I would describe myself as a John Carpenter fan, but not necessarily an aficionado. Of the eighteen theatrical releases his films have had, I have seen fifteen. "Christine" from 1983, was one I had missed for years and only caught up with during the pandemic, catching it on one of the streaming services maybe a year or so ago. I enjoyed it, but it did not make a strong impression on me, at least until last night. Seeing "Christine" in a theater, in the dark, with an audience was a frank reminder of how differently a movie can play given the environment in which it is being experienced. There was no daylight streaming through the window. No dogs were demanding my attention, and sitting in a theater is much different from laying on the bed and watching TV. The immersive atmosphere brings out the creepy and haunting elements of the film much more vividly.
The movie has a rock and roll attitude about it from the very beginning. The fact that the 1958 Plymouth Fury is being assembled in 1957, and that Rock music was just starting is not a coincidence. Carpenter's selections of source music emphasize the time period of the cars date of manufacture, not the time of the story. "Bad to the Bone" may have been an 80s record, but it is based in a 50s style and sound, emphasized by the roots rock of George Thorogood and his band. The songs that play on Christine's radio are by 50s artists like Buddy Holly and Little Richard. The transformation of Arnie, the kid who restores and loves Christine, is largely an evolution to a greaser personality and style, even though the film is set in the late seventies.
It is a slow burn after a suggestive opening scene during the manufacturing process. Arnie, a good natured kid who is a bit of a sad sack, is played by Keith Gordon. His buddy Dennis, played by future genre director John Stockwell, is a football player with a lot more popularity but a good heart and a loyal friend to Arnie. We get some good character points about the friends and we see the initial enthusiasm that Arnie has for the dilapidated Fury he catches a glimpse of on their way home from school. Arnie's parents are not monsters but they don't come off as nurturing, and it is a surprise when Arnie starts talking back the them. It is the change in Arnie's personality, rather than the satanic car, which drives the opening half of the film. The killings don't start until well past the mid way point of the story.
Practical effects are used for the car to restore itself after being heavily damaged in an act of vandalism but also after the murders of the bullies. It is visually as accomplished as any CGI work, but because it is done in camera it looks far more convincing and disturbing. The great Harry Dean Stanton shows up for a few scenes as a detective investigating the killings, but his part is under developed and we seem to be missing the section where he figures out that the car is possessing Arnie and is really responsible for what has happened.
When I asked Amanda what she had thought of the film, she gushed enthusiastically, that it would be craking her top five list of John Carpenter films. I don't know that I will go that far, but I will say it played really well in the theater and I was sorry I missed it 40 years ago, but completely happy to be seeing it on the big screen.
