Carrie：How Brain Depalma Build Suspense

Brian Depalma's "Carrie" is a renowned horror film and the first adaptation of Stephen King's novel. The movie revolves around the life of Carrie White, a teenage girl who endures bullying at school and abuse from her religiously fanatic mother. Seeking an escape from her torment, Carrie decides to transform herself and attend the school prom. However, her classmates subject her to further humiliation, pushing her to unleash her telekinetic powers in a fit of rage, resulting in a bloodbath.

"Carrie" is important in the realm of horror cinema for its innovative storytelling, memorable scenes, and its exploration of complex themes such as bullying, isolation. The film is known for its iconic prom scene and its portrayal of the psychological and emotional turmoil experienced by its protagonist. 

In this article, we will focus on how Brian Depalma skillfully crafted this prom scene through both the script and visual storytelling techniques. However, before we can do that, we must first explore Carrie's psychological state in order to comprehend that her entire life is a constructed illusion, and the prom scene is an exaggerated manifestation of it.

Carrie's mother, a religious extremist, views her daughter as a vessel of sin and subjects her to physical and emotional abuse, exacerbating her mental health issues. Growing up in this environment, Carrie develops a distorted perception of reality and exhibits peculiar behavior. She is even unaware of the normalcy of menstruation for women, further isolating her as an outcast at school, where she faces constant bullying and ridicule.

Carrie's understanding of the world has always been shaped by falsehoods, whether it be the beliefs instilled by her mother or the lies woven by her classmates when she attempts to reinvent herself. The prom scene, where Carrie is crowned prom queen, is a truly emotionally moment for both her and the audience. However, this entire situation is a fabrication manipulated by individuals with both good and bad intentions, ultimately leading to a horrifying bloodbath. Director Brian Depalma's skillful creation of emotional ambiance and suspense contributes to the success of this iconic prom scene, which can be analyzed in terms of its emotional and suspense-building elements.

This analysis can divide it into two parts. The first part focuses on how Depalma employs suspense techniques throughout the entire film to build up to the climactic prom bloodbath. The second part involves a detailed analysis of the specific audiovisual elements employed in this scene.

Let's begin the frist part with a question:

What does suspense mean?

Suspense refers to a condition of uncertainty or anticipation surrounding a particular result. It is often accompanied by feelings of anxiety and excitement. In the realm of storytelling, suspense is employed to captivate the audience and maintain their interest. While it can be present in different genres, it is most frequently utilized in thrillers. It is important to note that suspense should not be mistaken for mystery or shock, as these terms possess distinct qualities that set them apart.

Let’s watch a video about the definition of suspense according to Hitchcock, and talk about his bomb theory.

 https://youtu.be/s-QVHJDmD6A

Hitchcock's bomb theory

Hitchcock's theory of suspense revolves around the idea that it is not the actual explosion of a bomb that creates suspense, but rather the audience's knowledge of its presence and their anticipation of its detonation. Suspense is built by making the audience aware of a potential threat or danger, while keeping them uncertain about when or if it will actually occur. The audience's involvement in the story is crucial for creating suspense. By providing them with information that the characters in the film are unaware of, such as the existence of a bomb, the audience becomes emotionally invested and experiences heightened tension and anticipation. This emotional investment leads to a sense of suspense as they anxiously await the bomb's explosion.

Manipulating the audience's expectations and emotions is crucial for effective suspense, achieved through foreshadowing, misdirection, dramatic irony and controlled release of information, which is to give the audience just enough information to understand the potential danger, but not enough to predict the outcome. 

How Brain Depalma builds suspense in this iconic climax scene

1: Introducing uncertainty 

In the climactic prom scene of "Carrie," suspense is built through the introduction of uncertainty. The audience possesses more knowledge than Carrie, as they are aware of the orchestrated events leading up to her prom invitation and crowning as prom queen. However, Carrie remains oblivious to the impending danger of a bucket of pig's blood awaiting her on the stage. This creates a central question of whether Carrie will be accepted by her schoolmates and if the crisis can be averted.

Depalma constructs two distinct storylines from the beginning of the film, foreshadowing contrasting expectations for the audience. Sue represents the narrative driven by a desire to assist Carrie, while Chris represents the storyline seeking revenge against her. Both storylines contribute to the suspense by establishing an imminent threat and manipulating the audience's empathy for Carrie. Depalma effectively engages viewers by establishing a sense of impending danger and uncertainty, employing misdirection and allowing Sue to discover and attempt to prevent the crisis. Through these techniques, Depalma successfully maintains a high level of suspense throughout the entire prom sequence, which spans approximately 25 minutes.

2: Creating Empathy

To generate suspense, it is crucial to establish a strong connection between the audience and the protagonist. Jacques Lacan's mirror stage theory suggests that viewers project themselves onto the characters on screen, sympathizing with those treated unfairly and identifying with those who are liked and loved by others. 

In "Carrie," Depalma creates empathy for the protagonist through the portrayal of her mistreatment by her mother and classmates, as well as highlighting the selfless intentions of characters like Sue, Miss Collins, and Tommy. Sue, feeling guilty for her mistreatment of Carrie, asks her boyfriend to take Carrie to the prom. The teacher, Miss Collins, has always shown care and protection towards Carrie. Tommy, initially mocking Carrie in class, later takes her to the prom, demonstrating his care for her to break out of her comfort zone and fit in. These three characters genuinely care for Carrie.

Through skillful storytelling, Depalma effectively cultivates the audience's empathy for Carrie, creating a genuine desire for her transformation and acceptance. However, he cruelly dashes these hopes just before the climax. With the support of Tommy and her teacher, Carrie begins to embrace her true self, including her femininity and supernatural abilities. This newfound confidence leads her to believe that the world will finally accept her. Depalma cleverly introduces this glimmer of hope to the audience, only to abruptly snatch it away. He skillfully foreshadows this devastating loss, heightening the emotional impact on the audience， adding a tragic tone to the entire movie.

3: The payoff of the suspense

The payoff of suspense is a crucial element in creating a captivating scene. When a suspenseful scene is executed effectively, it generates anxiety and apprehension in the audience. The level of anticipation plays a significant role in determining the importance of the payoff.

In the prom scene of "Carrie," the payoff occurs when Sue is abruptly shut out by Miss Collins as the doors of the venue close, followed by the swift pouring of pig's blood onto Carrie. This shatters the dream that Depalma had meticulously woven for the audience, leading to an indiscriminate massacre by Carrie.

By building uncertainty, manipulating emotions, and establishing empathy for the protagonist, Depalma creates a climactic prom scene that is both emotionally charged and suspenseful. 

The specific audiovisual elements employed in this scene will be further analyzed in the subsequent part: 

https://www.peliplat.com/en/article/10005899/Carrie%EF%BC%9A-Visual-Storytelling-in-Carrie's-Iconic-Prom-Scene-