The Disastrous Production of Carrie

The production of the movie Carrie, based on Stephen King's first published novel, was a disaster from the start. Despite a talented cast and crew, multiple issues plagued the production, resulting in a movie that was both a critical and financial failure. In this essay, we will examine the disastrous production of Carrie, from its troubled pre-production to its disappointing release.

Pre-production

The pre-production of Carrie was fraught with difficulties. One of the biggest problems was finding a director for the film. Initially, Brian De Palma was hired to direct the movie, but he was fired after a disagreement with the studio. He was eventually replaced by Brian Hutton, but Hutton also left the project before filming began.

The next director to be hired was George Roy Hill, who had just won an Academy Award for directing The Sting. However, Hill also left the project due to creative differences with the studio. Finally, the job of directing Carrie was given to Brian De Palma, who was rehired after impressing the studio with his work on Phantom of the Paradise.

Another problem during pre-production was casting the lead role of Carrie. Sissy Spacek was eventually chosen for the part, but the studio had initially wanted an established actress like Farrah Fawcett or Melanie Griffith. However, Spacek's haunting audition won her the role, and she went on to deliver a powerful performance that is still remembered today.

Filming

Filming for Carrie was also plagued with problems. One of the biggest issues was the location for the prom scene. Originally, the scene was supposed to take place in the gym of the high school where Carrie was a student. However, when the crew arrived at the location, they discovered that the gym was too small to accommodate the large-scale set they had planned. As a result, they had to build a new set from scratch, which caused a delay in filming.

Another issue during filming was the special effects used to depict Carrie's telekinetic powers. The effects were created using wires and hydraulic pumps, but they often failed to work properly. This resulted in reshoots and delays, which further added to the film's already bloated budget.

Post-Production

After filming was completed, the movie was sent to the editing room, where even more problems arose. The first cut of the film was four hours long, and the studio demanded that it be cut down to two hours. This led to a rushed editing process, which resulted in several plot points being left out of the final cut.

The movie's score was also a point of contention during post-production. The studio wanted a more mainstream score, but director Brian De Palma insisted on using a more experimental, avant-garde score. This led to a compromise, where composer Pino Donaggio would create a more traditional score, but De Palma would have the final say on which pieces would be used in the film.

Release

When Carrie was finally released in 1976, it was met with mixed reviews. While some critics praised the movie's performances and direction, others criticized the film's pacing and lack of character development. Despite this, the movie was a financial success, grossing over $33 million worldwide.

However, the success was short-lived, as the movie's reputation quickly began to suffer. In the years since its release, Carrie has been criticized for its portrayal of women and its heavy reliance on shock value. Some have even argued that the movie's infamous prom scene is exploitative and misogynistic.