It may not be surprising that listeners, when hearing a horror score, expect the music to be “scary.” But it’s not a necessity. Pino Donaggio, in his score for Carrie, focuses on the film’s sweet, tender moments rather than the constant specter of abuse and death.
Donaggio does not completely eschew more recognizable horror music tropes. Bursts of strings and flutes erupt in chaos, teasing climaxes before tapering back into sweet moments; jarring and piercing strings accompany Carrie’s brief uses of telekinesis; and eventually abrupt crashing fills the latter half of “End Credits.” While these moments are effective, they are far less common than in the majority of horror films and are not where Donaggio’s score shines.
Carrie is very much a tender heart wrapped in a horrid, violent body. Our collective memory seems to only remember the film’s violence and humiliation, particularly during the third act’s prom scene. But the underlying story is much different: a young girl overcomes the torment of her peers, rises out of her shell, meets a boy, and has fun for perhaps the first time in her life. Donaggio understands this, and the core of his score would be just as fitting in nearly any heartfelt romance. The “Theme From Carrie,” repeated in some variant throughout the film, is the greatest example of Donaggio’s romantic mastery. Slow, gentle woodwinds float overtop the track, building into a full fledged dream of teenage love. Unfortunately though, like all dreams this one must come to an end.