Carrie
Movie, 1976, The '70s and '80s, Set in Chamberlain, Maine
Carrie is #1 of 42 in release order and #1 of 42 in chronological order in the Stephen King Universe.
The story
Withdrawn and sensitive teenager Carrie White faces bullying from her classmates and abuse from her fanatically pious mother. When she begins to suspect that she has supernatural powers, things take a dark and violent turn.
Carrie recap
Carrie (1976) follows Carrie White, a shy, bullied teenager in Chamberlain, Maine, who discovers she can move objects with her mind. Brian De Palma directs Sissy Spacek as Carrie and Piper Laurie as her mother Margaret, a religious fanatic who calls her daughter's first period a sin. When Carrie panics over that period in the school showers, her classmates pelt her with tampons, and gym teacher Miss Collins (Betty Buckley) punishes the girls. Sue Snell (Amy Irving) feels guilty and asks her boyfriend Tommy Ross (William Katt) to take Carrie to the prom. Chris Hargensen (Nancy Allen), banned from the dance, plots revenge with her boyfriend Billy Nolan (John Travolta), and they rig the vote so Carrie and Tommy are crowned king and queen. As Carrie stands on stage, happy for the first time, a bucket of pig's blood pours over her, and the falling bucket knocks Tommy out.
Carrie ending explained
Carrie ends with the town in flames and a nightmare. Carrie seals the gym and kills nearly everyone inside with fire and the sprinklers, then flips Chris and Billy's car as they try to run her down. At home Margaret stabs her in the back, and Carrie kills her by driving kitchen knives into her body, pinning her like a saint. The house collapses on them both. Sue, the only survivor, later lays flowers at the burnt plot and a bloody hand bursts from the ground to grab her, before she wakes screaming in her mother's arms.
Post-credits scenes
No. Carrie has no mid- or post-credits scene; the grave scene comes before the credits.
Where to watch Carrie
Carrie is streaming on Prime Video and HBO Max in the US. You can rent or buy it on Amazon, Apple TV, and Google Play.
Ratings
IMDb 7.4/10, Rotten Tomatoes 94%
Where it fits
- Release order: first, before Salem's Lot.
- Chronological order: first, before Salem's Lot.
What to watch before Carrie
Nothing. Carrie is the first of the Stephen King Universe essentials, so it's the place to start.
Cast
- Sissy Spacek as Carrie
- Piper Laurie as Margaret White
- Amy Irving as Sue Snell
- William Katt as Tommy Ross
- John Travolta as Billy Nolan
- Nancy Allen as Chris Hargenson
- Betty Buckley as Miss Collins
- P. J. Soles as Norma
- Priscilla Pointer as Mrs. Snell
- Sydney Lassick as Mr. Fromm
- Stefan Gierasch as Mr. Morton
- Michael Talbott as Freddy
Directed by Brian De Palma.