Rating summary

Movie		5.0
Video		4.0
Audio		4.5
Extras		4.5
Overall		5.0

Carrie 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

A horror masterpiece. Essential filmmaking.

Carrie is one of the greatest horror masterpieces of all time. The classic horror film is one that any aficionado of classic cinema should consider as essential viewing. Based on the original novel by Stephen King, the story explores the world of high school and what it is like to be a high school loner without any close friends or connections – and turns the concept on its head with a blistering fire-storm of action, mayhem, and excitement in the concluding act. Starring Sissy Spacek, Piper Laurie, Amy Irving, William Katt, John Travolta, Nancy Allen, Betty Buckley, and P.J. Soles. Carrie is a horror film unlike any other – a mesmerizing experience so distinct and memorable it will stay with viewers their entire lives.

Carrie (Sissy Spacek) is a high school outcast with no social standing. Unlike her fellow classmates, Carrie is a shy, quiet, and confused loner at her school. Carrie has no faith in herself or confidence in her own charm or abilities. Living with an overbearing and religious mother, Margaret White (Piper Laurie), a sadistic and disturbed parent, Carrie is abused and treated like garbage in her own home.

When a classmate asks Carrie to the prom, Carrie is surprised and confounded but agrees to go. Yet soon nightmares will be unleashed on her classmates – when Carrie demonstrates her unknown telekinesis powers to wreak havoc on the prom dance. A night no classmate will ever forget. A nightmare to die for.

Sissy Spacek delivers one of the best performances of her career. Carrie is a complicated character and there is a lot of depth to the role. As a student surrounded by classmates in cliques, being an outsider causes Carrie to be mistreated and abused by others around her. Spacek has a great understanding of this character and the vulnerability of her. There is a sense that Carrie wants to be “normal” (what high school student can’t relate?) while at the same time feeling completely misunderstood. This makes the performance all the more special and provocative. Spacek provides the part with enormous pathos and the depth required for the role.

The cinematography by Mario Tosi (Frogs, The Stunt Man) is sublime and one of the most haunting elements of the production. Tosi is a master cinematographer on this production – the foggy and overcast visuals helping to create a dreamlike state that is a perfect match for the horror of the storyline. Tosi does an exceptional job with the cinematographic techniques in the film and this is certainly one of the key reasons the film is a longstanding masterpiece.

Edited by Paul Hirsch (Star Wars, Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol), Carrie is a pitch-perfect edit. The film uses editing in a way few films do. Some of this is due to the creative decisions of the director, of course, but Hirsch certainly capably handles the material and helps the editing to strike the perfect balance. The quick cutting and split-screen framing are iconic and helped make Carrie a favorite.

Time for a blood bath.

The art direction by Jack Fisk (There Will Be Blood, The Tree of Life) and Bill Kenney (Diamonds Are Forever, Superdome) is another element of the production that makes a huge impression on the filmmaking. The art direction provides a strong backdrop for the entire film and the sense of terror created during the prom sequence. The stylistic flourishes feel unique and each components seems well selected for the production.

The set decorations by Robert Gould (Cobra, Cliffhanger) are noteworthy as well. Some horror films can overlook these essential details. Carrie is not such a film. The level of attention to detail to the sets is outstanding. The house of Carrie is given a haunting atmosphere with its set decorations helping to explore Carrie and her mother. The decorations at the prom sequence also stand out and make a big impression – who can forget the pig blood and the careful placement in the scene?

The costumes by Rosanna Norton (Tron, Innerspace) help the film to excel as well. Despite Carrie being an outcast from her classmates, Carrie is given a beautiful prom outfit and the beauty of Spacek is on display. The costuming for Carrie and her classmates is compelling (helping to create uniquely distinct characters). An exceptional effort by Norton.

The score composed by Pino Donaggio (Dressed to Kill, Body Double) is one of the best film scores ever written. The score is haunting and strikes a perfect note throughout the entire film. The music adds a sense of terror while providing a surprising undercurrent of whimsy as well. Donaggio made this an incredibly haunting and evocative score – sensual and beautiful.

The screenplay by Lawrence D. Cohen (It, Ghost Story) does an excellent job of adapting the novel by King. The script explores Carrie with a keen sense of understanding for the character and what she manifests. Exploring the drama of the story alongside the supernatural, Cohen does a great job in adapting the iconic source material for the big screen. The dialogue is exceptional and the film is perfectly paced – all in the script.

Directed by Brian De Palma (Dressed to Kill, Body Double), Carrie remains one of best achievements of the legendary director. Carrie is a visually beautiful masterpiece with a haunting sense of scope and scale. The entire production is complex and understated at the same time. These elements are the backbone of what makes De Palma such an incredible and gifted filmmaker: the keen understanding of cinema and the unique language the medium uses to tell a story. Make no mistake: Carrie is a masterpiece, horror or otherwise.

Carrie 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Arriving on 4K UHD from Shout Factory in a new collectors edition, Carrie is presented in 2160p HEVC / H.265 in the original theatrical aspect ratio of 1.85:1 widescreen. The presentation is outstanding and will now be crowned as the definitive presentation of Carrie. The new 4K scan was completed using the original camera negative. The print is exceptionally crisp, clear, and engaging. Natural film grain is intact on the presentation. The level of detail on display is outstanding. Color reproduction is accurate and absorbing. The cinematography looks even better on 4K UHD than on any previous home media presentation and it offers an essential upgrade for fans of the film.

Carrie 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The release includes a selection of lossless audio options. The release presents the film in either English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround sound or English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 mono. Either option will provide fans of the film with an excellent viewing experience. The surround sound track is my preferred choice and it sounds outstanding on the release. The surrounds are well utilized and play a big role in the big prom sequence towards the conclusion of the film. The score is always enveloping with the surround mix and the track never seems disrespectful to the original mono audio sound design. A wonderful lossless sound mix.

Carrie 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

The 4K includes an audio commentary track featuring Joseph Aisenberg, Depalma Historian and Author of Studies in the Horror Film: Carrie. For more information on the supplemental package, please refer to the standard Blu-ray edition review by my colleague Jeffrey Kauffman. The 4K UHD release includes the same excellent supplemental package.

Carrie 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Carrie is a masterpiece of filmmaking. There are few films as iconic or as memorable as this one. Director Brian De Palma (Dressed to Kill) is one of the greatest filmmakers and his use of frame-cutting is one of the signature elements that makes Carrie such a spectacular visual experience. Sissy Spacek gives a perfect performance in the central role. The 4K UHD features a new restoration from the original camera negative and the film has never looked as mesmerizing on home media as it does here. The release is an essential 4K UHD upgrade and includes the same outstanding supplemental package as first introduced on the original Shout Factory collectors edition. A must own release. Highly recommended.