Journey step started: Jan 1, 2022
Journey step ended: Jan 30, 2022
Click the Google sheet to the right to see every item covered on this step of the journey.
The Book — The 1976 Movie — Film Remakes & Sequels — The Musical — Additional Material
The Book
Day 1: Jan 1, 2022
Today, I’m starting my first step in the journey with the seminal classic “Carrie” from 1973. There are 26 different pieces of media I’ll be consuming & commenting on in this step.
Reading Stephen King’s “Carrie” from 1974.
Although I’ve read most of Stephen King’s works since I started as a young boy in the 80s, I never actually read “Carrie”. Yet I do know the movie inside and out & I’m excited to finally get to the source material after all this time & read the book that launched a cultural icon!
Capturing the moment for posterity. I’ve got my noise-cancelling headphones on and I’m listening to a specially curated playlist for this journey. I’m currently playing the soundtrack to “Midsommer” if you’re curious.
AND AWAY WE GO!
Shocking first fact from the very first page: “Carrie” is short for “Carietta”. I don’t know if that’s just for this character or if that’s generally what Carrie is short for. Guess I never thought about it before!
Another shock: Carrie in the book is described as “a chunky girl”… “stolidly a frog among swans”. That’s a far cry from the very spry Sissy Spacek in the film.
The book was published in 1974, yet the scientific journal that’s quoted throughout had stated: “as late as 1979, Carrie new nothing of the mature woman’s monthly cycle.” Why did SK feel the need to set this story years in the future (although ’79 is ancient history to us now)
One unexpectedly enjoyable aspect of reading a book in the 70s: It reminds you of once accepted cultural norms that are completely absent today. For example, being able to smoke indoors anywhere (like the principal’s office) and the existence of ashtrays.
“and then the country club when their income moved into five figures;”
Laughed out loud when I read this. “Moving” into five figures today – one would still be in poverty and not waltzing into some country club!
The first physical confrontation Carrie had with her mother was as compelling as anything I’ve read in a long time. You can see here where SK is at his strongest!
I’m really enjoying the backstory of Carrie’s mother, Margaret. That’s something they just couldn’t go into in the movie.
Day 2: Jan 2, 2022
Continuing to read Stephen King’s “Carrie”. Made it 1/3 of the way through yesterday.
“My Name is Susan Snell” by Susan Snell (New York: Simon & Schuster, 1986)
WHERE CAN I GET THIS BOOK? 😉
“token nubs” – That would make for a good indie/punk rock band name.
“Morton Cratzchbarken, in an admittedly sensationalized address to The National Colloquium on Psychic Phenomena last year…”
I’ve done a little bit of writing in the past and coming up with character names was the worst! But “Cratzchbarken”??? By all that’s holy in Scrabble…
Carrie exercised her telekinesis skill, sharpening and strengthening them at an extraordinary rate. Had the events of Prom Night not occured, would she have made a good member of the X-Men?
“With the TK phenomenon, the male appears to be the carrier.. the TK gene may be recessive in the female, but dominates only in the female.”
I really dug the impromptu genetics lesson in the middle of “Carrie”. I wonder how much time SK spent researching this to get it right.
“George Chizmar, Ewen’s most artistic student, had done a small chalk sketch…”
Prior to Richard Chizmar, I can’t say I’d come across the name “Chizmar” before. But here it is, in 1973, as a classmate of Carrie!
The greatest horror in “Carrie” was most certainly her mother, Margaret White. With her Pentecostal zealotry exacerbated by an obvious mental illness, it’s all too real.
When Tommy arrives to take Carrie to the prom:
“Finally, helpless, she said: ‘Do you like me?’”
What a beautifully captured moment of vulnerability!
OK – back to the book now. I’m at the part where Billy is staging the buckets of pig’s blood at the gym. Why SK spent so much time on the carpentry behind this task is beyond me. Why take such a dull activity and draw it out?
Carrie’s great-grandmother could light a fireplace just by looking at it? Oh – there’s a good prequel story to be had there, I’m sure. Perhaps a connection to “Firestarter”?
Day 3: Jan 3, 2022
Finishing off Stephen King’s “Carrie”. Picking up with the fateful Prom Night.
When the buckets of blood fell, I never could buy into the “everyone laughed” scene. King tried to explain it though various points of view, like the one student who found Carrie’s “Eddie Cantor eyes” hilarious. But I just couldn’t find their laughter as a realistic response.
Although I haven’t rewatched the movie yet, I believe Carrie stayed inside the gymnasium as she wrought destruction. That worked much better than in the book where I was surprised to read that Carrie fled initially and then destroyed the school from the outside.
“I never saw such a grin. It was like a death’s head.”
Carrie’s one of the most sympathetic characters ever written. When pushed over the edge I can understand the violence she exploded with. But this “grin” putting her in the “evil & enjoying it” category seems out of character
“it was as if God had switched the whole scene from 78 rpm to 33 1/3.”
What’s the cutoff age to be able to understand what this line is talking about? I’m 50 and 78 rpm was ancient history. But I at least had 45s & 33 1/3s in my collection.
“Q. What did Miss Snell do then?
A. She burst into tears. I slapped her.
Q. Why did you do that?
A. She seemed hysterical.”
I think this is the 3rd reference in the book of a female getting slapped due to being “hysterical”. Was that a common, accepted practice back then?
Literally the next page. There’s more slapping than in the Three Stooges!
“‘We can’t let ’em. Oh no. NoNoNo. We can’t. Carrie pulled all the plugs. Rhonda Simard burnt up. Oh Jeeeeeeeeeesuuuuuuuuusss-‘
Doyle slapped him twice, calloused palm cracking flatly on the boy’s face.”
“FIRE OFFICIAL SUMMONED TO THE SCENE SAID THE KNOWN TOTAL OF DEAD STOOD AT SIXTY-SEVEN. MOST OF THEM HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS. ASKED HOW HIGH THE TOTAL MIGHT GO HE SAID: ‘WE DON’T KNOW. WE’RE AFRAID TO GUESS. THIS IS GOING TO BE WORSE THAN THE COCONUT GROVE.’”
What I remember from Carrie the movie:
The school burns, a couple of cars damaged, Carrie’s house collapses.
What I’m reading in Carrie the book:
Destruction of the entire f’ing town of Chamberlain.
“It wasn’t until he came in that I smelled the whiskey on his breath. And he took me. Took me! With the stink of filthy roadhouse whiskey still on him he took me”
Don’t ya hate it when your parents recount the moment of your conception to you?
“Chris was on him in a second. ‘Billy what are we going to do that bitch Carrie oh my Lord what are we going to-‘
Billy slapped her,”
So. Much. Slapping.
The manner in which Margaret White died in the movie indeed was a necessary change from the book. It’s not very dramatic visually to portray one’s heart slowing and then pyschically stopping.
