With Hollywood still insisting on remakes rather than search for original ideas, Stephen King’s Carrie is the latest in the firing line to be set for another shot at the box office and young Chloe Moretz is set to play the lead role with Kim Peirce taking the part of director.
The 1974 original was a big success, earning Sissy Spacek (Carrie) and Piper Laurie (her mother) Oscar nominations, and the cast included John Travolta, William Katt and Amy Irving. For those unfamiliar with the book or film, the story focuses on Carrie, a shy girl bullied at school and raised by an overbearing, detached-from-reality religious nut of a mother, and the film contained one of the most iconic and famous endings of all time.
Moretz, known for roles in 500 Days of Summer, Let Me In and Kick-Ass, was apparently sought after by the studio and is fast becoming one of the most popular young actresses around. Aside from previous successes, she has just completed Scorsese’s Hugo and stars alongside Johnny Depp in the upcoming Dark Shadows.
While Moretz herself isn’t really a cause for concern – she has proved herself to be a talented and versatile actress – the real issue on the minds of critics is whether a remake is necessary and whether it will be any good. Unlike many of Stephen King’s film adaptations, Carrie was an excellent film, with a script that kept true to the book (unlike The Shining) and stellar performances from all the cast. More importantly, for a film made in 1974 it has stood the test of time – indeed, of all of King’s story adaptations, many are crying out for a decent version, with It and the Tommyknockers among them. Despite its success and cult status, The Shining could also benefit from being redone and staying true to the original story. Carrie seemed of all the films to be among the ones that didn’t need a remake, but perhaps those in command suspected it would be the biggest hit. Maybe they’re right.