Horror Film Facts and Trivia – “Carrie” (1976) Part III
During the scenes where fake blood was plastered on Sissy Spacek , the bright, hot lights caused the substance to keep drying and sticking to her skin. In order to correct this problem, she was hosed down until it became of a gluey consistency. Other facts and trivia regarding the horror film, “Carrie,” includes award nominations and wins, as well as a couple of behind-the-scene secrets.
When it came time for her screen test, Sissy Spacek spread Vaseline in her hair and didn’t wash her face. She also wore a sailor dress with the hem removed. It was a piece of clothing that her mother created for her when she was in the 7th grade.
The scene that includes the boy on the bike , features Brian De Palma’s nephew, Cameron.
It took about 30 times for the slap scene between Betty Buckley and Nancy Allen to take place, as Allen wasn’t able to bring out the reaction that De Palma sought after. He wanted the slap to look real and authentically painful.
The ring seen on the finger of Amy Irving throughout the film was a gift from Stephen King , the author of “Carrie.”
This was the first movie that Betty Buckley acted in.
At the Academy Awards, Sissy Spacek was nominated for an Oscar in the Best Actress in a Leading Role category. Piper Laurie was nominated for Best Actress in a Supporting Role. The Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films nominated the film for a Golden Scroll in the category of Best Horror Film. The Avoriaz Fantastic Film Festival gave the Grand Prize to the director, Brian De Palma. A special mention was made out to Sissy Spacek for her acting. The Edgar Allan Poe Awards nominated “Carrie” for an Edgar for Best Motion Picture.
The scene that shows the fire hose kill P.J. Soles’ character led to the bursting of her eardrums, as the water pressure was too high. She was knocked unconsciously, which is seen when her head rolls to the side. For the effect, the director decided to keep this particular shot.
The hand that comes out of the grave scene during the sequence that shows Sue Snell’s infamous nightmare, it is actually Sissy Spacek’s hand and not a double.
Interestingly, the filming of the prom scene took days and Sissy Spacek refused to wash off the fake blood so that the continuity of the movie was not harmed. She actually slept in the “bloody” clothes for three days of filming.
The last person to audition for “Carrie” was Nancy Allen, who played Chris Hargenson.
Contrary to popular belief, the statue of the religious figure with arrows shot into its body that appears in Carrie’s house does not represent the crucifix or Jesus Christ, but is instead that of St. Sebastian , a Christian saint and martyr who is believed to have been murdered during the time that Roman emperor Diocletian took part in the persecution of Christians during the 3rd century.
“Carrie” marked the debut of Amy Irving, who would go onto appear in many different productions. Irving did admit at one point that she didn’t care for the script when she first read it. However, after seeing the finished product, she was quite pleased and fell in love with it. Once again, she voiced her disappointment when she learned that the majority of her larger scenes were deleted. For instance, there was formally a scene where she and William Katt were in the backseat of a truck. It had been cut with no reason given for the decision.