10 Saddest Horror Movie Moments

Iconic and shocking, the infamous humiliation of Carrie at the prom has been parodied and referenced countless times. But if you go beyond the waterfall of red and the chaos that follows, the scene represents every depressive moment Carrie experiences in the film and puts it out in the open for everyone to see. It’s a reminder, a projection and a metaphor for all the horror the titular telekinetic teen has gone though.

In the seconds prior to the event, Carrie is finally happy. She proved her mother wrong; she’s been named Prom Queen and even has a guy there with her. The audience and Sue then get a sickening feeling in their stomachs once they catch sight of the bucket on top of the stage. We can only watch in horror as the scene drags on to the inevitable, which we can do nothing to protect the completely innocent Carrie from. And then in the cruellest, sickest way imaginable, that happiness is ripped from her.

What then happens when she is publicly degraded? Do people comfort her or come to her aid? No - everyone laughs at her, her mothers damning words echoing in her ears. Years of trauma, bullying and loneliness are captured in those fleeting seconds, and all we can do is watch. Whilst shocking, the real and poignant sadness of the scene is far more impactful.