Carrie (2013)
Brief Plot Outline: A re-imagined version of the original 1976 classic horror about Carrie White, a shy lonely girl who is also an outcast from her classmates, and protected by her religious mother. Carrie possesses telekinetic powers that she unleashes on the small town she lives in, after being pushed too far at senior prom.
Which two scenes impressed me the most and why?
The two scenes in Carrie, that impressed me the most were the final scene where school bully Chris and her boyfriend Billy try to escape the destruction that Carrie is causing after they drop a bucket full of pig's blood on her as she's crowned prom queen. Carrie then erupts in abrupt rage and smashes up the entire prom hall, throwing literally people around like rag-dolls and pulling the lights from the stage down to the ground, setting them alight then standing as an almost almighty figure above everyone else.
My second scene is the final scene in the film, where those that survived the events of prom night are adjudged before a court hearing, where they challenge that the supernatural powers that Carrie possessed, were even real. We're then taken to Carrie' grave, as Sue Snell puts a flower next to the gravestone that's been graffiti-ed 'Carrie White Burns in Hell' with an arrow pointing down. As Sue steps away, the surrounding ground swirls up and the gravestone breaks revealing Carrie screaming, almost as she comes up from hell. This allows an audience to suspect the possibility of a sequel.
How has watching this film helped you understand this genre of film-making? Which features on the genre checklist did you spot in the film? When? How?
Unlike a lot of the other horror films I've seen, Carrie is very different in the way it's approached. Firstly the start, is very quiet and you expect Margaret (Carrie's mother) to kill Carrie after she's born, but she does not. Further along the narrative, it's clear that religion and the elements of psychological power, especially Carrie's ability to move things with her mind, whether that be objects or people is key to the plot. It's also an element of a waiting game, with the growing pressure that Carrie faces during the film - being bullied by people in her class, and yet further isolating herself when she's asked to prom. As mentioned, Carrie is mostly an psychological/thriller type genre, although the final scene, although gruesome does have some elements of gore in it. However, mostly as I've said it's psychological, which leads to jump-scares, most of those being Carrie's mother and her controlling nature, such a scene where Carrie is locked inside her "Prayer Closet" to repent her sins, or Carrie then locking her mother inside the same closet so she can go to prom without being embarrassed.
Which aspects would you like to INCLUDE in your own trailer? Why?
Our trailer will hopefully contain all three genres; gore, action and psychological so I'd hopefully be able to include the elements of slamming doors and breaking mirrors into my own trailer, simply because it creates a "jump scare" within the audience, especially if it's unexpected, it creates more of a shock and you can use those to effect the emotional response of your audience.
Which aspects would you like to AVOID in your own trailer? Why?
Multiple deaths, or quick deaths. If our main protagonist/antagonist is truly evil and overpowered, any enemy he may face he shouldn't be able to overcome quickly, and then their death should be prolonged as long as possible.
What was the best aspect/more enjoyable moment in the film? Why? Can you recreate this in your own film? How?
Personally the best aspect of this film was Chloe Grace Moretz' portrayal of Carrie. Obviously making a reboot is either make or break for an iconic horror character, although less iconic than the gore icons. With the narrative simply being an updated version of the 1976 original, Chloe still had her own acting style in the role that enabled me to remember it in a good way. I think for us to be able to recreate that, Olly's acting style needs to be authentic and yet although memorable.
How does the film reflect it's institutional or historical context? Analyse two scenes/events that reflect the time which the film was made.
Carrie is solely based on the question of "How far can someone go before they break?" and the most out of the context is bullying, something that's recently come to light as a major factor for people at school especially, which is the year that Carrie is in, for the film's context. She's firstly bullied in the showers after P.E for what her classmates know as her first menstrual period, although she doesn't know that. And instead of helping her, she's bullied to the point of having tampons thrown at her and a video recorded that's quickly spread around the entire school.
Secondly, with the whole ending scene of Carrie losing it all and destroying prom/her school, could be related slightly to the historical context of American schools, and the dreadful occasions where students such as Carrie have either been bullied or taunted to a point where they commit an act of murder or destruction. Most notably Columbine High-school amongst others could be related.
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