Jesus watches from the wall
But his face is cold as stone
And if he loves me - as she tells me -
Why do I feel so alone?
1. Carrie
(Brian De Palma, 1976)
The Long and Short of It
Carrietta White (Sissy Spacek) struggles through school, constantly taunted by her classmates, unable to express herself due to a domineering mother (Piper Laurie). Even if she really did have telekinesis, who could she tell? Who would believe her?
Adaptation Decay
Honorable. The biggest switchup from page to screen is the loss of Carrie's terrific destruction of her entire town - in the movie, her reign of terror is mostly limited to the high school. I have no problem with that. The book constantly refers to papers, interviews, and anecdotes surrounding the Carrie White "incident" - the movie strips out those journalistic asides and focuses on Carrie. I have no problem with that. The book makes Carrie out to be a frumpy, homely sort that almost invites the insults thrown her way - the movie makes her somewhat attractive and plays up her pariah status as a side-effect of her mother's uber-Christian upbringing. I have no problem with that. A few of these changes are deeper than cosmetic alteration, but none of them dilute the vivid core of the story: a powerful outcast whose revenge is as inevitable as the torment she suffers.
Forget All That - How's the Movie?
One of the most horrifying moments in all of cinema is right before the bucket falls. When we see Carrie reduced to tears, realizing that all it could take to stop the pain of living her life is a single helping hand. When we see Sue (Amy Irving) watch in mounting horror, realizing that all it could take to ruin Carrie forever is a firm grip on a rope. At that moment, both of them lack knowledge the viewer has. Carrie doesn't know about the bucket, but we do. Sue doesn't know about the power. We do. The approaching death and destruction horrifies, shot with a flamboyant sense of technique by De Palma that matches the barely-contained energy of King's lightning-in-a-bottle debut. The kaleidoscope of mocking faces, the split-screens that allow us to witness Carrie's revenge without ever leaving her face. This is all superb, terrifying stuff. But what sinks my stomach and leaves me emotional is right before the bucket falls. When, for a brief moment in time, Carrietta White had a chance. Great horror is great tragedy. Carrie is one of the greats.
Alright, but Is It a Good Halloween Flick?
Oh yeah. Oh hell yeah. Carrie's also become a big hit during high school dance seasons.
Kingwatch 2012
Nothing this time. King's first novel, King's first feature, none of the connections that would eventually suggest an entire universe of characters. Sticklers will note that De Palma gives Carrie's school the name "Bates High," and he uses Herrmann-esque strings to emphasize Carrie's power, similar to what Cronenberg used for Johnny Smith's visions.
But You Know What Sucks?
1. Children of the Corn (TV)
(Donald P. Borchers, 2009)
Oh Lord. This unrated version of a Syfy TV movie is awful in profound ways. Awful in its style, given to speed-zooms. Awful in its acting, with nine-year-old Preston Bailey mumbling awkward line readings under a ridiculous hat. Awkward in its story, which includes some Vietnam flashbacks, because why not? All this is awful, but the film gets the lowest spot for a wildly misconceived sequence in which the children gather to watch two eighteen-year-olds have sex. As the bodies slap against each other, the kids shake corncobs up and down (think about it) and shout encouragement, and it all feels disgusting. I believe that horror shouldn't limit itself, but I also believe that it's best to find reasons to break taboo and go far. Movies like The Toxic Avenger and Dead/Alive find a way to go so far they loop back into triumphant comedy. Movies like Audition and Martyrs mitigate their excesses with sharp craft and meaningful context. It's possible that the scene in question could work in a different kind of film. But it does not work here. Children of the Corn does absolutely nothing to earn its exploitation, and I find that reprehensible.
No comments:
Post a Comment