6.1 | / 10 |
Users | 4.0 | |
Reviewer | 4.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
A sheltered high school girl unleashes her newly developed telekinetic powers after she is pushed too far by her peers.
Starring: Chloë Grace Moretz, Judy Greer, Portia Doubleday, Alex Russell, Gabriella WildeHorror | 100% |
Supernatural | 34% |
Teen | 21% |
Coming of age | 7% |
Psychological thriller | 7% |
Drama | Insignificant |
Video codec: HEVC / H.265
Video resolution: 4K (2160p)
Aspect ratio: 2.39:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 (48kHz, 24-bit)
English SDH
Blu-ray Disc
Two-disc set (2 BDs)
4K Ultra HD
Slipcover in original pressing
Region A (locked)
Movie | 3.5 | |
Video | 4.5 | |
Audio | 4.5 | |
Extras | 3.5 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
Is Kimberly Peirce's Carrie (2013) a remake of Brian De Palma's legendary 1976 classic or is it just another interpretation of Stephen King's
eponymous 1974 novel? It's been reported that Peirce wanted to do a close and faithful adaptation of the original source material but the higher-ups at
Sony and Screen Gems preferred to use the De Palma film as a model. (This would serve as a terrific subject for a documentary.) This would explain why
original adapter Lawrence D. Cohen's name appears as the primary writer above Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa's since dialogue from the first film is reused in the
2013 version. (Apparently, Cohen wasn't involved with Peirce's film at all.)
But on a cinematic level, Peirce's style of filmmaking is different from De Palma's in several ways. For example, Peirce doesn't employ the split-field diopter,
split screens, or displaced diegetic sound (e.g., the famous line, "They're all going to laugh at you.") in her movie as De Palma sometimes does in his. In
addition, Carrie '76 was shot in the spherical 1.85:1 while Carrie '13 was photographed in Scope 2.39:1. Peirce, who shares a friendship
with De Palma, is a huge fan of his first studio picture and respects it enough not to try and imitate it. There are some similarities, though. For instance,
cinematographer Steve Yedlin's use of deep focus and the camera angle of Margaret White (Julianne Moore) coming down the stairs, which is framed in
much the same way as Piper Laurie's descent in the original.
Scream Factory's new release of Carrie (2013) is a 4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray "Collector's Edition" that comes with a slipcover. It only includes the
theatrical version and not the cut with an alternate ending, which appeared on MGM's Blu-ray/DVD combo that Reviewer Emeritus Michael Reuben covered a decade ago. (Scream's BD-50 has retained the
alternate ending as an extra.) The movie appears in its original theatrical aspect ratio of 2.39:1. In its initial press release, Scream Factory stated that the
transfer for the UHD was given a new 4K scan from the original camera negative. However, the picture was finished with a 2K DI for the theatrical prints
and has been upconverted here. The presentation on the BD-66 is an upscaled 2160p transfer. Yedlin shot the movie on an ARRI ALEXA camera, captured
using ARRI Raw, and recorded on Codex Digital. The 4K appears with Dolby Vision (HDR10 compatible).
I watched the UHD disc in its original resolution, Scream's Blu-ray upscaled to 4K via my player's settings, and the MGM BD in 1080p. The 4K disc is the
best way to experience the film. The 2014 Blu-ray was very good for its day but has more muted colors in comparison. Scream's 2160p transfer makes
some nice corrections. Skin tones are warmer. (See Screenshot #s 16-18 and 22-24). You can also notice crisper blacks with DV and HDR. (See Margaret
lying down on the bed in frame grab #21 compared to #19 and #20.) Perhaps the biggest difference I picked out between the 4K and MGM is the latter
lacks detail in medium shots where the actors are framed with lower lighting around them. The level of detail on the 4K is pretty outstanding. The feature
on the BD-66 boasts an average video bitrate of 85.0 Mbps, while the full disc delivers an overall bitrate of 94.0 Mbps. Scream's Blu-ray carries a mean
video bitrate of 34.8 Mbps, an increase of 7 Mbps from the MGM.
Screenshot #s 1-15, 18, 21, 24, 27, 30, & 33 = Scream Factory 2024 4K Ultra HD (downsampled to 1080p)
Screenshot #s 16, 19, 22, 25, 28, & 31 = MGM 2014 2K-scanned Blu-ray
Screenshot #s 17, 20, 23, 26, 29, & 32 = Scream Factory 2024 Blu-ray
The 95-minute film receives twelve scene selections from Shout. (The MGM disc has twenty-eight.)
Scream has supplied a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 Surround (3698 kbps, 24-bit) and a DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Stereo downmix (2027 kbps, 24-bit) on the
BD-66. The mixes and bitrates are identical on Scream's Blu-ray. Scream's 5.1 is identical to MGM's DTS-HD MA 5.1 Surround (3697 kbps, 24-bit). I listened
to all three mixes. (The MGM also includes Dolby Digital 5.1 dubs in French and Spanish). Dialogue is usually always clear and comprehensible. Julianne
Moore's murmurings are sometimes hard to hear but the words are audible if you listen closely. Discrete separation on the surrounds is noticeable when
birds chirp, dogs bark, and other ambient noises on the sound track. Satellite speakers are also very active during action scenes. The .LFE and bass along
the fronts pulsate when tables elevate in the Whites' family room and then come crashing to the ground. A major standout for the bass' thump is when a
splinter begins sticking out of Margaret's prayer closet.
I like that Marco Beltrami went a different route in his score than Pino Donaggio did but the former's music sounds too loud at times. It features standard
horror score material but also warmer musical colors for Carrie, Sue, and Tommy. (Beltrami's use of guitar is particularly good.) Peirce incorporates a lot of
ballads (primarily on the diegetic track) in her film. Bass sounds excellent when the following songs are played: the Haims' "Let Me Go," Portugal. The Man's
"Hip Hop Kids," Vampire Weekend's "Diane Young," The Naked and Famous's "Young Blood," and Krewella's "Live for the Night."
Scream and Ballyhoo Motion Pictures have produced a new video essay on the Carrie films and a recent interview with a crew member. Scream
has also ported over all the extras from MGM's release.
DISC ONE: 4K UHD
Peirce's Carrie (2013) is a pretty good film in its own right, but it's definitely not in the same league as De Palma's masterwork from 1976. The movie from eleven years ago is well-directed with quality work from several of the actors, including Judy Greer as Ms. Desjardin. Some of the writing is a bit lackluster, though. The sound design is sometimes amplified too much. Additionally, the visual effects are (literally) over-baked. Scream Factory's upscaled 2160p presentation is flawless with improved colors and higher levels of detail than the MGM edition. The lossless 5.1 is the same outstanding mix from the old release. Scream has brought over all the old extras, although its missing a couple of presentation options for them. The recent featurette and interview added to the Blu-ray are alright but not that substantial. I know fans have been waiting for a director's cut that matches all the footage included in the film's test screenings but it remains unknown if and when that can be reassembled. The Scream package earns A SOLID RECOMMENDATION.
Collector's Edition
1976
35th Anniversary Edition
1983
2015
2014
1976
2019
Special Edition
1980
2009
2019
1986
1999
2002
Collector's Edition
2000
1981
Stephen King's It
1990
1981
2010
2018
2018
2019