‘Carrie’ series review: Mike Flanagan finds humanity in horror
Mike Flanagan’s new mini-series adaptation of Stephen King’s 'Carrie' is reviewed as a largely successful take on the classic horror story. While the critic praises the adaptation's humanity, they note that an unnecessary conspiracy subplot slightly detracts from the overall quality.
Why it matters
This review provides cultural context for the ongoing trend of adapting classic horror literature for modern streaming platforms.
Carrie , about a misfit teenager with telekinetic powers, who gets back at everyone who bullied her, is one of those stories that can interpreted in a variety of ways. It could be gothic horror, teen drama, a revenge story, or one of female rage. Carrie (1974) was Stephen King’s debut novel and Brian De Palma’s 1976 film resulted in Oscars nominations for Sissy Spacek and Piper Laurie.
The film was also the first of the more than 100 adaptations of King’s works. De Palma’s Carrie , though lurid when looked at 50 years later (the camera is practically leering at all the naked bodies in the locker room), has long been considered the gold standard. The frames that look at once vivid and washed out, the long takes and the strident strings in the background score all contribute to a vision that is a nightmare and dream-like.
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