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While considering their roles in Carrie (1976), Sissy Spacek and John Travolta probably never imagined they would long be remembered for their part in one of the most acclaimed horror movies. Based on the novel by horror-master Stephen King, and directed by Brian De Palma, the movie about an outsider at her high school earned two Academy Award nominations -- Sissy Spacek, Best Actress in a Leading Role and Piper Laurie, Best Actress in a Supporting Role.
High-schooler Carrie White discovers she's not the average student. Her friends are few, and her religious upbringing by a man-hating, extreme fundamentalist mother has warped Carrie beyond fixing. Unlike some girls who would cower and hide at the awareness that she' s a freak, Carrie learns to live with and at times GET EVEN with those who scorn her. And her telekinesis - the ability to move and break objects with her thoughts - comes in quite handy when the odds are stacked against her.
 Her rage goes far beyond fellow schoolmates. Carrie has her own way to deal with authority, as well. When one of the girls that makes fun of her
Sissey Spacek & William Katt
pretends to feel bad about what she did; she asks her boyfriend (John Travolta) to help her plot a trick and get another boy (William Katt) to ask Carrie to the prom. This might have put a lid on the boiling pot until another girl steps in. Soon the gig is up, and more evil unfolds. Everyone pays the price for this at the prom, including the teachers.
Things might have been different for Carrie, like maybe learning to harness her powers for good, if things were different at home. But even there she faced constant abuse and  disapproval from her mother (Piper Laurie). At one point her mom makes her go into a closet with a dreadful statue of St. Sebastian to pray for forgiveness. The experience only empowers Carrie to do more.
Today high school bullies are a daily news item. In 1976 the idea for the movie was fresh, perhaps a bit frightening, and as many horror fans find some of their favorite fright fests - funny. Thanks to King's early brilliance that has carried him into horror fame and riches, Carrie has stood the test of time. The horror-slasher ending delighted horror fans.
Parents should realize there are serious subjects addressed in the film - Carrie's beginning menstrual flow, and how her victims are electrocuted or burned.
Amy Irving & Sissey Spacek
Not matter how you feel about the film, no one can deny that Spacek, 26 at the time, was amazingly real in the role of Carrie. She's certainly responsible for viewers feeling a tad sympathetic for this girl. Even though she lives and breathes evil, things might have been different had she had a different mom, and kids had not bullied her.
Interestingly, at the time Carrie was released, King shied away from the horror idea, instead saying the book was more about the power of women finding their own outlets and men's fear of women's sexuality. I doubt less than three percent of the teens who saw this movie in the 70s' ever had those thoughts. Regardless, due to King's iconic story, Lawrence D Cohen's exceptional screenplay and De Palma's superb direction - the book and the movie became a classic.
For anyone interested in the horror genre it's a great DVD to watch, and for movie fans who have never seen Carrie, you must give it a look. The DVD has some great bonus features.
Special Features
- Acting Carrie - a documentary with Sissy Spacek, Amy Irving, Betty Buckley and more
- Visualizing Carrie - a documentary with Brian De Palma and others
- Carrie the Musical - a featurette
- Stephen King and the Evolution of Carrie - biography
- Original Theatrical Trailer
Director: Brian De Palma
Writer: Lawrence D Cohen - screenplay
Cast: Sissy Spacek, Piper Laurie, Amy Irving, Nancy Allen, John Travolta, William Katt, Betty Buckley
Rating: R for nudity, some language, and blood
Classic Movie Guide Rating: 4 out of 5
DVD Release Date: 8/28/2001
Run Time: 98 minutes
Studio: MGM Home Entertainment
Format: Color - widescreen version
Photo credits: MGM Home Entertainment
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