THE RAGE: CARRIE 2

US, 1999, 104 minutes, Colour.
Emily Bergl, Jason London, Dylan Bruno, Amy Irving, J. Smith- Cameron, Mena Suvari, Rachel Blanchard.
Directed by Katt Shea.

The Rage: Carrie 2 comes over 20 years after the original film which made such an impact, enhanced the reputation of its director Brian De Palma, helped make a star of Sissy Spacek, received Oscar nominations including for Piper Laurie as Carrie’s mother. John Travolta was in the supporting cast. Amy Irving, who now appears in this film as a school counsellor, was one of the students taunting Carrie in the original.

This is not a sequel, but rather a development of the themes of the original.

Rachel, British actress, Emily Bergl, has kinetic powers – and the film later explains that she has inherited them from her father who was also the father of Carrie. Her strict religious mother has been put into an institution and Rachel is in foster care, with a very strict family.

The action takes place at school, Rachel being upset with the suicide of her best friend Lisa, Mena Suvari. There is a group of football jocks at the school and one of them is responsible. In the meantime, another jock, Jason London, falls for Rachel – to the jealousy of his cheerleading girlfriend and her coterie of friends and admirers.

They plan a revenge and humiliation of Rachel but, of course, this unleashes her kinetic powers and leads to extreme mayhem.

There was a remake of Carrie some years later with Chloe Grace Moretz as Carrie and Julian Moore as her mother.

1. The impact of the original film? Becoming something of a cult classic?

2. The film as a development rather than a remake, although using many elements of the original film?

3. The links between the two films, Carrie’s father, his kinetic powers, handing them on to his two daughters? Sue Lang as the survivor from the first story and her role in the school and with Rachel in the second? And her death?

4. The American small town, homes, school, the difference between the 1970s and 1990s? The students, jocks and cheerleaders, rivalries, jealousies, relationships?

5. Rachel as a child, relationship with her mother, her mother’s severity, strictly religious, the effect on Rachel?

6. The mother being taken away, Rachel put in foster care, the couple and their family, discipline, harsh, the effect on Rachel?

7. Rachel, the girl of the 1990s, her look, age, not having many friends, the loner, people taunting her, tricks?

8. The other girls, cheerleaders, attractive, jealous and catty? The group of friends?

9. The boys, football, macho attitudes, sexual relationships?

10. Eric, his relationship with Lisa, her happiness, confiding in Rachel – and then the suddenness of her suicide? The challenge to Eric and the boys, their callous attitudes and denials? The authorities in the school? Eric’s father and his dominant attitude?

11. Rachel, the manifestation of kinetic power, the effects? Her being in denial? Correct genetic

12. Sue Lang, her personality, role in the school, her memories of the past, taunting Carrie? The interviews with Rachel, wanting to help her? Going to visit Rachel’s mother in the institution, bringing her out, the hopes to help Rachel? Sue being caught up in the mayhem, her death?

13. Jesse, one of the jocks, his girlfriend, her expectations and jealousy? Her role in humiliating Rachel? Her group of friends – and taking Rachel shopping, building her up for the party, the preparation for humiliation?

14. Jesse, liking Rachel, the relationship? Sexual? The effect on each of them?

15. The party, the mother watching, Rachel and the enjoyment, the jibes, the humiliation, the laughter?

16. Rachel humiliated, reaction to Jesse? The unleashing of the powers – and the visual detail of the mayhem? The deaths of her enemies? Eric?

17. Rachel, survival, Jesse?

18. The comparisons between this film and the original in terms of plot, characters, situations, behaviour, tone?