Carrie (1976)

The first time I watched this, I hated it. HATED it. I actually have no idea how or wy. On a rewatch, I'm now realizing that it's a borderline masterpiece, and I must've been off my rocker. Brian De Palma brings his A game and crafted one of the best films of the 70s. I haven't read the book, so I can't say much this matches the source material, but I don't care. This film instantly skyrocketed within my top 50 favorite horror films ever (and that's saying something, seeing as I've seen around 320 as of this writing. It just rocks. It gives you such eerie vibes the whole time, and I can't even explain why. Nothing too crazy happens until the third act. It's just the camera work mixed with the Psycho-esque, and literally every facial expression made by Sissy Spacek. I think she's a beautiful person, but when somebody screws with her, her emotional range is fantastic. It's mostly just her eyes. They penetrate your soul and make you fear for your life. I'm obviously referring to the prom scene. My goodness. If I was in charge of Oscar voting, I'm handing her the trophy, no questions asked. The whole cast surrounding her was also really good. It's also cool to see early Travolta right before he hit it big. The story is well written and very relatable, especially if you have a religious background and it, dare I say, dominated your upbringing. Combine that with the school setting and it works for everyone. The score is great, with some classic horror techniques, mostly the high strings that are heavily reminiscent of Hitchcock's 'Psycho'. Overall, this is one of the best shot and best acted horror films of the 20th century, and a third act that really pays off in the best way possible. I would recommend it to all horror fans, especially if you like Stephen King. This film is officially Berry Approved, so go watch it now!