“From Slang Terms Explained: A Parents’ Guide, by John R. Coombs (New York: The Lighthouse Press, 1985), p. 73: to rip off a Carrie. To cause either violence or destruction; mayhem. confusion; (2) to commit arson”
🤣🤣🤣 I’m gonna use “rip off a Carrie” in conversation this week
…and that’s a wrap on the first book of my Stephen King journey! “Carrie” was certainly an enjoyable quick read. And now onto the many podcasts and movies surrounding this work!
Day 4: Jan 4, 2022
With the book behind me, now it’s time to hear what THEY, the podcast universe, has to say about it. First up, Derry Public Radio with “Carrie Pt.1 – ‘Hello, it’s Mr. Nasty.’”
p.s. Derry Public Radio has the FUNNIEST episode titles!
Who reads the stand unedited and uncut edition of The Stand as their first Stephen King novel? That’s like learning how to ski on a black diamond slopes in Aspen. And I know for that from experience.
I wonder how Carrie would read if you were to consolidate all of the standard narrative into the first half of the book followed by an addendum book that combines all of the fictional excerpts, newspaper clippings, interview transcripts, etc.
I laughed out loud to hear that I wasn’t the only one to observe how slap-happy “Carrie” was.
Thanks to this episode, I had to Google the “Carrie” phrase “ass-jabber” (what they called a “King-ism”) to see if it was used anywhere else outside of the King universe. Here is what I found:
Next up: Derry Public Radio’s 2nd episode on the book, “Carrie Pt.2 – ‘Raw Cob’”.
BTW, they did a GREAT job for a 1st episode! Sounded like seasoned professionals to my ears.
“I love Stephen King but boy he doesn’t know how humans talk sometimes.”
🤣🤣🤣
Carrie does make grunting sounds or other noises as often as she puts full sentences together, doesn’t she?
It dawned on me that the whole end plot of “Carrie” depended upon her winning as Prom Queen. The elaborate staging of the pig’s blood and a bucket and the pulley system attached to it? Why go through all that setup when it was unlikely that Carrie was going to win to begin with?
“Like a raw cobb through butter”
Oh yeah, that menu item will never appear on my dinner plate again.
Thanks, Stephen King. 🤮
Who was the genius that thought to do “band math” and noticed that the school band went from 56 members down to 40 after the incident, “proving that band members don’t get invited to the prom”? Harsh!
Thank you so much, Derry Public Radio, for spending 2 hours with me abt “Carrie”. I laughed out loud several times during your two episodes on this book & I’m having the time of my life. I’m definitely sticking you in my ear hole for every Stephen King book going forward!
Day 5: Jan 5, 2022
Today, I’m going to designate myself as an honorary Loser and join The Losers’ Club to hear their take on the book “Carrie” from their inaugural episode 5 years ago! I’ll be commenting below throughout the day as I listen.
Enjoyable to hear the excitement and enthusiasm from 2017 about “upcoming projects” like a new Dark Tower movie, a new Stephen King’s It movie, a new series for The Stand… Oh, such hopes and dreams!
I agree that “Carrie” is not a book about revenge, but rather a book about what happens when somebody is pushed to the brink and then finally snaps. An explosion built from a lifetime of horrible experiences. Much in common with “Falling Down”!
Tragedies & proms go hand in hand. True fact: My girlfriend broke up with me during our senior prom, leaving me for another guy. Would being doused with pig’s blood have been preferable? Perhaps.
Margaret White as a “stereotype of a frantic, shrill, fundamentalist”?
Perhaps it can be viewed like that today – but back in the early 70’s, was that a known stereotype? Could it be that Carrie’s mother created that stereotype for future works? 🤔
I also very much enjoyed the principal’s takedown of Chris’s father, the lawyer. It was foreshadowing the theme of standing up to bullies without, of course, the need to set them on fire or to electrocute them.
If l remember just one thing from this episode, it’s going to be the phrase “sweater nubbins”.
It’s amazing to think that “Carrie” was written when Stephen King was only in his twenties. Makes me realize I accomplished NOTHING during that same time period in my life!
I enjoyed the preview of the various movie adaptations and my curiosity for the made-for-TV version (by Bryan Fuller!) has been piqued!
Took me all day but I finally got through the 2+ hrs of The Losers’ Club‘s 1st ep about Carrie. Over the holiday, I listened to a few of their non-specific SK material eps (like the interview w/Thomas Jane). Really like this gang! Gonna be my constant companion for the next few yrs
Day 6: Jan 6, 2022
Two more podcasts today about the book “Carrie” before diving into the wonderful world of Carrie filmography.
First up: David Farrington with “David’s Den: Is ‘Carrie’ a feminist novel?”
“We were kids..”
Carrie (1974)
Yeah, kids who slaughtered pigs and set up elaborate schemes with buckets & pulley rigs. I don’t recall anyone in HS setting up Rube Goldberg devices to humiliate someone.
I had the exact same face as soon as I saw “Carrie was set 5 years in the future (from 1974) for absolutely no reason whatsoever.
It seemed to me that most of the “misogyny” in “Carrie” was conducted by female characters: Margaret White, the students of the high school (i.e. the locker room scene), the female gym teacher (initially).
“…what men fear about women and women’s sexuality”
I saw it “Carrie”‘s theme as
“…what women fear about other women and their own sexuality”
Men came across as little more than empty props that moved the plot along (with perhaps the exception of Tommy).
I really liked David’s exploring and tying together images and symbols from various ends of the book (opening and ending in blood, fire”men” being helpless to control the power of a woman, etc). I need to start looking for more depth in these works!
🤣🤣🤣
“I don’t how the f- to say her name. They changed it to Miss Collins in the movie!”
Thanks, David, for a thoughtful and entertaining session about “Carrie”.
And now on to the final podcast episode about the book with Chat Sematary before getting to the movies!
It’s so convenient that just about every podcast started with “Carrie”. Hearing first episodes makes me feel like I’m getting in on the ground floor.
But It’s highly INCONVENIENT that I didn’t think of this journey idea 3 – 4 years ago so that I wouldn’t be so behind the curve!
Interesting to learn that the name “Desjardin” appears again in Different Seasons “The Body”.
I am old enough to remember using typewriters, at least through high school. I can’t IMAGINE writing massive novels like “The Stand” on a typewriter, let some shorter ones like “Carrie”. I can’t fathom not having the ability to search & replace!
So Carrie goes on a rampage destroying the town: Ripping out infrastructure, fire hydrants, electrical lines, blowing up gas stations. I have to imagine those insurance claim forms must have been something to see!
Mentioning that Carrie died, going out on her own terms. As sure as I’m sitting here, I cannot for the life of me recall exactly how she died! I recall how her mother died, how every student in the gymnasium died, how people in the neighborhood died. But Carrie? 🤔
I wonder…, When Stephen King eventually makes a decision to hang it up and pen no more books, will he finish with a sequel to “Carrie” in some sort of beautiful symmetry?
“Carrie: A story about a girl with menstrual problems”
And that does it for Day 6. Two good podcasts to close out the book “Carrie”. I’ve got 7 out of 27 Carrie-related items completed and tomorrow begins the movies!
