Christine (1983)

A nerdish boy buys a strange car with an evil mind of its own and his nature starts to change to reflect it.

Director:

John Carpenter

Writers:

Stephen King (novel), Bill Phillips (screenplay)

Stars:

Keith Gordon, John Stockwell, Alexandra Paul

2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Keith Gordon	...	Arnie Cunningham
John Stockwell	...	Dennis Guilder
Alexandra Paul	...	Leigh Cabot
Robert Prosky	...	Will Darnell
Harry Dean Stanton	...	Detective Rudolph Junkins
Christine Belford	...	Regina Cunningham
Roberts Blossom	...	George LeBay
William Ostrander	...	Buddy Repperton
David Spielberg	...	Mr. Casey
Malcolm Danare	...	Moochie Wells
Steven Tash	...	Rich Cholony
Stuart Charno	...	Don Vandenberg
Kelly Preston	...	Roseanne
Marc Poppel	...	Chuck
Robert Darnell	...	Michael Cunningham

Storyline

Highschool geek Arnie Cunningham falls in love with "Christine", a bright red 1958 Plymouth Fury which has seen much better days. Setting himself the task of restoring the car to its original condition, his friends notice that the car is not the only thing that is changing. Arnie seems to spend more and more time with his car. He's also developed a sort of cocky arrogance which does not seem like the real Arnie at all.

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Plot Keywords:

car | teen | animate car | old car | killer car | 

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Taglines:

Hell hath no Fury...like a 1958 Plymouth.

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Genres:

Drama | Horror | Mystery | Thriller

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Certificate:

R

Details

Official Sites:

JohnCarpenter - movie site

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

9 December 1983 (USA)

Also Known As:

John Carpenter's Christine

Filming Locations:

Pickwick Drive-In Theater - 1100 W. Alameda Avenue, Burbank, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$9,700,000 (estimated)

Gross:

$21,200,000 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Columbia Pictures Corporation, Delphi Premier Productions, Polar Film

Technical Specs

Runtime:

110 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

As a joke, Alexandra Paul's twin sister, Caroline Paul, stood in for her during some scenes, most notably the ride on the bulldozer.

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Goofs

The small wheels that are visible under the car that Christine crashes into during the showdown at Darnell's is not a goof. Vehicles that won't run or have no engine are often put on this type of dolly to allow them to be moved around with ease.

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Quotes

Arnie Cunningham: Whoa, whoa. You better watch what you say about my car. She's real sensitive.

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Crazy Credits

In the opening credits when the titles are appearing, Christine's engine can be heard.

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Connections

Referenced in Cat's Eye (1985)

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Soundtracks

"Little Bitty Pretty One"
Performed by Thurston Harris
Courtesy of Liberty Records
Records Music Publishers

User Reviews

A Movie Any True Car Lover Can Appreciate

There are no words that can truly describe the power and passion of Christine.

Anyone who owns an older car will be able to associate with the obsession that takes over nerdish Arnie's life when he restores Christine, the beautiful Plymouth Fury.

John Carpenter's excellent directing brings the car to life to such a point where as you're watching, you become so entranced that you forget she isn't alive.

The actors are well chosen for the roles they play, and give excellent performances. This, accompanied by excellent photography, special effects, timing and musical score make Christine a definite must-see movie.

Please Note: The Australian TV edit cuts out some of the best scenes, so this movie is best seen on DVD or video.