Bit to Do

Last week we discussed the impact the works of William Shakespeare has made on the world of cinema. Now we turn our attention to a more modern (though definitely less influential) great source of stories: Stephen King. Though less-than-impressive as a writer, his stories have the potential to seriously chill to the bone when handled by the right person. See, for example, Stanley Kubrick's “The Shining,” Frank Darabont's “The Mist,” Mikael Håfström's “1408,” or Rob Reiner's “Misery.” But it all started with the first adaptation of a Stephen King novel, a film version by Brian De Palma (“Scarface,” “Carlito's Way”) of King's first book, “Carrie.”

Sissy Spacek, who earned an Academy Award nomination for the role, stars as Carrie, a girl who is, at first glance, your typical awkward high school teenager. Some girls are outgoing and popular and some girls are quiet and shy, and Carrie falls into the latter category – except that she is ruled over at home by a domineering and psychotically religious mother who neglected to even tell her daughter about the inevitability of menstruation (resulting in a horrifying experience in the girl's locker room). Carrie, however, has a secret: she comes to realize she has telekinetic powers, which she utilizes in a terrifying manner after some classmates play a cruel prank on her at the prom...

“Carrie” plays at midnight tomorrow (Saturday, May 12) at Baxter Avenue Theater as the next installment in their Midnights at the Baxter series. Come dressed up, but leave the buckets of pig blood at home – I'm sure management would not appreciate the mess.

Baxter Avenue Theater is located at 1250 Bardstown Road. Further theater information and advance ticket sales can be found at the theater's website.

Image: Internet Movie Database