Christine (1983)

User Rating:

6.3/10   

Director:

John Carpenter

Writers:

Stephen King (novel)
Bill Phillips (screenplay)

Release Date:

9 December 1983 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Fantasy | Horror | Mystery | Thriller

Tagline:

She'll possess you. Then destroy you. She's death on wheels. She's...

Plot:

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

Plot Keywords:

Car | Crushed To Death | 1970s | Automobile | Immolation

Awards:

2 nominations

Cast

Keith Gordon	...	Arnie Cunningham
John Stockwell	...	Dennis Guilder
Alexandra Paul	...	Leigh Cabot
Robert Prosky	...	Will Darnell
Harry Dean Stanton	...	Rudolph Junkins
Christine Belford	...	Regina Cunningham
Roberts Blossom	...	George LeBay
William Ostrander	...	Buddy Repperton
David Spielberg	...	Mr. Casey
Malcolm Danare	...	Moochie Welch
Steven Tash	...	Richard Trelawney
Stuart Charno	...	Don Vandenberg
Kelly Preston	...	Roseanne
Marc Poppel	...	Chuck
Robert Darnell	...	Michael Cunningham
Richard Collier	...	Pepper Boyd
Bruce French	...	Mr. Smith
Douglas Warhit	...	Bemis
Keri Montgomery	...	Ellie Guilder
Jan Burrell	...	Librarian
Charlie Steak	...	Shoppie (as Charles Steak)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Mohhib Jivan	...	Auto Shop Clerk (uncredited)
Daniel A. Lomino	...	Liquor Store Clerk (uncredited)
John Richard Petersen	...	High School Student (uncredited)
Barry Tubb	...	Football Player (uncredited)

Directed by
John Carpenter

Writing credits
Stephen King		(novel)
Bill Phillips		(screenplay)

Produced by
Barry Bernardi	....	associate producer
Larry J. Franco	....	co-producer (as Larry Franco)
Richard Kobritz	....	producer
Kirby McCauley	....	executive producer
Mark Tarlov	....	executive producer

Original Music by
John Carpenter
Alan Howarth

Cinematography by
Donald M. Morgan		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Marion Rothman

Casting by
Karen Rea

Production Design by
Daniel A. Lomino		(as Daniel Lomino)

Set Decoration by
Cloudia

Costume Design by
Darryl Levine

Makeup Department
Frankie Bergman	....	hair stylist
Robert Dawn	....	makeup supervisor (as Bob Dawn)

Production Management
Robert Doudell	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Larry J. Franco	....	first assistant director (as Larry Franco)
Connie Garcia-Singer	....	dga trainee
Jack Philbrick	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Daril Alder	....	leadman
Richard Chirco	....	set dresser
William J. Durrell Jr.	....	set designer (as William Joseph Durrell Jr.)
Louis S. Fleming	....	assistant property master
Walton D. Hadfield	....	construction coordinator (as Walt Hadfield)
George Jenson	....	production illustrator
Kent H. Johnson	....	property master
Tony Leonardi	....	painter (as Anthony J. Leonardi Jr.)
J.D. Smith	....	set dresser
John Tyrrell	....	paint foreman

Sound Department
John K. Adams	....	foley artist (as John Adams)
Joseph F. Brennan	....	boom operator (as Joseph Brennan)
Thomas Causey	....	sound mixer
Hank Garfield	....	boom operator
Michael C. Gutierrez	....	dialogue editor (as Michael Gutierrez)
Duane Hartzell	....	sound editor
Devon Heffley Curry	....	adr supervisor (as Devon Heffley)
Robert J. Litt	....	sound re-recording mixer
Steve Maslow	....	sound re-recording mixer
John Post	....	sound editor
Steve Rice	....	foley artist
David E. Stone	....	sound editor (as David Stone)
Kendrick Sweet	....	dialogue editor (as Ken Sweet)
Elliot Tyson	....	sound re-recording mixer
David Lewis Yewdall	....	supervising sound editor (as David Yewdall)

Special Effects by
Ted Allen	....	special effects
Roy Arbogast	....	special effects supervisor
Elmer Hui	....	special effects (as E. Hui)
Bill Lee	....	special effects foreman
Kevin Quibell	....	special effects
Mike Reedy	....	special effects (as Michael Reedy)
David Simmons	....	special effects (as David L. Simmons)
Dick Wood	....	special effects (as Richard Wood)
Gary Zink	....	special effects (uncredited)

