Remaking Brian De Palma's adaptation of Stephen King's Carrie is a weird one to me. I'm not sure where director Kimberly Peirce is going to take things to make it seem like a worthwhile venture. It's still a girl in high school (Chloe Moretz) with psychic powers and a wacko mother (Julianne Moore). I guess she could have a cell phone now, but when Entertainment Weekly delivered the first images from the film and says it will be a "modernized, more character-focused adaptation" than the previous one I'm not sure how much that really tells us.
Clearly from the images we're going to get another prom night drenching, though Carrie, this time, appears to be outside and not on stage at prom, but other than that we're talking about the same thing once again.
Both Piper Laurie and Sissy Spacek, playing mom and daughter, were nominated for Oscars for their performances in De Palma's 1976 film, which is to wonder just what exactly there is to improve on. Then again, seeing this as a Screen Gems release tells me to make sure my expectations don't get too high even though I'm a fan of Peirce's work.
The film is set for a March 15, 2013 release so we'll learn more then. Here's the official synopsis followed by the first two pictures and comparisons to the originals via Entertainment Weekly:
The quiet suburb of Chamberlain, Maine is home to the deeply religious and conservative Margaret White (Moore) and her daughter Carrie (Moretz). Carrie is a sweet but meek outcast whom Margaret has sheltered from society. Gym teacher Miss Desjardin (Judy Greer) tries in vain to protect Carrie from local mean girls led by the popular and haughty Chris Hargenson (Portia Doubleday, Youth in Revolt), but only Chris' best friend, Sue Snell (Gabriella Wilde, The Three Musketeers), regrets their actions. In an effort to make amends, Sue asks her boyfriend, high school heartthrob Tommy Ross (newcomer Ansel Elgort), to take Carrie to prom. Pushed to the limit by her peers at the dance, Carrie unleashes telekinetic havoc.
Photo: Screen Gems / United Artists
Photo: Screen Gems / United Artists
Interactive Map: Tour the 2013 Cannes Film Festival
'Before Midnight' (2013) Movie Review
'All is Lost' (2013) Movie Review - Cannes Film Festival
'Ain't Them Bodies Saints' Trailer, Clip and Poster
Entertainment One Grabs Distribution Rights for 'Diana' Starring Naomi Watts
Tom Cruise Drops Out of 'The Man from U.N.C.L.E.'
'The Immigrant' (2013) Movie Review - Cannes Film Festival
'Michael Kohlhaas' (2013) Movie Review - Cannes Film Festival
DVD Deal: Now is the Time To Pick up 'The West Wing' Complete Collection
'Fast & Furious 6' and 'Hangover 3' Target Biggest Box-Office Weekend in History
I don't really see the point in this one either. De Palma's Carrie is very good as it is. There was actually another version of Carrie that was made for TV, I believe...
I think that Moretz is very young to play Carrie. They should have cast Haley Bennett, Dakota Fanning or Shailene Woodley. What I am really looking forward to is to see Julianne Moore's performance.
I suppose Kimberly Peirce will focus more on the bullying of Carrie. And maybe the Carrie-and-her-mom relationship will be more dramatic and less horrifying. Maybe the focus will be on the drama, and not on the horror.
I mean, that's the only thing I can imagine that can be different from the original - which is a masterpiece of filmmaking.
Have any of you read the book? This isn't a remake... it's like Charlie and the Chocolate Factory where they're sticking much closer to the book while modernizing it a bit along the way. It's going to be nothing like the original, mark my words. With such an extraordinary cast, we may finally get the proper book-to-film adaption I've been waiting for all along. As much as I love the original film, it changes quite a bit in translation onto the big screen, most notably the entire third act of the movie.
If they're sticking so close to the book, then why isn't Carrie a big fat girl with bad acne??