Carrie

This is not the first time I have read Carrie, having had a Stephen King phase in my late teens, and apart from the cultural references, his first novel from 1974 hasn't really dated. Comparing it with some of the author's later bloated books of doorstop proportions, Carrie is a first-rate paranormal thriller which takes little time to get to the set up (its on page one that she is telekenetic) and telling us that something terrible is going to happen.

It's that foretelling, dotted throughout the story, given to us through published reports, the media and interviews with survivors that helps to increase the tension and makes it inevitable that we expect Carrie's harsh upbringing by a crazy religious zealot of a mother and teasing by school A-listers to have harsh consequences.

Following Carrie's humiliation in front of everyone on Prom Night, however, the scale of destruction visited on the town of Chamberlain is devastating.




 Official movie site

I vaguely remember the original 1976 film version with Sissy Spacek, who is all gangly, greasy hair and likely to be picked on at school. Chloe Grace Moretz is attractive from the start, which makes it more implausible that girls would bully her. It's her weird upbringing by her mother that is more the cause now and Julianne Moore does a good line in crazy - her self harming whilst serving customers at the dress shop was difficult to watch.
The prom night becomes more spiteful in its payback, as Carrie picks out particular people to punish - holding them down on the ground to be trampled on etc. Carrie's jerky movements and neck twists are unnatural, highlighting the energy and possession that has taken hold of her.
As mentioned when reading the book, the story works just as well now, so setting it in the present day is not a problem - the addition of camera phones and posting humiliation on YouTube are what would happen nowadays with cyberbullying.
The full scale destruction of the town does not happen, but perhaps that part is a bit of overkill and unneccesary, as Carrie shows remorse for what she has done.
Those expecting a shock ending like the original film are provided for, but its not as grabbing! 


If you enjoyed this, Firestarter by Stephen King has similarities.