Why the Original ‘Carrie’ Opening Scene Didn’t Work and Was Changed

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1976 saw the release of a chilling supernatural horror movie titled “Carrie,” which offered a grim portrayal of high school life. The film, notorious for its graphic depiction of a straightforward concept, sent shockwaves across the country. Its impact was significant as it delved into religious themes that were then viewed as contentious. In “Carrie,” religion was far from being a sanctuary for prayer, faith, and compassion.

As a cinephile delving into the realm of horror, I must commend how this movie brought Stephen King’s name into resplendent focus. In 1974, mere two years before its release, King had penned his debut novel, “Carrie,” which swiftly ascended the paperback bestseller charts. With his radical flair for cinema, director Brian De Palma was captivated by King’s work and embarked on a mission to transform it onto the silver screen. An inexperienced screenwriter named Lawrence D. Cohen was enlisted to breathe life into this epistolary novel, crafting it into a compelling feature film script.

The outcome was a critically praised supernatural horror movie that garnered several Academy Award nominations, altering the trajectory of every individual associated with it. Sissy Spacek, nominated for Best Actress, eventually rose to Hollywood stardom (four years later, she clinched an Oscar for Coal Miner’s Daughter). Piper Laurie, nominated for Best Supporting Actress, experienced a significant career surge due to her portrayal of the most terrifying movie mother. De Palma continued to produce timeless classics throughout subsequent decades, with films such as The Untouchables and Mission: Impossible among them.

And Stephen King? Well, we don’t have to tell you what happened with the bestselling author.

Indeed, it’s true! The movie “Carrie” is a notable horror classic that underscored the 1970s as a pivotal era for horror films. Many iconic horror moments stem from this timeframe, and “Carrie” features several of those. For instance, her ghostly figure bathed in glowing, blood-soaked light exiting a burning school, or the unsettling opening scene that left audiences uneasy. However, interestingly, the original script didn’t include the gym class scene as we know it today.

Why the Original Opening Sequence of ‘Carrie’ Didn’t Work

The movie “Carrie” doesn’t completely follow Stephen King’s novel. It captures many key elements, but since every book-to-screen transformation involves adjustments, these were necessary, especially given the unique style of the book. The story is largely built on accounts from characters who “survived” the events portrayed at the end of the film.

While penning the screenplay, Cohen was granted sufficient flexibility to modify certain aspects, and he indeed made adjustments. The initial scene from the book intended for the film’s opening was markedly distinct from the one eventually selected: In the original, Carrie, a young girl at the time, inquired about her developing breasts to a neighbor. However, when Carrie’s mother, Margaret, overheard this conversation, she forcefully dragged Carrie back into their strict religious home, triggering an event where stones seemingly fell from the sky. This is how Cohen described the scene:

Brian De Palma saved that sequence for the final day and night of filming. It was plagued with difficulties, including an unusual decision to have Sissy Spacek portray herself as a child of five or six. Although this seemed odd, it turned out to be one of the lesser problems once everything was considered.

The scene didn’t have a positive aesthetic appeal, as the stone shower effect fell short. This was mainly because of De Palma’s constrained budget of approximately $1.8 million (which is significantly lower than other horror films of the time, like The Exorcist, that cost around $12 million), and the discontent among locals due to the disruption caused by the filming.

The stone arrangement didn’t succeed as planned. It made an unbelievable noise; neighbors were bothered and even reported it to the police, and it just looked messy. To put it mildly, it was quite a difficult situation. No one seemed to have found the solution – either you had tiny pebbles or massive boulders falling, and in both cases, it was a catastrophe. Admittedly, I felt let down when it was demolished, but upon further thought, starting the movie with the volleyball game right away was genius. It immediately pulled me in, so in retrospect, it turned out to be something of a fortunate accident.

The Opening Scene of ‘Carrie’ Is a Perfect Portrayal of Teenage Trauma

Cohen makes a valid observation. Everything worked out in the end. The choice to modify the opening scene was wise because it made Carrie’s introduction feel more authentic and relatable. After all, isn’t bullying something many people have experienced at some point? In the original sequence that made it to the final film, we observe the emotional battleground that is Carrie’s school life. During gym class, she struggles to volleyball, and her peers mercilessly torment her. Following gym class, they head to the showers.

Carrie’s fellow students are self-assured adolescents, exhibiting a harmful level of bravado. Carrie, on the other hand, is timid and prefers privacy, possibly due to embarrassment and anxiety. During her 16th year, Carrie experiences menarche while showering, an event that startles her. In desperation, she asks for aid and displays her bloodied hands. Instead of offering help, her classmates hurl tampons and sanitary pads at her, mocking with phrases like “Seal the leak!” and disregarding Carrie’s fragile emotional wellbeing.

The opening scene of Carrie serves as an excellent setup for what follows, delving into Carrie’s journey of discovering womanhood and transforming her powers from a hidden aspect of her character into powerful instruments of vengeance. In simpler terms, Carrie is a movie that explores the intense trauma experienced during adolescence, and the opening sequence, which made it to the final version, effectively introduces this theme.

The Legacy of ‘Carrie,’ Stephen King’s First Film

To put it simply, the publication of “Carrie” significantly transformed the trajectories of everyone associated with it. Stephen King emerged as an unparalleled powerhouse in contemporary horror literature, thanks to his captivating and screen-friendly character creations. This remarkable journey kicked off with a chilling religious horror novel that made people fear the underdog more than ever before.

Carrie not only initiated a series of films, but despite some less successful sequels, it continues to be revamped for contemporary viewers. The upcoming adaptation will be a television show, created by renowned Stephen King interpreter, Mike Flanagan.

Just as It and The Shining significantly influenced perceptions of clowns and old hotels respectively, Carrie shaped the portrayal of high school life. Yet, it’s worth noting that a different mood might have been established if the original opening scene had been preserved.

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2025-01-08 05:31