Last Updated on August 3, 2021
We had a near unanimous agreement with the result of our last Fright Night Original Vs. Remake. The 1985 classic definitely set the bar damn high, but the remake was thankfully, not a piece of shit. That was the general consensus.
For today’s O vs. R, we are sticking with the whole “school starts in September” motif and covering a horror flick that truly tells the terrors of attending school. So, hone your mind powers, lock your mother in a closet and stock up on tampons because the red is about to spill as we head to the prom with CARRIE!
Story
Carrie White, a quiet high school girl sheltered by her religious zealot mother, is constantly picked on and taunted by all the popular kids. After discovering that she now possesses telekinetic powers, Carrie feels that things may begin to get better. Then she gets asked to the prom by one of the school’s most popular boys. However, when an evil prank is pulled, all will feel the wrath of Carrie’s built-up rage.
The remake does not deviate a single bit from the original. Not the best sign when looking freshen up something old. Carrie is unpopular, her mother is a religious nut, the popular kids are assholes. Carrie discovers her telekinesis and gets asked to the prom. Then the prank happens and all hell breaks loose.
Acting
Young Sissy Spacek absolutely owned this film (and garnered an Oscar nod). She conveys mousy loneliness with utter ease and truly frightens once she breaks out the crazy eyes. Piper Laurie is also eerily engaging as her cross-bearing mother (and also was Oscar nominated). The supporting cast from Amy Irving to Nancy Allen are all in top form.
Chloe Grace Moretz really is doing all she can to showcase herself as a deep, emotional young actress. I don’t think she needs to try so hard because she is indeed a natural. It just feels like she’s being showed down our throats a lot lately in mediocre films. At least Julianne Moore still brings her usual brilliance. The same can’t really be said for the rest of the cast.
Special Effects
Again, we are brought back to the glory days of gore FX when the term CGI was nonexistent. The blood on display here is red and real. You actualy believe in Carrie’s telekinesis from how real the actions of her mind are shown on screen. And the stabbing death of her mother packs one hell of a wrenching punch.
I don’t know if today’s horror movie makers will ever understand the negative effect you get with CGI blood. They should all watch the Carrie remake as a perfect example of how it’s all wrong. To make matters worse, most of the movie is just a rush to get to the grand, supposedly gory finale at the prom. However, with too much CGI feel, the damn thing don’t look real!
Intensity
Oh man, whenever Carrie widens her eyes and that music shrieks, it is completely unnerving. You’re fully aware of the power she has by the time that pigs blood spills. As she’s standing there, soaked in embarrassment, you’re just waiting for the terror to unfold. And once her vengeance is harshly handed down to her classmates and mother, the results are absolutely terrifying.
The only intense aspect of this remake is at the very beginning when Julianne Moore is giving birth to Carrie in her own bed and contemplates killing her. It is due entirely to Moore’s too-good-for-this-movie performance and does make one wince. That’s it.
Hot Chicks
This film’s opening scene is just flat-out amazing. A full-on peek inside the high school girls locker room as they are showering up after gym class. The nudity is just fabulous. Sissy Spacek is a very cute strawberry blonde. Nancy Allen is a sexy, blonde goddess. It’s even got the super hot PJ Soles in it. It’s late 70’s hottie overload!
Chloe Grace Moretz is definitely growing into a pretty woman, but by my standards, she’s not there yet. She’s still just a teenager. Gabriella Wilde isn’t anything too memorable as the new Sue Snell. The same can be said for the rest of the popular girls. Sure, Julianne Moore is still a babe, but her role isn’t hot at all. We are just left with the always sexy Judy Greer.
Directing
This was vintage Brian De Palma in his prime here. The man knows suspense and how to make the insane onscreen happenings come off as stark and real. The fast cuts, the unflinching eye, and that wonderful use of split screen sum up an outstanding movie-watching experience.
Kimberly Pierce is a pretty competent film maker, which is why I thought she was a nice choice for this remake. The only reasoning I can think of as to why it fell so flat is studio interference. “Just get to the prom scene quick. That’s all everybody wants.” Well, not if you’re going to sacrifice character development. Sorry.
Carrie (1976)
And here we have our first full-on shut out. It had to happen sooner or later. I was pretty positive the original Carrie was unbeatable, but the pitiful remake couldn’t even squeak out a win in a single category. Ah, I can just hear the comments now about how this is so damn obvious and a waste of time. To that I say Easy there! The remake may have clearly sucked, but now we have official, documented proof that has been recorded in the annals of internet history on the subject. You may now go forth and have fun with your comments below. And if you have any flicks you’d like to see in this column, give me a shout at [email protected].
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