John Carpenter is my favorite director. While I wouldn’t place his adaptation of Stephen King’s Christine from 1983 among his masterpieces, I still think it’s very good. Being that it’s celebrating its 40th anniversary on December 9th, I decided to take a look back.
Keith Gordon stars as dweeby teenage pushover Arnie Cunningham. His overprotective parents (Christine Belford and Robert Darnell) keep him on a short leash and he is ruthlessly bullied by Buddy Reperton (William Ostrander). Arnie’s only friend is popular high school football star and boy next door Dennis Guilder (John Stockwell). One day, on the way home from school, Arnie begs Dennis to pull over when he sees a dilapidated car for sale. The 1958 Plymouth Fury (nicknamed “Christine”) is in bad shape, but Arnie is smitten with the car and purchases it from its creepy owner, George LeBay (Roberts Blossom).
As Arnie begins to lovingly restore the car, it exerts a supernaturally malevolent influence on him, slowly transforming him into an arrogant and aggressive dickhead. As we learn about the car’s seemingly evil history, strange occurrences mount until the killings begin. Can Arnie’s new girlfriend Leigh Cabot (Alexandra Paul) along with Dennis save him from Christine’s influence? Notable supporting roles also belong to Robert Prosky as a gravelly-voiced and grumpy as shit junkyard owner, Kelly Preston as a high school classmate, and the legendary Harry Dean Stanton as a police detective.
Bill Phillips’ script departs from King’s novel in some ways, but it’s a strong piece of work. Arnie’s arc is well-defined and compelling. Dennis and Leigh may be less developed, but they do get some nice character beats. Though not just a product of the page, the toxic romance between Arnie and Christine is a huge reason for the film’s success and we absolutely buy it. Pacing is fine, although if I have one nitpick, it’s that Arnie’s journey isn’t quite gradual enough. However, at 110 minutes, the film might tilt into bloated territory with a longer runtime.
Performances are all polished and believable. Gordon is quietly outstanding in the lead. He is convincing in all facets of a somewhat tricky role. His commitment to a relationship with an inanimate object could easily have been silly, but he sells it. Blossom and Prosky have the most colorful roles and are fun to watch. Ostrander looks much too old to be believable as a high schooler, but he’s highly enjoyable in the part.
Donald M Morgan’s lensing is unobtrusive and committed to clear storytelling. It’s not exactly flashy stuff, but his assistance in giving Christine a personality is invaluable. The car’s menace is conveyed through subtle framing. It almost feels like a stalking slasher in some instances, thanks to Morgan’s work. Leigh’s choking scene with its sickly bright lighting and the sequence with Christine ablaze against the night are the standout visuals for me.
I wouldn’t necessarily call this an effects film, but it does feature some impressive work. The aforementioned fiery driving scene is really cool and there’s a nice practical gas station explosion. However, the most memorable sequence is the regeneration scene where Christine repairs herself after being trashed by Arnie’s bullies. It’s a fantastic technical element.
As always with Carpenter films, music is key. His score, produced in conjunction with frequent collaborator Alan Howarth meshes well with the tone and visuals. It shares some similarities with his work on Halloween III but isn’t quite as bold. The soundtrack is mostly made up of thematically appropriate classic ‘50s rock cuts. Along with Carpenter’s assured direction, the masterful deployment of the music creates a uniquely menacing atmosphere.
John Carpenter considers his adaptation of Stephen King’s Christine to be a work-for-hire type project as opposed to his more personal efforts. It’s well made and certainly entertaining, but I think if you’re familiar with his work, that attitude is detectable. Still, I would place this film toward the top of the middle of his filmography. Additionally, Keith Gordon’s work isn’t flashy, but he delivers a knockout performance for this type of film. Recommended for fans of restoring classic cars, getting revenge on bullies, and calling people “shitters.”
Michael Cavender