Backstory: Carrie

I like AMC's "Backstory." Here are my notes on the 2005 "Carrie Backstory" episode.

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1. The documentary makes the point that Carrie is about revenge. I never thought about that! Of course, revenge is on my mind as I read Full Dark No Stars.

2. Budget: $1.8 million.

3. The auditions were held with George Lucas, who was casting for Star Wars.

4. Amy Irving's (Sue Snell) mother also played her screen mom.

5. Sissy Spacek had also worked as a set dresser on De Palma's 1974 horror film Phantom of the Paradise.

6. March 1, 1976 filming began.

7. The most anxiety was over the opening sequence because of the nudity in the locker room / shower.

8. To keep herself seeming an outcast, Spacek kept to herself and did not mingle a lot with the other "high spirited" cast. Interesting, they note how Spacek is the opposite in personality of Carrie.

9. Betty Buckley and Amy Irving car pooled together.

10. John Travolta was a rising star on Welcome Back Kotter.

11. Piper Laurie hadn't been on screen in 15 years! She was last seen in 1961's The Hustler. Spacek says that it was "fun" to do battle with Laurie!

13. The most difficult scene was the prom night.

14. The pigs blood Carrie is supposed to be covered in was Karo syrup with red vegetable die. When it dried, Spacek says it got sticky.

15. While they were filming, no decision had been made as to how the film should end.

16. Sissy Spacek insisted on not letting a stand in film the grave scene.

17. Carrie came to screens on November 17, 1976. Headlines include: "Carrie is Scary." "Carrie in 438 Houses Grosses $7,927,795."

18. Sissy Spacek got her first Oscar nomination as best actress, 1976. Piper Laurie also nominated for best supporting actress. It was the first time two women had gotten Oscar nominations for a horror film.

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Two Notable Quotes:

Screen writer Lawrence D. Cohen, "It was a Cinderella story with a vengeance. It was high school on acid."

Amy Irving, "We all wanted the job. We all wanted to play princess Lea."