The Initiation of Sarah

Shy withdrawn Sarah (Kay Lenz) and her sister start college. Her sister is outgoing and popular and gets into a popular sorority. Sarah gets into an unpopular one with creepy head Erica Hunter (Shelley Winters). Evil Jennifer Lawrence (Moragn Fairchild) hates Sarah and starts to torment her and her friends. Then Sarah realizes she has telekinetic powers and uses them for revenge.

The story is familiar, the special effects cheesy, the acting just OK (save Winters who REALLY chews the scenery) but this is an enjoyable made for TV movie. It's not as violent or sexist as "Carrie" so you can just sit back and enjoy it. This was a very popular hit when it first played on TV and was replayed again and again. It was even remade in 2006. Recommended--if you can find it.

Arriving at college, sisters Sarah and Patty Goodwin (Kay Lenz and Morgan Brittany) try to join ANS, the most popular sorority on campus. Patty's in, and Sarah is advised to join PED, a less popular sorority.

SIDE NOTE: Sarah joins the cooler house by far! I mean, Tisa Farrow is a member named Mouse! Not to mention, Shelley Winters is the house mother, Mrs. Hunter!

Anyway, Patty's new "sisters", led by the snotty Jennifer Lawrence (Morgan Fairchild), are thrilled to tell her that she can no longer associate with Sarah, since she's in PED! Sarah is crushed, and it becomes clear that when she's upset, she can make things happen with her mind.

As the story unfolds, we learn that these two sororities have an antagonistic history. A rivalry that goes far deeper than school or harmless hijinks! Mrs. Hunter certainly knows about Sarah's abilities, and has plans of her own.

THE INITIATION OF SARAH does have a bit of a CARRIE thing going on, especially between Kay Lenz's Sarah and Morgan Fairchild's Jennifer. The dynamic is very similar to the one between Sissy Spacek's Carrie White and Nancy Allen's Chris Hargensen. Sarah is humiliated in a way that is reminiscent of the prom in CARRIE. Jennifer even gets her boyfriend, Scott Rafferty (Robert Hays) to do her bidding, like Chris put Billy Nolan (John Travolta) up to no good.

In spite of this, the stories are not at all alike, and INITIATION is a decent made-for-TV movie, though the cheeeze-factor does come into play.

EXTRA POINTS FOR: The two VERY different initiation ceremonies!...

I agree with the earlier critique. I saw this movie as a kid about 10 and it still haunts me to this day. I couldn't remember the name, but I do remember the stars. I remember Shirley Winters and Morgan Fairchild co-stared and I was watching The Poseidon Adventure and I had to find this movie. I can't believe I still have memories of this movie and how I was so scarred that I loved it. I guess I am looking to find that 1st movie that scared me as a youth. I hope the movie is as good or "bad" as I remember. I am actually excited to see a movie. I would recommend this movie for someone wanting to have a good scare and not get grossed out. Plus, Morgan Fairchild was so hot. I still think Morgan is the classic look that I loved in my youth. My memory tells me that there were a lot of good looking women in this movie.

The first time I saw this movie,I was 9 or 10 years old.Now,I am 30 and I still enjoy seeing it.I know the story is not so good, but the idea wasn't so bad as many people say.The cast was interesting.Shelley Winters was great as usual.Kay Lenz made a good job.Morgan Fairchild and Morgan Brittany were really good.Some people compare this movie with "Carrie", but I think this one is a little better.If you would like to enjoy a good horror movie, rent "The initiation of Sarah".You would be able to see the beauty of Morgan Brittany.I have never forgotten her blue and big beautiful eyes and her Black hair.

This "CARRIE For Seventies Television - With Witchcraft" doesn't quite go where you expect it to, thanks to a surprisingly sympathetic performance by Morgan Brittany as Sarah's adopted sister Patty, Key Lenz's complete commitment to Sarah's mousiness and the strength she finds once she uncovers her psychic (or is it witchcraft?) powers, and Tisa Farrow as Sarah's depressive violinist friend "Mouse". The rest of the cast doesn't fare quite as well, either due to less commitment to their roles or the simple fact they're completely unconvincing as college students - Morgan Fairchild, though only a year older than Brittany or Farrow, comes off more like a Bitchy Society Wife in her thirties than as Snooty Sorority Queen, while Robert Hayes (two years before AIRPLANE!) makes about as old a college student as the geriatric ones in MST3K favorite RING OF TERROR! Shelley Winters sadly turns in one of her over-the-top performances that she all too often gave in the Seventies, so when the final act "twist" comes in I doubt anybody's in the least surprised.

If you can get past that? It's not a bad TV-Movie - no TRILOGY OR TERROR, but enjoyable and with some strong lead performances.