Product Details

• Actors: Angela Bettis, Patricia Clarkson, Rena Sofer, Kandyse McClure, Emilie de Ravin
• Directors: David Carson
• Writers: Bryan Fuller, Stephen King
• Producers: David Carson, Ben Brafman, Bryan Fuller, David Livingston, John Watson
• Format: Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, DVD, Full Screen, Subtitled, NTSC
• Language: English (Dolby Digital 5.1)
• Subtitles: English, Spanish, French
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rating: Unrated
• Studio: MGM (Video & DVD)
• DVD Release Date: August 12, 2003
• Run Time: 132 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 3.4 out of 5 stars See all reviews (51 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B00009QG7O
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #43,704 in Movies & TV (See Bestsellers in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
Nobody would argue with the thought that Sissy Spacek is the perfect heroine of Stephen King's scary tale of teenage telekinesis. But in a pinch, Angela Bettis, the star of this 2002 TV remake, fills Spacek's bloody shoes very well. Bettis--who expertly plays a similar role in the indie horror pic May--gets all the loner pathos of poor Carrie White, equally tormented by her cool classmates and her religious-fanatic mom (Patricia Clarkson). Her transformation from doormat to vengeful prom queen remains surefire wish fulfillment for anyone who ever felt a misfit in high school. Despite Bettis's intensity, it's difficult to justify remaking Carrie when Brian De Palma's 1976 version is enshrined as a classic of its kind (especially given the pedestrian TV-movie production values on display here). This one delivers its jolts, but when you could just as easily spend time with Spacek and De Palma, why bother? --Robert Horton

Product Description
Everyone has a breaking point. Pray that Carrie White doesn't reach hers. Angela Bettis (Girl, Interrupted) stars in this bone-chilling update of Stephen King's legendary tale of horror and retribution, featuring eye-popping special effects and a shocking, all-new twist ending! Carrie White (Bettis) is a lonely, awkward teenage girl who just doesn't fit in. At school, she endures her classmates' constant ridicule, and at home she suffers endless psychological torture at the hands of her fanatically religious mother (Patricia Clarkson, "Six Feet Under"). But Carrie has a secret. She's been cursed with the terrifying power of telekinesis. And when her tormentors commit an act of unforgivably cruel humiliation at the prom, they'll soon learn a deadly lesson: If you mess with fire, you will get burned!

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Remember, This is an adaptation of the original novel, March 21, 2004

By	Joseph Cruz Cota "interface242" (Rowland Heights, CA United States) - See all my reviews

This is in response to some of the previous reviews for this film. One should realize that this is an adaptation of Stephen King's original novel. It is not a remake of Brian de Palma's 1976 movie. If you read the novel and then compare with this telefilm you will find that it is one of the most faithful transfers from book to film. Just wanted to wake some people. Also, Angela Bettis's performance doesn't surpass Sissy Spacek's but it isn't any less in my humble opinion, kudos to her portrayal of Carrie and to the rest of the cast and crew. A truly accurate portrayal of high school life.

11 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Stephen King vindicated...sort of, July 21, 2004

By	Trixie "cupcakejones" (Ohio) - See all my reviews

I can't remember what came first-I either read Carrie or saw the Sissy Spacek original. I was really disappointed in the movie. Apparently DePalma et al ran out of money and goodbye last third of the book. But the end was also kind of silly. Hands sprouting from the grave-so overdone.

Stephen King has sat through years of mediocre adaptations of his movies. This has been corrected the last few years with the TV remake. And this film was an especially good candidate.

First the good parts. Angela Bettis (you may recall her as Kim Basinger's junkie sister from Bless the Child) is fantastic as Carrie. I like Sissy Spacek but she never really grabbed me in that part. Bettis really conveys Carrie's intelligence and promise while also projecting how close she is to snapping after years of torment. She really makes the movie the sympathetic tragedy that King intended. Ditto for Rena Sofer as the gym teacher who befriends her and Patricia Clarkson as her religious hysteric mother. Clarkson wisely underplays the role rather than re-launching Piper Laurie-style hysterics. This adaptation is much closer to the plot and spirit of the book.

What's not so good is....daggone it, they changed the ending again. I won't spoil anything so enough said. See which one you prefer. Sue Snell is not as sympathetic as she was in the book. I can't tell if that is because Kandyse McClure is miscast or the way the part was written. A little of both I think. Ditto for Emilie de Ravin as Carrie' chief tormenter, Chris Jorgenson. She was bitchy and unlikable but I didn't get the sense she was capable of the stunt she pulls. Many of the special effects are obviously digital-certainly films with far higher budgets have had this problem (The Hulk, we're looking in your direction.) It's a USA TV movie though so good job all things considered.

The plot is updated well (with references to Freddie Prinze and the internet.) If you enjoyed the book and are curious, this is worth a rental. You won't be disappointed over all. If you just loved the book more than life, maybe you should buy this.

10 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Worthy Successor to Creepy Classic!, October 21, 2004

By	Nelson Aspen "Author/Journalist" (Los Angeles, CA USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)

Angela Bettis is GREAT! I mistakenly purchased this, thinking it was the Sissy Spacek version and decided to watch it because of the marvelous Patricia Clarkson. What a great, updated version of the Stephen King novel...lovingly yet innovatively produced with great performances, special effects and direction.

A bit overlong (it was a TV miniseries), but wonderfully executed. The ending was not as satisfying as the original, but it remains a great story of terror and vengeance, well worth watching.