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Oct 14, 2016 Web Exclusive By Austin Trunick

The real horror of Carrie does not lie with the vengeful, telepathic teenager of the movie’s title, but in the endless stream of abuse she endures for the majority of its runtime. Carrie is a film about the horrors of bullying with a supernatural coda tacked on, its true dread derived from the anticipation of her prom night humiliation more so than the flames and killer-firehose massacre which ensues afterward. The audience is privy to that infamous, final cruel joke throughout every phase of its planning, and we’re forced to watch – and squirm – as the lonely young girl lets down her guard just enough to take her classmates’ bait. The sad truth that bullying never goes away is the reason why Carrie still resonates today. If you think back on your own high school years, you probably knew someone like Carrie White, unable to fit in with any of their peers despite all efforts, seemingly a magnet for unwarranted mistreatment from everyone around her. This youthful style of torture is still rampant in school hallways, on social media platforms, and anywhere else occupied by mean-spirited children.

Brian De Palma took Stephen King’s bestselling novel and slathered it in the thick coat of the hyper-stylization that marked his early career. It’s deservedly regarded as a classic of the horror genre, even if the typical sorts of filmic terror don’t rear their head until the movie’s fiery finale. There are moments and lines that have become iconic in the four decades since its release, and have permeated the pop culture lexicon; Carrie’s repeated “They’re all going to laugh at you!” stands among other oft-repeated, oft-parodied horror lines such as “Here’s Johnny!” and “They’re coming to get you, Barbara!” What I’m saying is that you don’t need me to tell you this one’s a classic.

Scream Factory’s 40^th Anniversary Edition Blu-ray is about as comprehensive as you can get, save for any sort of contribution from Stephen King. (We can dream, right?) All of the notable extra features from prior DVD editions are carried over with a bunch of new, lengthy interviews heaped on. Alongside the approximately 90 minutes of chatting with De Palma, Spacek, and others that we’ve seen before, there are more than two hours of new interviews with everyone from the screenwriter, to the editor, to the casting director, composer, and cinematographer. Also included are behind-the-scenes and stills galleries, TV spots and radio ads, and a series of interesting essays (oddly presented as on-screen text) which lay out the inspiration for King’s novel and how it differs from the film version. We also get an episode of Horror’s Hallowed Grounds (as seen on prior Scream Factory releases) visiting many of the shooting locations which surprisingly still exist nearly unchanged to this day. If you’re any sort of fan, this needs to replace any previous edition of the movie in your collection.

www.shoutfactory.com/film/film-horror/carrie-collector-s-edition