Carrie： Visual Storytelling in Carrie's Iconic Prom Scene

Building upon the previous discussion, we introduced how Depalma employs suspense techniques throughout the entire film to build up to the climactic prom bloodbath.

You can read the article here:

https://www.peliplat.com/en/article/10005898/Carrie%EF%BC%9AHow-Brain-Depalma-Build-Suspense-

Now, let's delve into a detailed analysis of the specific audiovisual elements employed in this approximately 25-minute iconic prom scene.

We can divide this scene into three parts: the first part is Carrie's dream come true, the second part involves the execution of the conspiracy, and the third part is known as the Prom massacre. Let's start with the first part.

Part 1: Carrie's dream come true

Watch the dance here：

In the first part, the shots are steady and the editing pace is slow, serving as a setup for this sequence. It primarily showcases Carrie's apprehension about attending the prom and dancing. However, with the encouragement of Tommy and Miss Cassie, Carrie finally gathers the courage to step out of her comfort zone and starts dancing with Tommy. The composed and steady shots in this part create a stark contrast with the following two stylized parts.

Notably, during Carrie and Tommy's dance, there is a continuous 360-degree rotating long shot. Initially, this shot rotates slowly, but as the emotions between the two characters intensify, Tommy's sincerity opens up Carrie's heart. The shot continues to rotate until their romantic kiss, where Carrie truly feels happiness and acceptance. Up until this point, the rotating shot doesn't make the audience feel uncomfortable. Combined with the dreamlike lighting, it creates an extremely romantic atmosphere.

However, when Carrie starts questioning why Tommy invited her, the speed of the rotating shot begins to accelerate. Tommy, of course, cannot reveal the truth to Carrie and can only fabricate lies to continue deceiving her. Carrie, trusting Tommy's well-intentioned lie, starts to believe it. The rotation of the shot intensifies, causing the moments of happiness on Carrie and Tommy's faces to appear fleetingly on the screen. The audience, eager to capture the joy reflected on Carrie's face, struggles to perceive it amidst the rapid spinning. This creates a disconcerting sensation for the viewers, as they eagerly anticipate the happiness that Carrie is expected to experience, yet it remains elusive. At this point, the happiness Carrie feels is deliberately constructed as a falsehood, although it is done with good intentions.

In general, when directors film scenes that are filled with intense emotions, they often opt for smoother and more stable shots to effectively capture the actors' performances and allow the audience to fully immerse themselves in the emotions. However, Depalma chooses to take a different approach in this particular scene, emphasizing the instability and transient nature of the emotional connection. Subtly, he instills a sense of unease within the audience. Following this, , the scene transitions from the swirling dance between Carrie and Tommy to Sue, the fabricator of this dream, eagerly making her way towards the prom.

Part two: The implementation of the conspiracy

This part begins with three sequences before the pig's blood is poured. Firstly, a long shot is used to explain the plot of the conspiracy. Secondly, during Carrie's election as prom queen, slow motion and music are used to heighten the audience's emotional connection with her. Thirdly, Sue discovers the conspiracy and attempts to stop it, creating further illusions for the audience.

The conspiracy is unveiled through a captivating long shot that traces the movements of the scheme from across the room to the foot of the stage, where Chris and her boyfriend are hiding, then the shot continues following a rope winding across, leading to a rigged bucket hanging from the gym ceiling. In a poignant moment, the camera zooms in on Carrie and Tommy, oblivious to the impending danger. This clever setup adds a tragic element to the surreal scene of Carrie's prom queen election. Brian Depalma skillfully builds suspense with this long shot, not only keeping the audience on edge but also deepening their empathy for Carrie. Aware of the conspiracy, the audience anxiously anticipates the potential humiliation that awaits her.

As Carrie is crowned prom queen, Depalma shifts the tone of the story to a melodramatic and romantic atmosphere.

Watch this part here:

The emotional impact of the music, slow motion, and dream-like color grading all enhances the shared happiness between Carrie and the audience. As the scene shifts to Chris, the music changes with a piercing violin sound, shifting the tone to suspense. When Carrie arrives on stage, the music shifts again, creating a melodramatic atmosphere again. However, the camera then cuts to the swinging bucket of pig's blood and Chris gripping the rope tightly, accompanied by the jarring sound of the violin, altering the tone once more. Depalma skillfully manipulates the atmosphere, keeping the audience on edge and playing with their emotions. While the audience feels Carrie's joy of acceptance, they also know more than she does. They are aware that it's all a fabricated lie and that further humiliation awaits Carrie. Depalma satisfies the audience's desires by prolonging the scene with slow motion and intensified music, making the audience wish for this moment to last forever and for Carrie to forever live in this illusion.

