Twenty-five films made it into the National Film Registry this year and Brian De Palma's 1976 horror hit Carrie was one of them. The Library of Congress has revealed its full list and films like The Little Mermaid, House Party, and Iron Man, join Carrie in being preserved due to their cultural, historic or aesthetic importance to preserving the nation’s film heritage.
Carrie, based on author Stephen King's first published novel by the same name, would receive widespread critical acclaim upon its release in September of 1976. Roger Ebert, at the time with the Chicago Sun-Times, called Carrie an "absolutely spellbinding horror movie", with many moviegoers feeling the same way. Carrie would go on to be nominated for two Oscars at the 49th Academy Awards, one for Sissy Spacek in the Best Actress category, and Piper Laurie for Best Supporting Actress.
Lawrence D. Cohen would adapt Carrie into a screenplay. The second draft received the thumbs up from United Artists, who was producing the film, and Brian De Palma, who was directing. The cast of Carrie would include a number of young and talented actors. John Travolta would go on to become a big name in Hollywood. Sissy Spacek, Amy Irving, and Nancy Allen would enjoy smaller careers, while P.J. Soles became a big name in the horror community with her later role in 1978's Halloween.
Spawning a sequel, a television series, a Broadway musical, and a remake, Carrie is the perfect candidate for preservation in the United States' film history. The Library of Congress and the National Film Registry truly honor the genre of horror by including Brian De Palma's Carrie, among a list of 825 already preserved films.