Day 254: Sep 11, 2022
***circling back***
Listening to Dark Tower Radio‘s review of the novel. The more I listen to them, the more I like! They’re unpolished and irreverent and haven’t found an episode yet I didn’t crack up during.
Day 998: Sep 24, 2024
**circling back**
To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the novel Carrie, The Losers’ Club released a 3.5 hour long episode with an all-female cast of hosts to analyze this monumental first novel!
Day 999: Sep 25, 2024
**circling back**
I enter into the second hour of The Losers’ Club 3.5-hour-long episode about the book Carrie!
Day 1000: Sep 26, 2024
**circling back**
Well, I hit my 1,000th day in this journey going back to the book that kicked it off. 🎉 🥳
I finished off this 3.5-hour-long The Losers’ Club episode about the book Carrie!
Day XXX: MMM DD, YYYY
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The 1976 Movie
Day 7: Jan 7, 2022
Time to watch the classic movie Carrie (1976)!
I saw this movie as a young kid kid (don’t ask about age-appropriate decisions my parents made). This was before I read ANY of SK’s works and I developed such a protective crush on her.
“Carrie” opens up with a slo-mo girls locker room scene with nude frolicking right out of Caligula.
Now, I went to high school in the 80’s and there was NEVER any nude hijinks in the guys locker room! Were we missing out?
As disturbing as the opening shower scene was, I was even more jarred by seeing the gym teacher SMOKING inside the principal’s office as they’re conversing. It’s underappreciated how major societal norms can change so quickly.
Well, we’re only 10 minutes into the film and it seems like Carrie is already in full control of her telekinetic powers: Flipping an ashtray, knocking a kid off the bike. Both seemed rather intentional. I liked the book approach better of gradual discovery & control.
😂😂😂
This is the single creepiest scene in the entire movie. What’s with the glowing eyes?
Did they go to high school until they were 27 back in the 70s?
When I saw “Carrie” as a 10-yr-old boy, this was my favorite scene for some reason. 🤔
Hey there, kids! This was Google before there was Google!
It’s jarring to see a superstar appear suddenly in a film of relative nobodies.
In addition to everybody smoking everywhere, I also forgot no one wore seat belts back in the 70s.
Billy: Wanna go out for some dinner?
Chris: Nah, not that hungry. I’ll just have some finger food.
At the risk of being gross, I had to observe that when Chris is going down on Billy in the car, she certainly repeats “Billy” over and over with crystal clear enunciation as we see her head bobbing up and down.
Don’t the studios have people on staff to catch these things?
If these two ever had a baby it would be… um, what’s whiter than an albino?
Carrie speaking up in class to say Tommy’s poem was “beautiful” was a beautiful piece of screenwriting that led to a level of believability when she asked why he would ever ask her to the prom.
“I don’t know… Maybe it’s because you like my poem.” 👌
Again – killing a pig to drain it of its blood, transporting, storing, and staging it… To what end? It’s not like anyone would know specifically that it was pig’s blood when dumped on Carrie. Seems like a lot of effort when they could’ve just grabbed ketchup, or mayo, or mud.
Following absolutely zero OSHA safety protocols.
What great framing!
For the love of all that’s musical – what instrument is playing in this song? A “cat strangulator”?
I blame Adam Sandler for making me laugh out loud during this scene.
Gotta admit, the prom scene (prior to all hell breaking loose) was very, very charming.
Why doesn’t this line ever work for me???
I had an ex-wife who would often give me a look like this.
Gruesome without being graphic.
Carrie creating chaos from inside the gym was MUCH more effective than in the book where she did it from the outside.
Thanks to budget constraints, the town was spared from Carrie’s wrath.
Thanks to budget constraints, the town was spared from Carrie’s wrath.
This reminds me of something… Can’t quite put my finger on it. Probably some obscure symbology hardly anyone’s seen before.
WAIT A MINUTE!!!
Look at the placement of the hands.
Look at the placement of the knives.
Whoa.
Hey Derry Public Radio… You were the only ones to share my observation at how much slapping there was in the book “Carrie”. As a treat, here’s a special “Slap Supercut” edition of the classic movie!
And that’s a wrap on my first attempt to live-tweet a Stephen King movie! I had a blast entertaining myself, even if I lost half my followers in the process.
Tomorrow, let’s hear what the King universe had to say about Carrie (1976)!
Day 8: Jan 8, 2022
Today’s adventure in Carrie-land will be with Filmsack as they dissect the 1976 film. If you’ve not heard these guys before, they do hilarious “sacks” about great, and not so great, movies throughout the decades.
I wondered how the book Carrie would read if all the narrative were combined at the beginning with the scientific exposition, interviews & newspaper clippings at the end. Just realized that the movie is exactly that without the other stuff. And you know what? I didn’t miss it!
Wait – that’s not “scary Jesus” after all? It’s actually St. Sebastian? Twelves years of Catholic school taught me NOTHING!
Definitely explains why he’s stuck all over. “Saint Sebastian… was an early Christian saint and martyr… killed during the Diocletianic Persecution of Christians. He was initially tied to a post or tree and shot with arrows”
“You know Norma is a tomboy because she always wears a baseball cap.” 😂
Anybody catch that she’s got that stupid cap on top of the space helmet hairdo machine?
Only at Filmsack can you take a movie like “Carrie” and turn it into a 30 minute discussion about “What happened to Denny’s?” 😂😂😂
The sped-up tuxedo shopping scene in “Carrie” reminded me of:
How did John Travolta not earn any awards delivering lines like this???
Yeah, that bucket does seem to be an endless supply of blood the way it keeps pouring behind Carrie.
Also, since that bucket is pouring to Carrie’s right, how did it launch all the way over to her left to knock Tommy out? 🤔
“Carrie: This is a period piece”
Oh, that’s just so damn brutal, Filmsack! Thanks for the 90 minutes of hilarious discussion about “Carrie”!
Next up is The Losers’ Club as they do a “Ka-mmentery Track” to the 1976 film “Carrie”. I’m not sure how this is going to work (for me, personally). Play the movie on my tablet, listen on my phone? Try some wizard-tech and line them up in my media player? Guess I’ll figure it out
Pro-tip: If you listed to podcasts in 1.2x speed (like I do), make sure to turn OFF the increased speed before listening to a commentary episode.
(btw, now that I’m listening to you at “normal” speed, you all sound high or drunk)
Drinking game rules for watching “Carrie”? Damn it! I’m at a moment where I have to be alcohol-free (more on that next week). But this would DEFINITELY be a move to play a drinking game to.
“I was not in a lot of women’s locker rooms but…”
Look, being in even just one is enough to get you locked up, fella!
Betty Buckley (the gym teacher Miss Collins) was the mom on “Eight is Enough”? Whoa.
“Evilness of the witch cape” – great way to describe Margaret White’s black outfit when she’s first introduced!
Can’t wrap my mind around the fact that Sissy Spacek was married when she filmed “Carrie”. Of all the students in the school, she was the one who most realistically looked like she belonged there!