Stunts
Buff Brady	....	stunts
David D. Darling	....	stunts
Ted Duncan	....	stunts
Tom Elliott	....	stunts
Donna Evans	....	stunts
Clifford Happy	....	stunts
Robert Lee Harris	....	stunts
Norman Howell	....	stunts
Terry Leonard	....	stunt coordinator
Mike H. McGaughy	....	stunts
John Meier	....	stunts
Conrad E. Palmisano	....	stunts
Kerry Rossall	....	stunts
Ben Scott	....	stunts (as Ben R. Scott)
John-Clay Scott	....	stunts
Dean Smith	....	stunts
Dick Warlock	....	stunts
Jim Wilkey	....	stunts
Walter Wyatt	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Mike Amorelli	....	set electrician (as Michael Amorelli)
Ralph Barone	....	set electrician
Tom Barone	....	electrical best boy (as Thomas R. Barone)
Russell Caldwell	....	set electrician (as Ed Tobin)
David Canestro	....	grip
James B. Crawford	....	set electrician (as James Crawford)
Richard Dow	....	grip
Kim Gottlieb	....	still photographer (as Kim Gottlieb-Walker)
Richard Hartley	....	set electrician (as Richard Hartley Jr.)
Gary Holt	....	gaffer (as Gary H. Holt)
Bob E. Krattiger	....	set electrician (as Robert Krattiger)
Michael Laws	....	set electrician
Marc Margulies	....	second assistant camera
Gary Parker	....	dolly grip
Tony Rivetti	....	first assistant camera (as Anthony J. Rivetti)
Chris Schwiebert	....	camera operator
Alex Skvorzov	....	electrical best boy
Calvin Sterry	....	key grip (as Cal Sterry)
Louis Tobin	....	gaffer (as Lou Tobin)
Joseph F. Valentine	....	panaglide operator (as Joseph Valentine)
Clay H. Wilson	....	second grip (as Clay Wilson)
Steve Wolfe	....	set electrician
James B. Crawford	....	lamp operator (uncredited)
Michael Laws	....	lamp operator (uncredited)

Casting Department
Annette Benson	....	casting assistant
Janice Spitzer	....	extras casting
Peter Spitzer	....	extras casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Dawn J. Jackson	....	costumer: women (as Dawn Jackson)
Darryl Levine	....	costume supervisor

Editorial Department
Virginia Katz	....	assistant film editor

Music Department
William C. Carruth	....	music editor (as William Carruth)
David Marsh	....	music clearance
Michael Ochs	....	music coordinator

Transportation Department
George Alden	....	driver
Ed Arter	....	transportation captain
E.O. Braden	....	transportation co-captain
Gary Burch	....	driver
Eddie Lee Voelker	....	transportation coordinator
Gordon Wiles	....	driver (as Gordon W. Wiles)

Other crew
Ellen Benjamin	....	assistant: Mr. Carpenter
Shirley Bonner	....	assistant: Mr. Kobritz
Bethany Brown	....	assistant production accountant
Gary Burch	....	mechanic
Maurice Costello	....	first aid
Karlene Gallegly	....	location manager
Larry Hand	....	production accountant
Jeffery House	....	moldmaker (as Jeff House)
Kisuna Jacobsen	....	script supervisor
Mary McKernan	....	office assistant
Bridget Murphy	....	production coordinator
Midge Ogle	....	craft service
Carol Rosenthal	....	production secretary
Richard Ruiz	....	moldmaker
Rubin Saens	....	custom body works
Peter J. Silbermann	....	publicity coordinator
Eddie Lee Voelker	....	coordinator: "Christine"

Thanks
Robert Dawn	....	in memory of (as Bob Dawn)

