“I didn’t sin, momma”: Female monstrosity and feminist complexities in Carrie (1976) and Carrie (2013)

This chapter analyzes Kimberly Peirce’s Carrie (2013) in contrast to Stephen King’s novel (1974) and Brian De Palma’s film (1976) to trace the evolution of horror and its engagement with feminist discourse over time, situating Peirce’s approach within a broader framework of genre reconfiguration and socio-political consciousness. This analysis identifies a broader trend within contemporary horror films, where feminist themes are increasingly integrated into the genre. The chapter argues that Peirce’s Carrie represents a significant evolutionary juncture in horror cinema by embracing and reworking established conventions rather than subverting them, tapping into the genre’s generative potential as elucidated by scholars such as Jane Gaines and Katarzyna Paszkiewicz. Ultimately, this examination underscores Peirce’s Carrie not merely as a cinematic adaptation but as a nuanced exploration of female monstrosity and feminist complexities within the horror genre. Through its engagement with the legacy of King’s novel and De Palma’s film, Peirce’s Carrie stands as a vital contribution to the ongoing evolution of horror cinema and its engagement with feminist discourse.