Put upon high school student Arnie Cunningham (Keith Gordon, in his first feature film lead role) is dominated by his parents, and has basically one friend in the world, level headed jock Dennis Guilder (John Stockwell). Then one day he spies an incredible wreck of a car, a 1958 Plymouth Fury that was named Christine by her foul tempered former owner. Believing he can restore her to prime condition, he now has something to live for. But soon his feelings towards the automobile turn to outright obsession, and he changes for the worse. Meanwhile, the car goes out systematically eliminating anybody who's rubbed Arnie the wrong way.
Horror master John Carpenter was, at the time, still smarting from the lack of commercial and critical success suffered by "The Thing", which this viewer believes to be his true masterpiece. He agreed to take the helm of this Stephen King adaptation. King, at the time, was such a phenomenon as an author that this story got optioned as a feature before it was even published. King had been impressed enough with producer Richard Kobritzs' TV miniseries of his novel "Salems' Lot" to give the man his choice of adaptations, and Kobritz chose this one over "Cujo".
"Christine" is very well made, and lots of fun. Carpenter and screenwriter Bill Phillips understand completely the love lavished by many on their rolling iron, so this is a pretty decent look at a boy and the car he loves. Carpenter & Phillips drop the more outré elements of the novel, almost completely getting rid of the character of the malevolent spirit Roland D. LeBay, and focusing on the car herself. In this movie version, Christine is born so evil that she's maimed one man and killed another before she's even off the assembly line!
Carpenters' moody score is one of his absolute best, and he also gets great use out of "Harlem Nocturne" by The Viscounts. The dialogue is often quite profane, but quotable as well. The special effects by Roy Arbogast are most impressive. The scenes of the ruined Christine repairing herself are the definite highlights of the movie.
The roles are impeccably cast. Gordon is entertaining to watch as he makes the transition from pathetic dweeb to swaggering '50s style punk. Stockwell and the lovely Alexandra Paul are good as their characters react to the changes in their friend. Robert Prosky, as miserly garage owner Will Darnell, Harry Dean Stanton, as persistent State Police detective Junkins, and Roberts Blossom, as LeBays' crotchety brother George, are all excellent. William Ostrander is spot on as the Travolta-esque creep Buddy Repperton. Stu Charno ("Friday the 13th Part II"), Steven Tash ("Ghost Busters"), and Malcolm Danare ("The Curse") are a hilariously unlikely bunch of bullies. It's also worth noting that Arnies' unlikable parents are played by CHRISTINE Belford and Robert DARNELL. Just a coincidence? Maybe, maybe not. Most importantly, the car herself really does become a character with a real presence.
Building to an exciting finale where Christine meets her match inside Darnells' garage, this is guaranteed to put a smile on some faces.
This was the very first feature to use the George Thorogood classic "Bad to the Bone" to denote a character that is, well, bad to the bone.
Seven out of 10.