Production Companies

• Columbia Pictures Corporation
• Delphi Premier Productions
• Polar Film

Distributors

• Columbia Pictures (1983) (USA) (theatrical)
• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1987) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• Warner-Columbia Film (1984) (France) (theatrical)
• Warner-Columbia Films (1984) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Warner-Columbia Filmverleih (1984) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment (1999) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (1999) (Spain) (DVD)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (1998) (Netherlands) (VHS)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (1999) (USA) (DVD)
• Egmont Entertainment (2000) (Finland) (DVD)
• Esselte Video (198?) (Finland) (VHS)
• Mainostelevisio (MTV3) (1991) (Finland) (TV)
• Nelonen (1998) (1999) (Finland) (TV)
• Nordisk Film Home Entertainment (1997) (Finland) (VHS)
• RCA/Columbia Pictures Home Video (1985) (Spain) (VHS)
• RCA/Columbia Pictures Home Video (USA) (VHS)
• RCA/Columbia Pictures Home Video (USA) (laserdisc)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment Nordic (2004) (Finland) (DVD) (special edition)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2006) (Netherlands) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  camera cranes

Also Known As:

John Carpenter's Christine (USA) (complete title)

Runtime:

110 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Iceland:16 | Canada:R (Ontario) | Canada:18A | West Germany:16 (nf) | Finland:K-15 (2004) | Finland:K-16 (1984) | India:A | Argentina:16 | Australia:M | Chile:18 | France:Unrated | Germany:16 | Netherlands:12 | Norway:15 | Norway:16 (1984) | Singapore:NC-16 | Spain:13 | Sweden:15 | UK:18 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Oak Park High School - 899 Kanan Road, Oak Park, California, USA

Company:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Trivia:

Special Edition DVD contains - 20 deleted, extended, or alternate scenes. They are as follows: - A brief scene of Arnie and Dennis driving to school, in which Arnie recites a dirty limerick. - Alternate scene of Arnie being bullied by Reperton and his gang. - Arnie driving to Darnell's in a junked out Christine. - Arnie breaking down in anger in Dennis's car. - Darnell and a friend talking to Arnie when he is fixing up Christine. - Extended scene of Arnie visiting Dennis at the hospital. - Extended scene of bullies trashing Christine, including the guy defecating on the dashboard. - Extended scene of Arnie and Leigh walking into Darnell's. - A scene in which Leigh visits Dennis in the hospital. - Brief scene of Arnie's mother looking in on him while he is sleeping. - Extended scene of Arnie's second visit to see Dennis in the hospital. - Alternate scene of Detective Rudolph Junkins questioning Arnie in the school parking lot. - Brief scene of Leigh telling Arnie over the phone that she can't see him any more. - A brief scene of the gas station bully being crushed by a car, explaining his death rather than the implied death of being immolated in the gas station fire seen in the wide release. - Extended scene of Detective Rudolph Junkins questioning Arnie at Darnell's after Darnell's death. - Alternate scene of Leigh calling Dennis. - Extended scene of Leigh visiting Dennis at his house. - Alternate scene of Arnie and Dennis driving in Christine, in which Arnie is speeding and drinking alcohol. - A scene of Leigh and Dennis kissing in Dennis' car, and Arnie pulls up behind them and catches them. - Extended scene of Dennis and Leigh waiting in the bulldozer for Arnie to arrive. The following deleted scene is not included in the DVD, but is mentioned by screenwriter Bill Phillips during the featurettes: - A scene at the end featuring George Thorogood and Bill Phillips as junk yard workers, who smash the pile of Christine.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Buddy Repperton falls into the pile of boxes in the school garage, some of the boxes are already crumpled (from an earlier take).

Quotes:

Buddy Repperton: Come on, prick! We're not finished yet!

Movie Connections:

Featured in Christine: Ignition (2004) (V)

Soundtrack:

Come On, Let's Go

Don't Mess With Christine!

I'm not particularly a fan of horror movies and I couldn't fix an ailing automobile if my life depended on it so the workings of cars don't fascinate me.....but this movie fascinated me. The '58 Plymouth Fury, alias "Christine," is absolutely gorgeous. What a piece of machinery!

This is a horror story but there are no ghosts or monsters nor is there any gore. A car is the star of the film, a very jealous and vengeful one at that. Man, that sounds silly but, if you're reading this you have probably watched the movie so no sense going into details. It's hard to describe the story in a paragraph without it sounding stupid....but it's not. Maybe the quickest way to explain it is that it is about a car that is alive, like a human, and you mess with it, you pay!

It is definitely one creepy, well-made, unique and always-entertaining film.

The car is a lot better than any of the people, sad to say. No, I didn't like any of the kids in this film (high schoolers who all look 30 years old!) and the language is a little too rough in spots, but that can be filtered out.

The car, the '50s music, the unique story, the satisfying revenge angle all make this very watchable.