[J Harker]

Originally Posted by Demdike@Cult Labs

Christine (1983)



Although based on the book by Stephen King, Christine is probably one of director John Carpenter's less heralded works from his golden eighties period.



It is with me, i don't know why because it's brilliant, yet last night was only the second time i'd ever seen the film and the first on Blu-ray.



More a dark fantasy than genuine horror film, Christine tells the story of the change in personality of geeky school kid Arnie Cunningham and how it affects his relationships with friends and family when he buys a clapped out 1958 Plymouth Fury and decides to do it up, little knowing the car, named Christine, has a murderous back story.



As with so much of Stephen King's work Christine is beautifully realised in a human sense with it's depiction of older teen culture. Arnie, really well played by Keith Gordon, has our sympathies to begin with but the longer he is influenced by the car the more we root for girlfriend Alexandra Paul and best friend John Stockwell as they are the ones being sidelined by the car's presence in Arnie's life. So much of the film is basically classic US college drama that you forget it's also a supernatural thriller until Christine gets to work on the dudes that have made Arnie's life a misery through high school.



Christine is a gorgeous looking car, i know at one point i doubted if it would fit through my standard driveway being an American vehicle from the fifties that's wider by far than typical cars nowadays. Christine develops so much of her own evil personality that come the finale i actually found myself rooting for Stockwell's Bulldozer as if it were Robot Wars or something.



As a piece of celluloid entertainment, Christine hits all the right marks. It's well acted - there's a great support adult cast including Harry Dean Stanton, Robert Prosky and Roberts Blossom - rattles along at a good pace with some terrific set pieces and is a lot of bad to the bone fun.

Excellent review Dem. I love Christine, but it never quite feels like a John Carpenter movie.

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