Carrie Opening/Shower Scene Analysis
In the opening scene of ‘Carrie’ (1976), the scene is shot at a high angle as we watch the teenagers play volley ball in their gym class.
There is non- diagetic sound as we hear the girls playing and then the camera gently focuses its attention on the main character ‘Carrie’. When comparing carries appearance to that of the other girls in her class, she appears to be somewhat different and looks quite scruffy. Straight away we can tell that she does not fit in with the people around her. She is also standing at the back away from the girls which represents her isolation.
When the ball is thrown to her, Carrie misses allowing the opposing team to gain a point. This part is very significant as it tells the audience from the start that this character is weak. This is confirmed moments later when her peers begin to torment her and she does not fight back or defend herself.
In the next scene ‘The girls changing rooms’, the camera pans through the lockers and the audience gets an essence of what the director believes to go on in a girls changing room (which I believe to be a misrepresentation).
The camera continues to pan while a type of ‘romantic music’ plays over. This section has also been edited to play in slow motion which I believe to almost show the girls in almost a sexual way.
Soon after, the camera moves slowly towards Carrie in the shower (voyeurism). The camera shows a lot of close ups on Carrie whilst washing herself including her body parts and the soap. At this point, Carrie is being showed in a sexual way and appears to be really enjoying her shower (similar to Psycho). A little while after, there is a close up on Carries legs so the audience can clearly see the blood trickling down her leg, blood being a typical icon of horror whereas this time it is not through violence but a natural process.
As Carrie screams ‘Help me’ to her peers, the camera tracks her as she screams in horror. Her peers are quick to mock and taunt her and a point of view shot is used to put the audience in Carries shoes. Her peers are shot at a low angle and Carrie at a high to represent power and weakness. As Carrie cries and is comforted by her teacher there is a brief section of psycho strings can be heard just before she uses her telekinetic powers to blow the light bulb.
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