This morning I finished Carrie the book and this afternoon I watched the 1976 movie.
Book Carrie is by far the stronger of the two. She has a purpose and drive that isn’t in the movie. She also has an awareness and control of her telekinesis power not at all evident in the movie.
The book interposes the Carrie timeline with observations of friends, police and scientists. It grounds the story and makes it more plausible.
The well-known moment of the story happens 50% through the book and as late as 80% through the movie. It is what happened afterwards in the book that made Carrie’s power appear so, well, powerful.
The movie is very much of its time. Full of violin shrieks on every TK flex and fashionable prom suits which deserved burning. On the positive side, it did lift a lot of the book’s conversations word-for-word. William Katt as Thomas, stole the movie with his acting. No wonder he went on to lead as The Greatest American Hero
Read the book. I think you’ll enjoy it more.