Great catch to observe that the sewing machine in the house was of “WHITE Rotary” brand. Could be an interesting back story if there was a family relationship there!
I love it that at least one person in every podcast that covered the movie “Carrie” attempted a John Travolta impersonation. 😂
And… we’re now talking about “Supergirl” for over 5 minutes while commenting on “Carrie”.
The Carrie’s Prom band’s name: “Vance or Towers”
I mean, this is the ACTUAL name of the band, not a fictitious band name. They released some real music.
In the book, Carrie became prom queen because Tommy went ahead and voted for themselves in the runoff vote. Otherwise, all that pig’s blood setup would’ve been for naught. Movie makes more sense with Chris’s minions intercepting the ballots to force the results.
“I want powers so bad.”
I’m with you on that! I’m with you.
“Thank God they remade this twice.”
😂😂😂 Right? When you have a classic like “Carrie”, why do that?
When Carrie pulls her mother down from being impaled against the kitchen doorway, you can hear a plunger “THOWCK” sound as the mother’s left hand is yanked free.
And that ends this step in the Stephen King journey for today. I’m one of those weirdos who actually likes to listen to commentary tracks, so having The Losers’ Club do one for “Carrie” was fun!
Day 9: Jan 9, 2022
The discussion about Brian DePalma’s “Carrie” continues with Derry Public Radio: “Carrie Pt.3 – ‘Porky’s, but Everyone Dies.’”
(I told you they had the best episode title names!)
The opening “news bulletins” from Derry Public Radio are pure hilarious genius!
Announcing the new drink, the “Bloody Carrie”, was face-palm-worthy! 😂
“What a golden age for pubic hair”. OMG
I didn’t realize that the high school was renamed to “Bates High”, an obvious nod to “Psycho”, one of many references back to that film, including the knife stabs & the violin screeches.
The casting call for Carrie was shared with the casting call for “Star Wars: A New Hope”? Get outta here! Can you imagine Carrie Fisher as Carrie herself? Or John Travolta as Luke Skywalker?
(I intentionally DON’T read trivia ahead of time – much more fun to learn via podcasts!)
“I’m not trying to brag, but I’ve slow-danced before.”
😂😂😂
“Carrie: The Musical” was one of the biggest flops in theater history? There’s YouTube recording of this??? Oh my, I have to head over there and check that out.
How cool would it have been if “Carrie: The Musical” was an immersive experience, setting curtains in the theater on fire, having live wires sparking throughout the seats, dousing the audience in pig’s blood? I’d buy tickets for that!
The song lyrics of “Carrie: The Musical” are just so hilariously ludicrous, you would think it was produced by The Onion.
“Well, we rammed the gambit about Carrie”
Okay, that was the single funniest line of the entire episode!
And that concludes a great comedic romp through the film & musical versions of “Carrie”.
Next up will be The Losers’ Club with “Brian De Palma’s Carrie with Colleen Green”. I enjoyed their commentary track yesterday & look forward to a revisit of this film.
Interesting to learn that the audiobook of Carrie was narrated by Sissy Spacek.
I wonder what it would have sounded like had Piper Laurie (who played Carrie’s mother) narrated it using Margaret White’s voice?
“I didn’t go to prom. I went to go see X-Men 2 instead”.
You made the wiser choice, my friend.
In the movie “Knocked Up”, Seth Rogan and gang had the shower scene from Carrie playing in the background as they were doing “research” for their big web project, an unknowing clone of Mr Skin.
I literally just watched that movie again a few weeks ago and didn’t notice that!
The accents definitely were all over the place in this film. Definitely southern accent from Carrie and her mother sounded like a rich heiress. But I was picking up some New England accents, and even Long Island accents, especially in the scene at the hairdressers.
“This is the epitome of a burn-it-all-down type of story, and that’s my favorite thing.”
Wow. 😂 I think a professional counselor would find that statement very, very interesting!
“I hated her huge boobs.”
Referring to Margaret White hiding behind the door upon Carrie’s return to the house. 😂🍈🍈
That was an enjoyable episode! I learned a few more nuggets about the first “Carrie” movie that I hadn’t heard before.
Next up, is The Kingcast‘s episode: “Carrie with Karyn Kusama”. She’s the director of the pilot episode of Yellowjackets! 😲
How cool – both Karyn & I read “The Shining” as our introduction to Stephen King around the age of 11!
“He [Billy] is just a walking boner”
Hmmm… Gonna have to soak on that one! 😂
“Scary and funny maybe the most potent combination in all of cinema and that’s what Carrie is.”
– Karyn Kusama
“You’re making us think about shit now”.
Indeed, this was a more cerebral analysis of “Carrie”, but it was very much appreciated to hear the point of view of an experienced filmmaker like Karyn Kusama.
The story about a drunken Stephen King engaging with a woman on a plane who was reading “Carrie” was really funny.
Day 10: Jan 10, 2022
Keeping the journey going! Today, I start with David Farrington’s video: “Is ‘Carrie’ still relevant? (A review of the 1976 film)”. I’m going to go out on a limb and guess the answer is YES!
This was David’s first shot at a SK movie review, and while it’s rough around the edges, I actually enjoy seeing him keep in the outtakes, the bleeps, etc. Would much rather hear opinions from “real” people rather than from polished talking heads.
“Men are inherently afraid of women’s power” In my view, the women have ALL the power in this story. The power to bully, to torture, to guide, to console, to destroy… The men were either aloof (principal), dumb (Billy), or goofy (Tommy).
“Piper Laurie plays Margaret White, Carrie’s mother, with a religious zeal that would put to shame a Southern Baptist televangelist Bible preacher…”
Nope. Reporting here from the South. She would not only be considered “normal” for ’round here, she’d be elected to office.
I also really liked the swirling of the Tommy-Carrie dance at the prom. Some said it went on for too long, but I thought it was just perfect!
I agree that screenwriter Lawrence Cohen’s work on “Carrie” was really good. In fact, it improved on some awkward plot points from the book. Interesting to learn that he was also a writer on the 2013 remake! Has it ever happened where the same writer did both an orig & remake?
Thanks David for the whirlwind analysis of “Carrie” (1976)!
Now playing: Kingslingers with “Other Levels of the Tower – CARRIE (1976)”
I’m glad that I wasn’t alone in mistakenly thinking that was a “creepy Jesus” crucifix in Carrie’s prayer closet. Once again, for those in the back…
Great observation that telekinesis was not the central focus of “Carrie”. Carrie was about a bullied girl and her interactions with the people around her and the tk was only a side plot point.
Everybody makes the same observation about the Alfred Hitchcock “Psycho” screeching violin sound anytime Carrie uses her powers. But can you possibly imagine any other sound being used?
The LACK of sound during the Carrie eruption scene was louder than any tropey horror music they could have put in the background. It gave off the realism of a documentary crew filming the chaos.
I thought the jump scare scene at the end of “Carrie” was absolutely silly and unnecessary. Carrie was a sad tragic character and that scene reduced her to a Michael Myers or Freddy Krueger dead-but-not-dead level.
