LASER BIN : ‘Carrie’ Reappears for Halloween

“Carrie,” Brian De Palma’s 1976 version of the Stephen King novel, gets the big-deal laser-disc treatment (CAV, $90) just in time for Halloween.

As is the case with most of Voyager/Criterion Collection’s multitrack releases, the print and sound are crisp, the color horrifically true-to-life--and death.

There are two analog tracks available, one that lets you watch the film unfold visually while only listening to the music and sound effects, without the bother of the dialogue. The other is narrated by screenwriter Lawrence D. Cohen, who fashioned the dialogue, and De Palma scholar Laurent Bouzreau, who discuss the meaning of it all: parallel shots; the religious, sexual and blood themes; choices and decisions.

The only thing missing, and the one thing that would have made the disc compelling, is a narrative by De Palma explaining his ideas and intentions.

For those who’ve only seen this horror classic on TV, there may be a few shocks in store, in particular the opening nude scenes in the high school shower room where a young Sissy Spacek confronts menstruation for the first time.

“Carrie” marked Piper Laurie’s return to movies after a 15-year absence and opened doors for Amy Irving, John Travolta, Nancy Allen and Betty Buckley. Spacek received an Oscar nomination for her portrayal of the tormented teen who discovers she has powers of telekinesis.

Supplementary material includes the original theatrical trailer, lobby cards, glimpses into other “Carrie” incarnations, “color bars” and acknowledgments that this 98-minute film originally drew mixed reviews.