Whenever there is a great movie, it is only logical that the movie gets remade 30 years later, and it is usually a disaster. Case in point, “The Great Gatsby.” It is a great idea with excellent actors on paper, but horrible execution. However, I am not sure that theory rings true with the latest remake of “Carrie.”
The film was originally made in 1976 and starred Sissy Spacek as Carrie. The movie had critics raving.
The latest remake stars Chloe Grace Moretz as Carrie and has received mostly negative reviews.
I saw the 2013 version over the weekend, and honestly, it was laughable. But, I had nothing to compare it to, seeing as I still hadn’t seen the original version. When I got back, I checked Netflix and I was in luck. I decided to dedicate the next hour and a half of my time to watching the original so I could get a better idea of why the old one was so great.
However, after watching it, I was confused. Not only was I not completely blown away, like I assumed I would be, I was also rethinking how much I actually liked the remake.
There were parts of both movies that I really liked and other parts, not so much.
In this year’s version, I thought Moretz’s Carrie was more believeable in that she wanted to be liked, that she wanted to be normal. She was just a teenager trying to fit in. But Spacek’s Carrie in the 1976 version was a lot more creepy. During the prom scene where the character goes crazy, it is so much more creepy and eerie than it is in the new version.
The mothers in the 2013 version and the 1976 version, played by Julianne Moore and Piper Laurie, respectively, were equal parts creepy. Both did an excellent job in the role.
In the 2013 version, the prom scene used modern-day technology and special effects that will cause the viewers to cover their eyes during the drawn-out, gory scene.
Although the scene from the ’70s was not as impressive, I can assume it was just as creepy to the average viewer in 1976.
However, the original takes the cake with the ending of the movie, being as it was the only time I jumped during the duration of both films. In the 2013 version, it seems like your typical Hollywood ending with a hint for a sequel.
The new movie obviously took some creative liberties to modernize the eerie tale, and in doing so, it created some great, and also, not-so-great, scenes.
Overall, both of the movies were well made and well directed. Needless to say, it was a night well spent.
Story by Savannah Sawyer, Features Editor