So it’s apocryphal that Tabitha King dug through the garbage, fished out the initial draft of “Carrie” and the rest is history.
I wonder if she made a daily habit of going through the garbage? How many things did she read & say, “Yeah, that’s shit” before throwing it back in?
So Sue Snell convinces her boyfriend Tommy to ask Carrie to the prom to soothe her own personal guilt. Fine.
But why didn’t Carrie ever ask Tommy about Sue? It was established that it was common knowledge the two of them were dating. But Carrie never even brought it up.
Day 11: Jan 11, 2022
The total immersion (or self-immolation) with “Carrie” continues today with The Kingcast‘s episode: “Carrie with Flula Borg”.
Who is Flula? Well, he was AWESOME in “Pitch Perfect 2”.
Flula is shot out of a cannon! Interesting to hear how other countries, like Germany, view Stephen King books, literature & lore.
“I would often eat my lunch in the bathroom stall.”
Well, you got to give Flula very high marks for efficiency!
You will never hear a more perfect 4-minute summary of “Carrie” than this! 😂😂😂
“Carrie” summary part 2.
“I think we’re going to assassinate a pig”
“Driving in LA… turns me into Carrie”
😂😂😂
I love this guy!
Flula Borg – I didn’t know your name when I woke up. Now you’re my favorite German!
Yes – a “Maximum Overdrive” episode with Flula Borg would be perfect!
Day 12: Jan 12, 2022
Wrapping up the deep-dive into the classic film Carrie (1976) today. First up is David Farrington’s 3rd entry on the Carrie topic, “Carrie vs. Carrie: An Adaptation Correlation”
Maybe he’s changed his approach since these early eps, but I don’t see ANY audience for “no spoilers” analysis of Stephen King works. If you’re watching these then you’re already a huge fan & know the story well. Can’t fathom viewers who haven’t read/watched material discussed.
I did think the Carrie’s childhood incident with the rocks falling would have been interesting to see on the screen, and I believe it is in one of the remakes later on.
But thematically, doesn’t that incident kinda go against the “TK powers with onset of menstruation” idea?
I agree that seeing an in-the-future scene with a White Commission hearing woud’ve been a great way to end the film. I would’ve enjoyed that 100x more than the lame jump-scare scene that’s there now.
In the library scene, are those titles of REAL books?
When Carrie’s principal kept calling here “Cassie” despite repeated corrections, didn’t anyone think he may have been suffering from an early onset of dementia? Everybody just piled up on him, poor guy.
Thanks for the Carrie film/book comparison, Daivd! Even this far into the journey of this story, you’ve managed to provoke new thoughts and observations.
Now onto the last step of the Carrie 1976 film discussion: Chat Sematary‘s take!
Day 255: Sep 12, 2022
*** Circling Back ***
Here’s The Kingcast with one of my favorite directors, Scott Derrickson.
Next up is Dark Tower Radio‘s coordinated attack on the movie Carrie with Please Rewind. Hearing what it might have sounded like to have John Travolta cast as Luke Skywalker is worth the price of admission.
While working through Firestarter, I came across a book called “Creepshows: The Illustrated Stephen King Movie Guide” that was published in 2001 covering every film & TV adaptation of King’s works up to that point.
I’m starting with the Mick Garris introduction and then onto to the pages covering some of those early movies I’ve already seen.
I know Mick Garris is something of a legend in the King world. I really thought his handling of The Stand in the 90’s was masterful. But The Mangler and the TV Series version of The Shining were low points for me in my journey so far.
There still a couple of adaptations of his that I still have to see: Sleepwalkers and Riding the Bullet come to mind. Oh, and Desperation too. So I’ll see if his legend is cemented in those works later on.
Now onto the “Creepshows” chapter about Brian DePalma’s “Carrie” from 1976.
Already, an interesting factoid: “Stephen Edwin King was born in 1947 on 21 September (the same date as Carrie White’s birthday”).
“A scene with Spacek playing Carrie at the age of six years old against an oversized set was perhaps wisely cut from the final print.”
What the heck? Wouldn’t it have been far less expensive to have just hired a child actor to play 6-year-old Carrie? I so want to see this scene now!
Makes me think of that kids TV show “Big Comfy Couch”.
Before I move on to the next novel in my journey, I’m circling back to consume some podcast episodes that have released covering books I’ve already completed.
Here’s Tower Junkies talking about the classic Carrie movie.
Day 820: Mar 30, 2024
Circling back to podcast episodes that have released covering books I’ve already completed:
Here’s The Year of the Underrated Stephen King who is over the moon about Carrie.
Day 1001: Sep 27, 2024
**circling back**
Despite not having power all day, I was still able to again enjoy King’s first novel as The Kingcast welcomed the star of the interesting indie sci-fi horror film, Monolith.
Day 1251: Jun 4, 2025
***circling back***
The Losers’ Club partnered with The Lady Killers to discuss the classic movie Carrie (1976). A lot of interesting takes in this episode!
Day 1252: Jun 5, 2025
***circling back***
Finished off this episode featuring a crossover between The Losers’ Club and The Lady Killers about Carrie (1976).
Day 1253: Jun 6, 2025
***circling back***
Two Guys to the Dark Tower Came had some comical takes on Carrie (1976).
Day 1362: Sep 23, 2025
***circling back***
Tuning into The Kingcast as they discuss Carrie with filmmaker Ami Canaan Mann
Film Remakes & Sequels
Day 13: Jan 13, 2022
And here, my Stephen King journey must come to a pause. I am donating a kidney today. I’ll be back once I’ve regained consciousness post-surgery!
Day 14: Jan 14, 2022
Surgery went well, and both the kidney recipient and I are recovering. I’m miserably uncomfortable, but it only improves from here!
Day 15: Jan 15, 2022
Recovery going well enough that I feel up to continuing my journey with the remake of the classic. Why did they feel a remake was necessary? Guess we’ll find out shortly!
First observation is that this remake is 2:12 in length. The original was a concise 1:38. That’s strike one!
Ah… the famous “rocks from the sky” scene. Well that’s interesting!
The shower scene was far less powerful than Sissy Spacek’s frantic rendition. It came across as powerful as an ABC after-school special.
Now THAT’s how you launch a little snot on a bike. How many times did Carrie slam him into a tree? 😂
Sue Snell being interviewed by the investigator, supposedly after the tragic events of prom night, doesn’t seem to be too shaken up by it!
This was like 90% of the movie… Oh the suspense and tension one can build by staring at a hairbrush!
“Dude… Ain’t this a lot of work for a joke?”
EXACTLY!
Whoever is playing Billy Nolan is doing a terrible Jack Nicholson impersonation
Gym teachers where *I* came from NEVER looked like Gal Godot.
Controversial hot take: I actually like this version of Tommy better. I thought the original curly-haired version was a bit too air-headed & dopey.
It was right around this moment that the special effects crew ran out of budget.
