Nat, Cody, and Robert are joined by Angela Fabbrini to look back at High School and the horror of being a teenaged girl with CARRIE (1976), GINGER SNAPS, and JENNIFER’S BODY. We sure hope your prom was better.
First up is 1976’s CARRIE. CARRIE was Stephen King’s debut novel which was a best seller. And Brian De Palma’s movie further cemented the arrival of a pop culture phenomenom. Carrie White (Sissy Spacek) is just a normal, shy teenage girl. Except with a crazy religious fanatic mom and burgeoning telekinetic powers. Is it too much for her to just want to have a nice night at Senior Prom? Apparently it is for the school bullies. To everyone’s regret.
CARRIE is something of the Rosetta Stone that all of these movies that follow are playing off of. But, beyond being the first there’s much to admire here including Oscar nominated performances from Sissy Spacek and Piper Laurie and a cast full of up and comers like John Travolta, Nancy Allen, Amy Irving, and P.J. Soles. And, of course, there’s the famous set piece of the prom.
Next, we travel all the way to Canada for a little independent horror film that could with 2000’s GINGER SNAPS.
GINGER SNAPS focuses on two teenage girls, sisters Ginger (Katharine Isabelle) and Brigitte (Emily Perkins) who have a morbid sense of the world, reminiscent of Bud Cort’s Harold from HAROLD AND MAUDE. But when Ginger gets bitten by a werewolf, coinciding with the time of her first period, the whole world begins to fall apart for the two sisters and Ginger undergoes changes. In more ways than one.
GINGER SNAPS has clearly become a cult classic. We examine the film’s themes and have a lot to say.
Also, for additional discussion on female werewolves, please check out my Swamp Things podcast episode on “The Curse” by Alan Moore, Stephen Bissette, and Jon Totleben. Angela Fabbrini was gracious enough to do the readings for it.
Finally, we jump ahead about a decade to 2009’s JENNIFER’S BODY. Unlike the two previous films, it’s both written and directed by two women, Diablo Cody and Karyn Kusama. Does the heavier femal involvement make a difference? We discuss that.
No need to wrangle a date to prom to listen to this episode. You can give us a play below or Download the episode. Also, feel free to let us know what you think by commenting below or Email Us at skiespocast@gmail.com as we appreciate feedback.
Time tracks:
CARRIE (1976) Discussion: 0:00 to 37:37
GINGER SNAPS Discussion 37:37 to 1:05:51
JENNIFER’S BODY Discussion 1:05:51 to 1:39:32
Other High School Horrors and Halloween Plans 1:39:32 to End
Later this month, we get in a Halloween mood with DARK CITY. We hope you’ll join us.
