Carrie (1976)

“Carrie” was Stephen King’s first novel to be published, 1974, as well as his first novel to be adapted into a movie, 1976. That is quite an achievement for any writer starting out, but as history shows us, it was only the first of many of his works to thrill the world as both book and film. And “Carrie” was the perfect story, a story which was being considered by several movie studios before director Brian De Palma read the book and quickly made some phone calls. The movie that followed was a critical box office success and was widely considered to be one of the best movies of the year. The film was nominated for the Academy Awards for Best Actress for Sissy Spacek and Best Supporting Actress for Piper Laurie.

The only drawback to the film is that some scenes feel like they go on for much too long, as if De Palma was stretching the movie out as long as he could instead of making it short and to the point. As it as, the film is currently only 98 minutes long, so such a technique was needed  as was a cheaper alternative than filming the scenes that were cut from the original novel.

Carrie White is an extremely shy seventeen year old girl who is bullied and abused at school by the other girls in her classes. She is humiliated and terrified when she has her first period why in the showers after a gym class and the other girls mock and harass her. At home it’s even worse; living with a single mother who is a religious fanatic who accuses Carrie of sinning and forces her to read her daily prayers while locked in a closet. But weird little accidents begin to occur and while in the library, Carrie begins reading a book about telekinesis. Out of guilt, one of Carrie’s tormentor’s convinces her boyfriend to take Carrie to the Prom (why? I still don’t understand why!?!?) and eventually Carrie agrees. At the Prom, events spiral out of control as Carrie falls victim to a prank and unleashes her full wrath upon the student body before going home and dealing with her mother.

 Carrie beginning to be soak in pig's blood

 Carrie praying

Carrie as the Prom Queen

The Omen (1976)

Cults love the Devil and they try their best to see that his son is raised proper and safely, getting the best education and having all of the preferred opportunities available for him. In “Rosemary’s Baby” we saw that the cult chose a loving mother and made sure that she had a proper diet and the best prenatal care in the city. The sentiment is shared and continues in “The Omen”. In this film, the cult that is much more behind the scenes itself than in the movie, finds a well-connected  politician with unlimited potential to be his “father”, to see that young Damien grows up to follow in his footsteps and fulfill the prophecy that has been foretold. And like”Rosemary’s Baby”, “The Omen” is a highly regarded horror film and is often thought of as one of the genre’s finest. Some even argue that it is the best film from 1976.

Robert Thorn and his wife Katherine are in Rome when she gives birth to their first child. Robert is told that his son had died immediately after his delivery but is given the race chance to claim a different newborn whose mother just died during childbirth. Feeling compassionate and also worried as to how his wife would take the news about their own child, Robert agrees to Father Spiletto’s (a cult member!) offer and makes a vow of secrecy and claims the baby Damien as his own. Shortly after this Robert is promoted and becomes the US Ambassador to Great Britain.

Strange events occur throughout Damien’s childhood with the most chilling of them being the happy, joyful hanging of his nanny (a cult member!) at his well-attended 5^th birthday party, yelling out to the crowd “Damien, I do this for you!” before leaping off the edge of the house with a noose around her neck. Just as suspicious and yet not nearly as creepy is the new nanny (a cult member!) who comes into the Thorn home and takes a strict protective stance towards young Damien, going so far as to killing Katherine and attempting to kill Robert when he comes to slay the son of the Anti-Christ.

Favorite moment – The scene when Keith is killed by the sheet of glass. This is an impressive effect for that time and it was a real surprise.

What is really interesting about this film is it's star, Gregory Peck. No one ever considered that someone of his acting calibur would appear in a film like this and his presence really raises the quality of this film greatly. This just goes to show that horror films are not just a genre to begin with and hope to find your break, it's a form or entertainment that offers it's own sense of fulfillment for the actors as well just being fun to be a part of.