The First Stephen King Movie Ever Is Also Still the Best One

As a cinephile who has spent countless hours immersed in the world of horror and adapted works, I can confidently say that “Carrie” stands as one of the most impactful adaptations of Stephen King’s oeuvre. Having been introduced to the genre during my formative years, I remember vividly the chilling effect this film had on me, a testament to its ability to tap into universal fears and anxieties.

Rotten Tomatoes isn’t the ultimate authority in film criticism; it oversimplifies reviews by categorizing them as either positive or negative. However, it tends to be quite accurate when it comes to adaptations of Stephen King’s works. For instance, the highest-rated adaptation of his work, which has graced both big and small screens, is still Brian De Palma’s “Carrie.

Among King’s adaptations, this one stands out with a 93% “Fresh” rating as the highest-rated, although some others come close to challenging its popularity. This includes Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining, which is also highly praised, but still falls short by about 10 percentage points compared to Carrie.

Discussing Stephen King’s “The Shining,” it is often considered by film enthusiasts as his best screen adaptation, despite the author’s opinions on it being widely known. Films like Rob Reiner’s “Stand by Me,” Reiner’s “Misery,” and particularly Frank Darabont’s “The Shawshank Redemption” are equally cherished, if not more so, by fans. Even so, there’s a strong case to be made that “Carrie” was and continues to be the most successful adaptation of King’s works in terms of pure success.

What Makes Carrie the Best King Adaptation?

Carrie was Stephen King’s first published novel, and when it came out in 1974, it quickly established him as an emerging talent. Director Brian De Palma heard about it from a mutual friend of theirs, found it intriguing, and decided to purchase the rights for a movie adaptation. At that time, film adaptations of successful books were not commonplace, so he was surprised to find that no one had already claimed the rights for an adaptation of Carrie.

In addition, though the book’s popularity established Stephen King as a significant writer, he wasn’t yet widely recognized and received just $2,500 for the movie rights. Similarly, Brian De Palma was not yet a household name either, and he was given a budget of less than $2 million to produce the film. Notably, his first major success, “Obsession,” debuted merely three months before “Carrie” premiered, and it was more critically acclaimed than commercially successful.

[RELATED – Netflix’s Best Stephen King Movie Was Described as “Unfilmable” for Decades]

Capturing De Palma during his ascending directorial career was fortunate. Instead of relying on sensational hooks to attract viewers like other popular ’70s horror movies, Carrie tends to present itself more as a character-driven indie, focusing intensely on its characters rather than shocking effects. Conversely, The Omen centers around the Thorn family, but it’s the progression of intricately designed death scenes for secondary characters that truly captivates the audience. At its essence, The Exorcist is a poignant story about a mother’s unyielding fight to shield her daughter from an enemy she cannot defeat; however, it was the buzz surrounding shocking scenes such as the famous head spin that filled all the cinemas.

However, it’s worth noting that Carrie’s meticulous character development wouldn’t have been as successful if not for the perfect casting choices. Indeed, Carrie was exceptionally well-cast overall, particularly in the crucial roles of Carrie and her mother, Margaret White.

De Palma held auditions for the lead role, considering several promising actors like Melanie Griffith, Farrah Fawcett, and Linda Blair from “The Exorcist”. However, Sissy Spacek was resolute and recognized that the character didn’t call for the usual glamorous Hollywood looks, but rather a worn-out appearance suggesting prolonged mistreatment and isolation. She turned up at the audition with an unclean face and wearing a dated, conservative dress, and ultimately won the role.

In the film ‘Carrie’, Sissy Spacek’s unconventional movie star appearance perfectly suits her character. Compared to Nancy Allen and P. J. Soles, she seems out of place, and her talent for delivering subtle, restrained performances enhances this effect. Conversely, Piper Laurie as Margaret White delivers a performance that is anything but quiet and reserved.

Spacek wasn’t a complete newcomer, as Carrie was her fourth movie role, with her initial three including her breakout performance in Terrence Malick’s remarkable film Badlands. However, Laurie had more experience under her belt, having earned an Academy Award nomination 15 years earlier for her work in The Hustler. In terms of acting prowess or the stark contrast between their performances, they complement each other exceptionally well, as if they were cast from the same mold (either Heaven or Hell).

Discussing the film “The Hustler”, Carrie was Laurie’s initial role following the 1961 classic. Breaking her career slump with this part, she garnered her second of three Academy Award nominations, this time in the Best Supporting Actress category. Interestingly, Sissy Spacek also received an Academy Award nomination, marking the beginning of her six Best Actress nominations to date (including a win for “Coal Miner’s Daughter”). Essentially, if Sissy Spacek and Laurie hadn’t played their roles, “Carrie” wouldn’t be the impressive powerhouse it has become today.

Other Standout King Titles

It’s clear that the preferred Stephen King adaptation varies based on personal preference. However, it’s important to note that Carrie set a strong precedent for future adaptations. Over time, it has been joined by other outstanding adaptations such as The Shining, Stand by Me, and The Shawshank Redemption. Other notable entries include David Cronenberg’s The Dead Zone, John Carpenter’s Christine, Taylor Hackford’s Dolores Claiborne, Frank Darabont’s The Mist, Andy Muschietti’s It, and Mike Flanagan’s Gerald’s Game.

Similar to Darabont and Reiner before him, Flanagan demonstrates a remarkable talent for adapting Stephen King’s stories for both the big and small screens. After the release of Gerald’s Game, he followed up with the underappreciated semi-sequel to The Shining, titled Doctor Sleep. This was later succeeded by the critically acclaimed film, The Life of Chuck, which premiered at TIFF in early September 2024 and is scheduled for wide release in 2025. His next project will be another adaptation of Carrie, this time destined for a streaming service.

Moving forward, there’s a lot more to look forward to in the world of Stephen King adaptations. The year 2025 appears particularly rich with releases such as “Chuck,” Osgood Perkins’ “The Monkey,” and Edgar Wright’s reimagining of “The Running Man.” Moreover, projects like Francis Lawrence’s “The Long Walk,” Bryan Fuller’s take on “Christine,” Paul Greengrass’ “Fairy Tale,” Jim Mickle’s “From a Buick 8,” Lynne Ramsay’s “The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon,” and adaptations of “Elevation,” “Billy Summers,” “The Little Green God of Agony” (a story from the anthology “A Book of Horrors”), and “Throttle” (a novella co-written by King and his son, Joe Hill) are all currently in different stages of production.

It’s worth mentioning that all of these projects have highly respected directors associated with them, such as De Palma and Carrie. King’s focus on the human aspect in horror, which adds depth and realism, tends to draw top-tier talent. When Carrie was a success, both critically and financially, it set a very challenging standard for future adaptations to match. Perhaps that’s why some people consider it the “best.

Carrie and its 2013 remake are now streaming on Amazon Prime Video.

2024-11-16 22:13

What Makes Carrie the Best King Adaptation?

[RELATED – Netflix’s Best Stephen King Movie Was Described as “Unfilmable” for Decades]

Other Standout King Titles

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