Just when it seems Carrie's humiliation is inevitable, Depalma introduces uncertainty by having Sue discover the conspiracy.

Watch this part here:

Sue gazes upwards and notices the rope connected to the bucket containing the blood. The camera captures this moment from Sue's perspective, alternating between her reactions and what she sees. The accompanying orchestral piece features a prominent use of violins, reminiscent of the suspenseful music in Hitchcock’s 'Psycho.' As Sue begins to comprehend the truth, the tempo of the music gradually intensifies.

The editing of this scene deliberately slows down, with all the shots presented in slow motion. This elongates the perception of time, creating a sense of indefinite duration. Initially, Depalma allows Sue to meticulously trace the rope, leading her to discover the pig's blood positioned above Carrie's head. Then, Sue follows the rope backwards, still in slow motion, eventually revealing Chris at the other end. Additionally, there is a simultaneous cut to Miss Collins discovering Sue, further elongating the passage of time. All these make the audience on edge, almost reaching a critical point.

As Sue rushes into the venue to help Carrie and is stopped by miss Collins just before exposing the conspiracy, the camera quickly cuts between Carrie's happy yet uneasy expression, the bucket of blood swaying above her, and Chris gripping the rope. The editing speed increases rapidly, and in the moment the doors of the venue close heavily, the rapid cuts between these three close-up shots intensify. Then in just one second of cold-bloodedness, Depalma shatters the dream he meticulously crafted.

It's worth mentioning another carefully designed aspect by Depalma: he turns Chris pouring the pig's blood into a sexual release for her, with the act of pouring the blood symbolizing climax, and Chris continuously looking at Carrie and shaking the rope as foreplay for this climax.

Depalma skillfully builds up the tension surrounding the pig's blood conspiracy in a variety of ways. While the audience is aware of Chris' plan to pour the blood on Carrie, Depalma deliberately delays the act. This manipulation of the viewers' emotions is almost cruel, as he plays with their anticipation. He deliberately slows down the scene, focusing on Carrie's innocent and oblivious expression, the allies who endeavor to assist her, as well as the intense and determined gazes of the people plotting against her. This extended sequence feels like it lasts forever, as Depalma understands that the audience is eagerly awaiting Carrie's fate. By doing so, he effectively keeps the viewers in a constant state of suspense and unease.

It is important to note that the audience's anxiety for Carrie is not solely a result of this particular scene, but also due to the emotional connection that Depalma has previously established between the audience and the character during the entire film, as mentioned in an earlier article. Depalma initially presents a dream-like scenario for Carrie and the audience, only to abruptly snatch it away mercilessly.

Part 3: The scene of the prom massacre

Watch the blood pouring here:

Depalma continues to use slow motion to depict the entire process of the pig's blood pouring, while constantly switching between the reactions of various characters.

As the blood pours onto Carrie, the music abruptly stops. All voices, music, and footsteps cease, leaving only the sound of the bucket swinging back and forth. This suffocating silence, this tragic destruction, completely grips the audience's hearts, just like the unsettling calm before a storm.

The camera quickly zooms in on Carrie's face, covered in pig's blood. This moment awakens Carrie from the illusionary dream fabricated by others, but she is once again trapped in the illusion her mother has created for her: "they are all gonna laugh at you." With her mother's voice echoing repeatedly, Carrie's perception of the world becomes distorted. Even the teacher who had always supported and loved her is now mocking her. However, all of this is just an illusion, and Depalma emphasizes this through the use of the camera. Carrie's subjective perspective becomes kaleidoscopic. And then, the high-energy, indiscriminate massacre begins.

Watch the prom massacre here:

Depalma employs one of his signature techniques, the split screen, dividing the frame into two. This technique allows for a contrast between Carrie's distressed and vengeful reaction and her classmates' sufferings. The sonic flashbacks end, and a frantic score begin, intertwined with the sounds of screaming, intensifying the horror of the scene. The lighting changes dramatically to a red hue, symbolizing blood and hinting at violence.

The camera remains still when focusing on Carrie, in contrast to her victims who are shown as paranoid and desperately trying to escape. This static shot signifies that Carrie is now in control.