This was my dad's favorite film. I think my brother and I probably watched this about once daily for an entire summer when we first got our Beta; it was one of two films we actually owned, of course, but we didn't mind the repetition. I'll never forget rewinding (and rewinding and rewinding) the scene where the newly rebuilt-after-the-trashing Christine charges Moochie; the close up on the back right tire seemed to really amuse my brother and we laughed at it, a lot. My dad had a 1957 Chevy in aqua green that he restored, I have a feeling it was his Christine, (but you know, not evil). This article originally appeared as There's Hope For Nerds Yet: Christine on Television Lady.
Christine, 1983. Directed by John Carpenter
Arnie Cunningham has problems. His parents don't understand him. His handsome and popular best friend, in between helping him with his locker and chasing off bullies in the wood shop, is hell-bent on setting him up with some of the school's more loose-moraled women ("What about Gayle Justin?" "Gayle Just-in-case? No, thank you.") Also, Arnie has no car.
This all changes when he meets Christine, a broken down old Plymouth Fury, arguably one of the greatest in a long, distinguished linup of villains masterminded by the brilliant Stephen King. From the moment Arnie lays eyes on the car, things seem to start looking up---he's able to stand up to his parents, he lands a date with Leigh Cabot, the most beautiful girl in school, and he strikes up a strange but profitable friendship with the owner of a junkyard, who allows him to use his old scraps to rebuild the car. But well just can't ever be left alone in stories like these, can it? Through Arnie's transformation from totally geek to totally sheik it becomes clear that Christine is not just a car, does not see Arnie simply as a driver, and that her previous owner (who actually killed himself at the wheel) seems to have an eerie ability to project himself inside the new and improved Arnie Cunningham.
This film, is, in a way, a very pertinent tale about bullying. True, Arnie takes things a little too far and is unfortunately sucked into the Stephen King world of bizarre evil that happens to good people, but let's face it, Arnie wouldn't have been vulnerable to any of it if he didn't start out the story as a genuine nerd. This story probably carries a lot of resonance for anyone who's ever dealt with a Buddy Reparton, and to those would-be Buddy Repartons out there---well, the message is don't do that. In addition to bully-evil, the novel deals much, much more with Roland LeBay (Christine's previous owner), his obsession with the car, and the way his ghost physically comes back and begins to take over Arnie and his actions; the film just kind of alludes to that by changes in Arnie (physically he becomes more attractive, eventually chooses the car over Leigh, the use of the word "shitter," etc.) but never really portrays LeBay's ghost as a factor in an obvious way. As a result, Buddy Reparton and his gang almost come off (in the film) as the most direct group of enemies instead of the more abstract LeBay, who I suppose is a bully himself, too. Speaking of LeBay: That brother, George, who sells Arnie the car? This is probably the most digusting image of an old person I've ever seen in my life.That back brace? And cigar? And in the following scene he has, the back brace UNDER A BLAZER? ("I'm gonna sell this shit-hole and buy me a condo") Ewwww. I can almost smell him from here. The film itself does not scare me but if I had to choose between Christine and LeBay, I'd choose Christine.
Already I'm saying too much. The film is a beautiful collection of images, many of the actors are quite attractive (I thought Dennis was smokin' hot back in the day), and John Carpenter, in addition to being able to roll out a reel of film, has a fine, fine musical sense. The scene after the Reparton Gang trashes the car where Arnie is at Darnell's, diddling around at the counter is one of my favorites; the music (a cross between the Halloween theme and the instrumental used in the credits of The Exorcist) together with the little mechanical noises as Christine "fixes" herself really, really thrill me. I also love the scene prior to the trashing where Arnie embraces the steering wheel as Christine plays "I'll Forever Love You" on the radio; Christine understands, oh yes she does. And she loves him back! Come to think of it, any time there is some link to events happening and songs on Christine's radio, it's awesome---Christine won't start outside of Leigh's house; "It's all right, baby, everything is the same," suddenly "I LOVE YOU LIKE I DO!" bursts on the old radio and she starts right up!
The ending scene, where the battered Leigh Cabot looks upon Christine's compacted remains, has always baffled me. "God I hate rock and roll," she says, glaring at the car. I mean, sure she'd just been through a lot, but even as I child, I think I asked my dad, "She hates rock and roll? How is that even possible?" If anything, Christine made me love it even more.
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