She was born in Detroit… on an automobile assembly line.  But she is no ordinary automobile.  Deep within her chassis lives an unholy presence.  She is CHRISTINE – a red and white 1958 Plymouth Fury whose unique standard equipment includes an evil, indestructible vengeance that will destroy anyone in her way.

CRITIQUE

Before he lost his way with movies like Escape From L.A. and Ghosts of Mars, John Carpenter was making classic contributions to the horror/sci-fi genre.  Films like Assault on Precinct 13, Halloween, Escape From New York, and The Thing, among others, set the bar pretty high for just what could be achieved within genre conventions.  He followed up The Thing with Christine, a twisted love story in the guise of a horror film.  Christine is not the violent, gory kind of film for which Carpenter had come to be known at that point, but rather a quiet, more character driven piece, with the main character being the menacing Plymouth.

When we first meet Christine, she is beaten up, abandoned, out of step – just like Arnie Cunningham.  Arnie is the biggest dork in school, the kind of social zero that can be found in any high school.  He gets picked on, does not have a clue how to dress, and his parents rule his life with an iron fist.  When he finds Christine – quite by accident – he finally finds something he can bond with.  The classically American love of the automobile is alive and well in Arnie – he literally loves Christine to death.  Keith Gordon, who had previously been relegated to minor acting roles (albeit with some notable directors), fully embodies his character here.  Through the course of the film Arnie covers quite an emotional range,  from hopeless nerd, to regular guy, to deranged psychopath, and Gordon pulls it off wonderfully.  Great performances are turned in by the whole cast: worried friend Dennis (Stockwell), fearful girlfriend Leigh (Paul), and even Harry Dean Stanton as the policeman investigating the strange series of murders all come back to Christine.

The car, of course, is the real star of the film.  The filmmakers used 17 Plymouth Furys in the making of the film, destroying all but two.  Carpenter really gives the car a human feel, particularly in the opening scene, where Christine first roles off the assembly line.  A mechanic gives her a final inspection when her enormous hood, like the jaws of death, comes down on him.  A trifle obvious perhaps, but the film is full of these interesting touches.  Even the golden oldies that pop up from time to time when Christine is in one dire situation or another reflect what is happening in the scene and give the car real personality.  The relationship between Arnie and the car is compellingly creepy.  The more immersed in Christine he becomes, the more Arnie begins to reflect the 1950’s in style and swagger.  When Christine gets jealous, bad things happen.

Christine is a fun horror film, dark and playful at the same time.  The film has its intense moments, but they are always undercut with a sense that we are all here to have a good time.  Christine never gets too serious, and that is its real strength.  The filmmakers obviously took the material seriously, without ever forgetting that it was supposed to be fun at the same time.  The acting and direction are both superb, and the film holds up surprisingly well, even 20 years after it first hit theaters.

THE VIDEO

Christine equals pristine in this new special edition.  The original 2.35:1 theatrical aspect ratio is maintained and all color levels are remarkably translated.  The picture is sharp, from the softer tones of the opening sequence, to the harsh colors later in the film.

THE AUDIO

This DVD offers audio tracks in English and French, both in Dolby Surround.  The presentation is sharp and well dispersed.

THE EXTRAS

Commentary by John Carpenter and star Keith Gordon: the director and star of Christine talk about making the film, the goods and bads of working with the car, and some interesting technical tidbits about making the film.  This is a great commentary track.

20 deleted and extended scenes: longer versions of scenes and scenes that did not make the final cut.  This is the perfect example of how deleted scenes should be presented: they are interesting to watch in themselves, but it is also obvious why they were cut.

Christine: Fast and Furious: a full behind-the-scenes look at the making of the film, told by the cast and crew.  They talk about working with the car, how some of the visual choices were made, and using the entire Los Angeles area to create an Anytown, USA feeling.  (30:00)

Christine: Finish Line: in addition to directing the picture, John Carpenter also composed the score.  Here he talks about coming up with the musical concept.  He and the cast also talk about the universality of the film’s themes and how it holds up 20 years after its initial release.  (7:00)

Christine: Ignition: this featurette looks at the adaptation process, how it went from novel to screen, and how all the actors were cast.  (12:00)

Also present on the disc are filmographies of the cast and crew, as well as some previews of coming attractions.  The only thing missing is the original theatrical trailer, which would have been nice to see.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Christine is a classic horror film, finally getting its DVD due with this special edition.  The picture looks great, the audio presentation is solid, and the special features are detailed and insightful.