It was right around this moment that the special effects crew ran out of budget.
They literally portrayed this as a Mortal Kombat finishing move!
In the final analysis, Carrie (2002) was unnecessary, unwanted, and uninteresting.
Day 16: Jan 16, 2022
Recovering well from surgery! Now, let’s see who out there is talking about the horrible made-for-TV film Carrie (2002). Apparently, only Chat Sematary had the courage (and free time) to comment on this.
Angela Bettis was 28 when playing the titular role? Wow – she had a very authentic high school look.
According to IMDB trivia:
“…initially considered too short to be aired on television and fit the allotted time schedule, so the filmmakers were forced to shoot extra scenes to pad out the run time, dragging the film’s length to 132 minutes.”
Yeah, you could feel the padding.
Day 1426: Nov 26, 2025
***circling back***
The Losers’ Club takes on the miserable 2002 made-for-TV remake of Carrie.
Day 1427: Nov 27, 2025
***circling back***
Finishing off this episode from The Losers’ Club about the 2002 made-for-TV remake of Carrie.
Day 17: Jan 17, 2022
Watching the 2nd attempt of a remake of the film “Carrie”. Will a better known cast and bringing back the original screenwriter produce better results? We shall see!
Already you can see the improvement in production quality and in the acting. The opening credits scene depicting Carrie’s birth was quite powerful.
They cast Carrie with a supermodel. Is this gonna be a problem?
And no loud screeching noise to indicate that Carrie is using her powers. I found that to be an improvement.
Chloë Grace Moretz may not fit the physical characteristics of Carrie White as described in the book, but she certainly does act the part of social outcast very well!
And Julian Moore’s rendition of Margaret White, who is clearly suffering from mental illness expressed through religious zealotry and self-harm, is very note-worthy!
Oh yeah – I’m liking this.
I wonder how many takes, how many test-runs of pouring blood on her head, it took to achieve the desired outcome?
The final prom catastrophe scene was definitely far more brutal than even the original classic.
This version of Carrie has some truly memorable images!
My final opinion of Carrie (2013): It was a superior film to the 1976 classic in nearly every way, even with Sissy Spacek giving a better performance than Chloë Grace Moretz (who did a fine job). Had it been the only film rendition, it’d be ranked high in the King pantheon.
Very rarely does the remake of an historic film get recognized on its own merits. You can’t just do the movie better – there has to be a *reason* for the remake. A completely new take on the story. That didn’t happen here & thus it didn’t get the recognition I think it deserves.
Next up is Chat Sematary, who again was the only one with a take on this Carrie remake. Will they share the similar opinions I had about this version? I doubt it, but we’ll see!
While I agree that there was “no need” for this remake, to just shrug your shoulders and say that it’s just “not bad” is doing it an injustice. Is it possible to find someone who’s read the book & NOT seen any of the movies to get an unbiased review? (would exclude me, of course)
There’s a valid point that perhaps Carrie in the 2013 film remake has *too* many powers. BUT… even in the book, she showed abilities beyond telekinesis, like psychically connecting with Sue Snell at the end to read her mind.
Wow – highly disagree that the special effects in the 2013 version were inferior to the original. The “tsunami” of kids in the gym that wiped them all backwards was great! And the snaking electrical cables were so much better than the laughable firehose dragon from 1976.
What? An episode of “Riverdale” where they do “Carrie: The Musical”? I don’t know the first thing about “Riverdale” but I may have to check that out.
And what’s that about a Broadway play version of “Misery” with Bruce Willis and Laurie Metcalf??? 🤯
Day 18: Jan 18, 2022
Today, I take on the last film in the Carrie sequence: The direct sequel to the 1976 original, “The Rage: Carrie 2”. How do you make a sequel abt a character that was clearly killed off in the original? Freddy? Jason? Michael Myers?
Well, we can rule out any part of the film’s budget going into the movie titles.
And true to form, the film opens with a SLAP!
I have to admit, it’s refreshing after all these days to take on a FRESH story whose plot is completely unknown to me. I’ve been circling the same Carrie storyline for almost 3 weeks with all the remakes, so even if The Rage: Carrie 2 is bad, it’ll at least be different!
I think I’ve got the vibe of this film now. It’s Dawson’s Creek with telekinesis.
Susan Snell: “Your mom is at Arkham for schizophrenia?”
Oh, we’re in the HP Lovecraft shared universe now?
The abundance of man-ass in this film more than offsets Brian DePalma’s opening shower scene.
The flashbacks pulling in clips of the original “Carrie” are annoying and jarringly come out of nowhere.
Where did the 70’s porn music come from?
No, they didn’t just pull in the “They’re all gonna laugh at you” soundbite into this, did they? 🙄
Poor Sue Snell just wanted to help but instead she’s got something on her mind.
A sentiment shared by by anyone who watched “The Rage: Carrie 2”.
OK – that was just the worst film I’ve seen in years! But I committed from the outset to see it all: The good, the bad, and the f’ing ugly. Tomorrow, I hope the fun personalities out there in podcastland can give me a laugh or two out of this ordeal I just went through!
Day 1428: Nov 28, 2025
***circling back***
Tower Junkies took some time to evaluate the 2013 2nd remake of the classic Carrie.
Day 19: Jan 19, 2022
I revisit the nightmare (and not in a good way) of yesterday’s movie with The Losers’ Club & “Lobstrosities – The Rage: Carrie 2”. Their conversation about the movie lasted longer than the movie itself! What could they possibly have to say?
When I watch a movie for the first time, I intentionally stay away from IMDB trivia or do any other research so I can experience it with fresh eyes. So to learn that “The Rage: Carrie 2” was inspired by a specific true story in CA would have given it more weight than it deserved.
How did Rachel’s “magical vines tattoo” make it through the writing room process? It must’ve been one huge writer’s block “fuck-it” moment for THAT to make it into the script!
Didn’t realize that Zachery Ty Bryan was the jock who precipitated the events in the film and was also one of the kids in Home Improvement. Seems like a nice enough guy.
I think there’s a good story to be explored about Ralph White, the man responsible for Carrie’s & Rachel’s powers. Imagine this: Ralph often donated to the local sperm bank for booze money leading to 1000s of TK-enabled children all over the country destroying high schools. 🤔
The Losers were way too kind The Rage: Carrie 2. Even in the context of toxic masculinity, this film fumbled its way through that topic in a more awkward than accurate manner. I’d recommend this film only if I were seeking revenge on someone myself!
Day 20: Jan 20, 2022
Getting close to the end of the first milestone in this journey! Today, I start by ending the pain of the terrible movie sequel with Chat Sematary‘s take on “The Rage: Carrie 2”.
Retrofitting a screenplay to an existing intellectual property in order to to boost recognition & interest is quite common. See what they did with half the Hellraiser franchise? I think one of them was a teen rom-com with Pinhead thrown in the middle & called it a Hellraiser film
Slaughter by CDs was not an innovation of The Rage: Carrie 2.
Hellraiser 3 did it in style seven years earlier!
