The Initiation of Sarah (1978)

A withdrawn young girl joins an unpopular sorority in college. It turns out she has psychic and telekinetic powers, and she uses them against a rival sorority.This film is often compared to "Carrie" for the obvious reason it is an outcast girl with telekinetic powers. This is then compounded by a scene that is not completely different from the infamous "pig blood" scene (though thankfully no pigs or blood are used). But there is something to this.There is a good cast, with Shelley Winters, Morgan Fairchild and a pre-Airplane Robert Hays. The female leads are more than adequate (and one wonders why they did not get top billing). And there is enough plot here to really call it something new. Perhaps if it had not been made-for-TV we might have seen an even edgier version of events. What did writer Tom Holland ("Fright Night", "Child's Play") have in mind?

Shy withdrawn Sarah (Kay Lenz) and her sister start college.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.

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.

A shy girl with strange telekinetic powers joins an unpopular sorority, where the house mother is a mysterious and manipulative Shelley Winters. Meanwhile, the girl's sister joins a popular sorority, where Morgan Fairchild is the queen snob. A sacrificial initiation has tragic consequences. Bad acting, poor production values, seventies threads -- in other words, cheesy fun.