, and performance were very good and impactful. The battle between the mother and Carrie, a virgin exploring her sexuality, is claustrophobic and effective.
You can use Carrie as a metaphor for anything — social issues or individual life. It has an arc. There’s a supernatural element from the opening scene, but I won’t spoil it. Carrie is a horror and thriller, but not typical. It’s strange, almost artful. Very entertaining.
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By RajaneeshwarI always wanted to watch Carrie, but I postponed it because it’s a horror. Then one day, I woke up early in the morning and, out of the blue, chose Carrie. From the first frame, it was engaging.
I have seen many films in this genre, like bully horror. Usually, it happens to men or boys. A kid looks innocent. Everybody beats him up. This is the first time I saw a film that captures, maybe exaggeratedly, women being as cruel as men (bullies).
The film starts with Carrie getting bullied in the locker room. She gets her first period and is scared of the blood. The strangeness starts there — it’s natural, yet everybody mocks her. Carrie doesn’t know how to handle it. It was a very effective scene.
Without the opening scene, the film would not exist. The opening creates all the obstacles and holds the story. You learn about other characters in the town and the mean girls.
I was confused why the other kids picked on Carrie, then the writer introduced Carrie’s mother. Carrie’s mother is a horny, God-loving, divorced mother, still youthful, living in denial because she cannot deal with her grief about her marriage and sexuality. She goes around the town bothering others in the name of God. Carrie is a direct victim. She’s frustrated and desperate.
When the writer introduces the mom, the story takes a different turn. Carrie’s life gets weirder. The mother withholds Carrie’s freedom passively and sometimes directly, throwing her delusions like sins. Carrie having a period is a sin. Sex is a sin. Sexuality is a sin.
The writing, characterization, and performance were very good and impactful. The battle between the mother and Carrie, a virgin exploring her sexuality, is claustrophobic and effective.
You can use Carrie as a metaphor for anything — social issues or individual life. It has an arc. There’s a supernatural element from the opening scene, but I won’t spoil it. Carrie is a horror and thriller, but not typical. It’s strange, almost artful. Very entertaining.
Get full access to Rajaneeshwar+ at rajaneeshwar.substack.com/subscribe