Day 21: Jan 21, 2022
Today’s exploration is with Stephen King Podcast and “The Other Carries” (as if ONE wasn’t enough!)
It’s fun to listen to these older podcast episodes and hear their excitement for “upcoming” items that are now considered old history. The two hosts in this episode are generating buzz for “Bazaar of Bad Dreams” 😀
First they covered the 2002 made-for-TV remake of “Carrie”. They came to the same conclusion: “Meh”
It is weird that the powers-that-be would package the 2002 remake with the 1999 direct sequel to the original film.
Ranking the 2002 remake over the 2013 one??? That’s crazy!
I appreciated Stephen King Podcast for bringing this article to my attention. Cool facts about “Carrie” abound!
Day 375: Jan 10, 2023
Tonight, I start with what will most certainly be a hilarious commentary of the classic film “The Rage: Carrie 2” with The Kingcast!
I first watch “The Rage: Carrie 2” back on Day 18. You can see my original comments as well as stills & clips from the movie to see for yourself if you want to watch this!
These Kingcast commentaries on the bottom shelf selections of King-related films.
It’s like a group therapy session to help get you through them!
But then sometimes, they do veer waaaaaay off track and spend 10 minutes discussing mayonnaise, like they did here.
It’s always a danger when you’re asked to comment on a movie as uncompelling as “The Rage: Carrie 2”.
Day 376: Jan 11, 2023
Tonight, I’m watching the second half of “The Rage: Carrie 2” with The Kingcast providing commentary.
You know it’s going well when one of the hosts says, “I’m checking my email because I’m watching ‘The Rage: Carrie 2′”. 😂
Day 453: Mar 29, 2023
***circling back***
The Kingcast talked with cinema journalist BJ Colangelo about what #Carrie adaptations always get wrong.
It boils down to this one statement:
“One of the things we wanted to talk about is, ‘Where the fuck is fat Carrie?’”
They teased a future episode to be titled, “In Appreciation of Margaret White”.
Ooooookaaaaayyyyy.
Day 563: Jul 17, 2023
***circling back***
Now reading the “Creepshows” chapter about “The Rage: Carrie 2”.
Fun facts:
✅ This was originally going to be titled, “Carrie: Say You’re Sorry”
✅ The star was quoted as saying, “My character is named Rachel, not Carrie, but she does have a genetic link… The way it ties in to the original plot makes sense; it’s not like some unbelievable bullshit sequel.”
Spoiler: It indeed was like some unbelievable bullshit sequel.
Day 1363: Sep 24, 2025
Enjoyed this episode from Tower Junkies where they absolutely tore into the made-for-TV remake of “Carrie”.
The Musical
Day 22: Jan 22, 2022
This last sprint towards the end of my “Carrie” journey is a deep dive into “Carrie: The Musical” – something I’d never heard of before until recently! Before I listen to the pundits, I’m gonna watch it for myself.
So I’m apparently watching one of the better productions of the musical in Seattle and not one from the disastrous initial run of 1988 in NYC. That’s fine. As much as I like a good dumpster fire, this will at give me a good foundation for the many podcast discussions to come.
Confession from the outset: I *LOATHE* musicals. It’s just not my thing. I like plays – but I find singing, dancing, & music to be annoying distractions to a given story. I’ve watched ’em all: Les Mis, Godspell, etc. I’ll admire all the talent & effort – just not my cup o’ tea.
Nope, not my thing at all. I’m already ready for this to be over. But, slog through it I will!
There is absolutely NO WAY this scene can be done properly on a stage without it being cringeworthy.
The “Greek chorus” of the gospel radio choir playing off of Margaret White is an interesting take.
🎶
I… swear…
There’s…
A dick in every class…
🎶
How did Carrie: The Musical NOT win all of the Tony’s?
Are those microphones draped over their foreheads? Is that normal for musicals? I’ve never seen that before!
OK – my mind is completely wandering during this performance. I’ve been multi-tasking paying bills, checking social media, going through emails. There is absolutely nothing compelling about Carrie: The Musical, even with talented performers.
🎶And on that farm we killed a pig🎶
OMG – the rumors were true about this lyric!
Somebody spilled ketchup on Carrie.
Finally, done with watching “Carrie: The Musical”. In retrospect, watching a “good” performance of this made the experience worse as it highlighted how bland the music, lyrics and material were.
Had I watched a campier production, it would’ve at least had an “Attack of the Killer Tomatoes” so-bad-it-was-compelling vibe to it. But no, nothing was compelling here.
Day 23: Jan 23, 2022
Rinsing out the bitter taste that “Carrie: The Musical” left with me yesterday with The Kingcast‘s episode “CARRIE: THE MUSICAL (with Reyna Cervantes)”.
They watched the exact same 2012 production on YouTube that I saw yesterday. It was a scaled-down production, attempting to relaunch the disastrous 1980’s failed Broadway version.
But I hear the original one was a HUGE production, massive sets & effects. Wish I could see that!
“The Shining” was interpreted as an opera???!!!
🤯🤯🤯
I was half-considering tracking down the Riverdale episode that had ties to “Carrie: The Musical”. Based on their description of it, I think I’ll give that a pass.
Next up: The Kingcast and “‘The CARRIEs’, with Katie Walsh”
As soon as the guest stated she “really liked The Rage: Carrie 2” after spending 20 minutes trashing Carrie (2013)…
Day 24: Jan 24, 2022
I spend the final leg of the “Carrie” journey with Out for Blood Podcast and their epic series “The Story of Carrie the Musical”. The fact that this is a 10-part series with 3 bonus episodes is fascinating! Here’s Ep 1:
Lot’s of fun facts in this first episode! First, Annie Golden (who played Norma in Orange is the New Black) was the FIRST Carrie, taking on that role at the very beginning when the musical was just being workshopped.
Lawrence D. Cohen (screenwriter for 1976’s Carrie film)
+
Michael Gore (1980’s “Fame”)
+
Dean Pitchford (“Footloose”)
=====================
Carrie: The Musical How could this possibly fail?
Day 25: Jan 25, 2022
I’m finding the deep-dive into “Carrie: The Musical” more fascinating than I anticipated. Onto Episode 2 today!
Who tries out for the role of mean-girl Christine when you’re a born-again Christian and are uncomfortable cursing?
Now onto Episode 3 where the cast starts to turn against the crew. Juicy!
“I haven’t been on Broadway in 18 years, and I’m coming back for this piece of shit?”
– Barbara Cook
😂😂😂
OMG – the critics reviews are hilarious!
Day 26: Jan 26, 2022
Putting “Carrie: The Musical” on pause today because The Kingcast just dropped a bomb with “The Rage: Carrie 2 with Michael Kennedy”. So now I have to circle back and relive that nightmare of a movie!
Oh, no. This is definitely NOT a “middle-of-the-road” movie – unless this is the road.
“There is a noticeable lack in spear-gunned testicles in ‘Promising Young Woman’.”
