Cruising back into UK cinemas this month, to celebrate its 40th anniversary and to coincide with Halloween, is the horror-thriller, Christine. The film – based on the Stephen King novel of the same name – is directed by John Carpenter, stars Keith Gordon, John Stockwell, and Alexandra Paul, and follows the story of a teenager who purchases a killer car.
In the movie, the year is 1978 and in Rockbridge, California, high school seniors Arnie and Dennis are given the opportunity to buy a rundown red and white Plymouth Fury, named ‘Christine’. The car is selling for a mere $250 and after spending his life being picked on by bullies for being nerdy, Arnie jumps at the chance to improve his social standing by owning a motor.
But with Arnie’s parents furious about their son’s new acquisition, Arnie is unable to keep the car at home. Instead, he’s forced to take it to an auto repair shop, where it will remain in lockdown until Arnie can give it a much-needed makeover.
Over the next few weeks, with Christine taking up most of Arnie’s free time, his friendship with Dennis begins to drift. However this doesn’t bother Arnie in the slightest, because he has other things occupying his mind, and before long he changes his entire outlook on life, including updating his appearance and dropping out of school.
Arnie also manages to transform Christine from a rust heap into a swish hot rod. The transformation is miraculous and incredibly fast, which is rather puzzling to Dennis.
But is Arnie really a mechanical whiz, able to tune up a car in no time at all, or could Christine be harbouring a dark secret? And could this secret explain why Christine is linked to a series of unexplained deaths, including the apparent suicide of the car’s former owner?
In terms of its status as a John Carpenter movie, a Stephen King story, and a horror film, I believe it’s fair to say Christine doesn’t usually appear at the top of anyone’s list of the best of the best. The go-to Carpenter movie is usually Halloween or The Thing; for King stories it’s probably It or The Shining; while for horror films I could spend all day discussing the top flicks in the genre.
However, I believe it’s also fair to say that even if Christine doesn’t top the charts on any of the above, it is still a fairly solid picture. Christine delivers on multiple fronts (direction, cinematography, etc) and it tells an engrossing tale about corruption, revenge, and murder.
Carpenter brings the story to life with some impressive visuals, as well as the usual suspense and thrills he’s known for. He also backs the film up with a fantastic soundtrack, co-composed with Alan Howarth, which perfectly captures the tone and mood of the film.
Christine is a slow burning picture, which is very much about the mood and the aesthetic, and this is something which Carpenter serves up in spades. It might not be his strongest picture, but it sure is an interesting one, and one which sits comfortably in his portfolio.
The film centres its action around Arnie and Christine; with the former being an impressionable teen, looking for an escape from endless bullying, and the latter being a murderous motor with a life of its own. If the plot summary at the top of this review didn’t make it clear, Christine has sentience and isn’t afraid to kill if needs be.
But don’t be fooled into thinking this is a chattering car, dealing out quips while mowing down unsuspecting victims, because Carpenter treats the villainous vehicle with respect, and ensures it remains suitably menacing. The whole film is played straight, with Christine becoming a silent, yet sinister presence throughout, and this stops the picture from becoming a camp bit of schlock.
Backed up by a decent cast, the core characters (including Christine) also keep things ticking along quite nicely and this makes for a perfectly serviceable vehicle. OK, so the movie does run out of a little gas during the second half, but the visuals and the aforementioned soundtrack make up for this and ensure the wheels don’t come off.
If you’re just getting into work of John Carpenter or you’ve never seen Christine before, now is the perfect opportunity to have a look. Take the movie for a test run, give it the once over, and see how well it suits you.
Christine is unlikely to become your favourite John Carpenter flick, but you might find yourself developing a real soft spot for it. As noted above, it finds multiple ways to shine and its story about an impressionable youth being seduced by a powerful force keeps it eternally relevant and appealing.
Should you wish to see Christine on the big screen for the film’s 40th anniversary, the movie will be popping up in select UK cinemas from Friday 20th October. The screenings are very limited, so keep this in mind if you’re keen to view the movie over the spooky season.
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Thank you for taking the time to read this review on It’s A Stampede!. For more reviews, check out the recommended reads below.
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