Fifty years ago, if you pitched an eight-hour version of a standard-size horror paperback, they'd all laugh at you. Times and exhibition methods have changed, as evidenced by the growth of streaming platforms. What hasn't changed is an executive's appreciation for rebooting things that did well in the past. That's one reason an eight-episode Carrie miniseries has the green light. Will eight hours stretch the telekinetic teen's terror tale too thin? It's a risk, but one worth taking for greater character development.
Prime time for Stephen King's Carrie
In 1974, Stephen King's Carrie hit bookstores and delivered a stunning potboiler that shocked readers with its mere 199 pages. Brian De Palma's classic 1976 feature film adaptation presented on-screen scares that still shock today in its 98 minutes. Now, Mike Flanagan brings a new version of Carrie White to the Amazon Prime streaming platform. The series will follow the same format as Flanagan's The Fall of the House of Usher for Netflix — a single-season series that will likely present as a slow burn to an intense ending.
Is there enough between the tense events at home and school and the shocking ending to sustain eight episodes? We won’t know until we see the finished result. The answer depends on whether Flanagan expands the character development or gets bogged down in subplots absent from the original novel. Considering the character-driven source material, we can be optimistic that Flanagan knows what road to take. See The Fall of the House of Usher if you need an optimism boost.
199 pages and miles of depth
Carrie proved a novel can convey complex themes and reveal complex characters without 1,000 bloated pages. King’s story reveals actions and behaviors that suggest much with little. The plot itself follows a straightforward narrative: a psychologically abused teenager unleashes telekinetic revenge on her tormentors. Within that simplicity are themes about the cycle of maternal abuse, community apathy toward suffering, peer cruelty, and economic struggles and resentment. De Palma had to keep the story moving, requiring streamlining elements and building to an over-the-top ending. An eight-episode miniseries won’t require such pairing.
Flanagan's miniseries could flesh out the characters by exploring novel elements cut from the 1976 classic. We could learn more about the personal demons driving Margaret's behavior. Compelling writing and passionate performances could bring out Carrie’s pain and rage. Hopefully, the series will avoid "telekinetic mayhem" to prop up emotional moments. Pointless action risks numbing viewers or undermining the climactic prom scene. But it is doubtful Flanagan will fumble. His previous track record suggests he knows how to balance horror and drama, so I'd say the Carrie reimagining is in good hands.
Stay tuned to 1428 Elm for more news and coverage on Carrie.