😂😂😂
OK – with that unpleasant memory behind me, it’s back to Out for Blood Podcast & their “Carrie: The Musical” docuseries and “Chapter 4: Broadway: They’ll make fun of you, they will break your heart”
“A gas pipe was installed the length of the stage to enable 30 ft flames to leap high into the air at pivotal moments”
Carrie: The Musical
Stephen King himself was in attendance at opening night of “Carrie: The Musical” in the US? I wonder what he thought *during* the performance?
Andrew Lloyd Webber was asked about his opinion after watching the opening performance of “Carrie: The Musical”.
“I’d rather not say.”
Day 27: Jan 27, 2022
Who knew one could be so submerged in a single Stephen King work for an entire month? Heading into the final stretch on “Carrie” with this great documentary about “Carrie: The Musical”.
Urban legend (based in truth?) regarding “Carrie: The Musical”:
“We want it be like Grease!”
“Got it, make it like Greece. Get the robes & togas!”
Fun fact: The word “telekinesis” isn’t mentioned once during “Carrie: The Musical”.
Huh?
Day 28: Jan 28, 2022
The history of the Broadway Musical Mega-flop “Carrie: The Musical” continues with the best-titled episode of the Out for Blood Podcast series: “Chapter 6: Act Two: Sh*t! Look at all these pigs!”
I’m feeling anxiety just hearing that the practical rendition of the most iconic scene – the pouring of pig’s blood on Carrie – still hadn’t been figured out by opening night of “Carrie: The Musical”. 😬😬😬
Day 29: Jan 29, 2022
Fascinating to hear about the underground bootleg world of “Carrie: The Musical”, including an outright theft of a VHS tape from the archives of the Royal Shakespeare Company.
With an almost zombie-like, back-from-the-dead story of its own, “Carrie: The Musical” came back to life in scaled-down amateur productions – with great enthusiasm!
More details about the modern remake of “Carrie: The Musical” back in the UK.
Chapter 9 covered the special episode of the hit show “Riverdale” about “Carrie: The Musical”. I don’t know that show and don’t plan to, but if you’re interested in learning more about it:
The end of the Out for Blood Podcast series on “Carrie: The Musical” takes a look at its historical significance, its place among other Broadway “flops”, and who was actually to blame for its failure!
Day 30: Jan 30, 2022
The final day of the Carrie step in my journey! I spend it with the bonus episodes of Out for Blood Podcast‘s amazing series about “Carrie: The Musical”. First up is a cacophony of Carries – all the actresses who played the titular role!
Next up is a lengthy hodgepodge of stories that only came to light after the podcast series ended. Here, we learn there was initially an animatronic pig that was part of the performance! 🤯🐷
OMG
The last footstep in is front of me. Thank you, Out for Blood Podcast, for providing a completely unexpected & enjoyable ride. You may not have converted me to a theater fan, but I’ve come to appreciate the passion, creativity & hard work from those involved!
Carrie: Final thoughts
==================
43 pieces of media consumed
55 hours spent on this step of the journey
Ranks #1 of the books read so far (in fairness, it’s the ONLY book)
✔️I liked the 2013 movie remake better than anyone else, apparently
✔️”Keep yer tits on” is the best line of the whole bunch
✔️There’s absolutely ZERO reason for any of those remakes after the DePalma film
✔️I’m not a theater nerd & 13 hrs of “Carrie: The Musical” solidified that
✔️”Carrie” is short for “Carietta”
✔️It’s a law of physics that a single bucket of pig’s blood can actually hold 5 buckets worth of pig’s blood
✔️The 70’s were a really slap-happy time
✔️”The Rage: Carrie 2″ owes me an apology
The award for best non-book item goes to The Kingcast‘s “Carrie with Flula Borg” which had, hands-down, the funniest moments of the entire 55-hours I spent on this book. You definitely will WANT to listen to this.
As much as I enjoyed the podcasts, remakes, and related movie, the highlight was READING the book itself. I got impatient towards the end in wanting to move onto the next book (‘Salem’s Lot) – but a journey requires discipline. Now I get to savor the next step, starting tomorrow!
Day 256: Sep 13, 2022
*** circling back ***
I conclude revisiting Carrie with The Kingcast and Joe Iconis as they cover that bizarre entry known as “Carrie: The Musical”.
Day 377: Jan 12, 2023
Did you know “Carrie: The Musical” was a thing? It was a surreal thing to learn about and even stranger to witness.
Two Guys to the Dark Tower Came offer their review of “Carrie: The Musical”.
Day 563: Jul 17, 2023
***circling back***
Finally, for today, I’m listening to a recently published episode of The Losers’ Club about Carrie: The Musical. Guest Chris Adams was responsible for the 10-episode podcast series called “Out for Blood” which did the most thorough analysis of the history of this musical. Check out my website for links – I highly recommend it!
Additional Material
Stuff discovered or released after this step in the journey was completed.
Day 62: Mar 3, 2022
One of the realistic aspects of my sequential journey through the books is that new material gets published (or discovered) after I’ve already completed a work. So how to deal with that?
I think I will wait until I’m done with whatever book I’m working on and then circle back to clean up on anything that’s come up for previously completed books. In this case, I recently stumbled across Stephen King Cast‘s amazing book analyses.
So today, I’ll be circling back to the world of “Carrie” with a few of Stephen King Cast‘s episodes on the subject, starting with:
The idea of Sue Snell as an “untrustworthy” narrator is interesting. Why indeed would she concoct a wild plot to alleviate her guilt by getting her bf to ask Carrie to the prom instead of just befriending Carrie herself? Then again, when is logic a core characteristic of teens?
I, for one, enjoyed the “The… End?” epilogue of Carrie. Based on the emails sent into Stephen King Cast about the book’s ending, I must be in the minority!
I’m revisiting Carrie w/ some new material I’ve uncovered while progressing through ‘Salem’s Lot. I appreciate Stephen King Cast‘s balanced comparison btwn Brian DePalma’s 1976 Carrie film with the 2013 remake (which I quite liked!)
Finally, I read Zach Dionne’s detailed research on the Brian DePalma interpretation of Carrie. If you’re not reading “Streamin’ King“, you need to!
“Among the teenagers is John Travolta in his first big film role, after a small part in a movie about Satanists.”
Huh – I think I *need* to watch this film!
“John Travolta’s sudden appearance a half-hour in is truly wild, Billy Nolan crushing a PBR while driving and hatefully smacking his girlfriend, who repays him with a beej.”
😂😂😂
Why did that technique never work for me in high school!
Day 696: Nov 27, 2023
Before I move on to the doors of The Drawing of the Three, I need to circle back to the books I’ve completed already and clear out a backlog of podcast episodes that accumulated while working through The Gunslinger.
So let’s go back to the beginning with Tower Junkies!
This is the book where every podcaster learns how to use the word “epistolary”. 😂
Day 697: Nov 28, 2023
Staying with King’s first published novel for another day, here’s Just King Things – a podcast whose hosts are also working through all of the works sequentially by publication date.
I wish I knew about them when I first began!
