General assessment

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TanyaS

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I love the film too. It could have been longer and more fleshed out. My favourite scene is when Arnie comes across Christine for the first time: the music is eerie and the whole scene is totally atmospheric and gripping. The actor playing George LeBay really looks the part (but why did Carpenter replace Roland Lebay?), and I also love the scene when Arnie first tells Regina and Michael that he has bought a car. "It most certainly is not it!!' That scene just cracks me up everytime. Like I said, I would have liked it to be longer and more fleshed out. In the book, the car was haunted by the spirit of Roland D Lebay, rather than being evil off the assembly line. Wonder what his Hudson Hornet was like (the previous car he owned)..but overall still a good film. The actor that plays Arnie is spot on, could not be more perfect in the role. Go, Keith Gordon!! An old film now, but still a goodie.

I still think that Halloween is Carpenter's very best work, but Christine certainly stands the test of time.
 

TanyaS

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This movie would (could?) be amazing if this was remade properly!!! My first SK read - and always favourite.
I think that overall, Christine is probably my favourite King book as well. Was not my first King read, but it's one I enjoy every time..
 
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TanyaS

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Does anyone find the chacaterisation of Dennis by John Stockwell a bit two-diemensional? Probably due to time constraints, but in the novel, as the narrator, he is totally fleshed out, sensitive, intelligent and very sensible, cool, older than his age. In the film I just find the character quite wooden and one-note. Not the actor's fault, but he just doesn't match Keith Gordon for realness or excellent acting, but then again, the part of Arnie is the better, more meatier role!!
 
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ALOT

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Jun 10, 2011
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I did not mind the movie "Christine" but I think John Carpenter's masterpiece (in my opinion) was "The Thing" - now that was very scary - lots of suspense!
I have the one with Kurt Russell and the new one too.
 
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ALOT

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I've read the book and watched the movie. Both are terrific. I think people raised in that time will best be able to identify with the story. I can appreciate this movie more then most of the stuff they put out today.
 
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muskrat

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Nov 8, 2010
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A fine film, IMO. Carpenter's early stuff rocked. A decent adaption, too; I mean, you see a flick about a killer car, what are you expecting? Citizen Kane?

You may argue about the reverse-film effects when dealing with Christine's regeneration scenes, but back then, what else was there to do? If they did it nowdays, it'd just be CGI, probably over-done CGI that looks TOO real, if you know what I mean. They go overboard with that stuff too often, and next you know yer watchin a bloody cartoon. Less is more with that stuff.

Fine acting, fine direction, decent adaption--cripes, what more do you want? I figure we broke even on this one.
 
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TanyaS

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In the movie, I love the scene where Arnie firsts sees Christine. That scene is really creepy. Keith Gordon does a great job of Arnie. Other than that, it's rushed, and by the numbers.
 
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Pucker

We all have it coming, kid
May 9, 2010
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I love Christine. It was one of the first King stories I read -- mostly because my brother recommended it as "funny."

Something about George as just "an old man in his green old man pants" struck Bob as pretty damn funny, and there is a lot of humor in the story, if you can see it.

The movie is fine, as far as I'm concerned. Like many of you, I love Keith Gordon as Arnie, although I didn't like the way he went to bed as Howard Wollowitz and came down the next morning as Elvis. But that's the movies. Time constraints and all that. This is also why the deeper interactions we get in the book are not -- cannot be -- fleshed out. I don't think we feel as much of Dennis's pain in the movie because we don't get those scenes from their youth that tell us why they are such close friends. But all the teen angst is still there, and this idea that something will love us back if we just love it enough . . .

Well . . . who doesn't crash headfirst into that fallacy at least once in their life?
 
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Rockym

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Feb 11, 2012
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I love this book, but I absolutely HATE this movie. Worst adaptation of a Stephen King novel ever. Carpenter completely gutted the story and then just mashed together what was left.

I thought it was really stupid that they changed it so that Christine regenerates on her own instead of having to be pushed until she could run. Not to mention the way they completely killed the whole LeBay role in why Christine was so "unique". The opening assembly line scene shouldn't have there at all since from the novel I got the feeling that she was pretty normal at that point.

I just re-watched again after re-reading the novel. It's still a bad movie and even worse adaptation.
 
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Jonesy85

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I'm very liberal in my opinion of film adaptations of books. Be it King or anybody. I was a film geek before I was a bookworm, so maybe that has something to do with it, but I firmly believe that a person should try to enjoy the film first as a film and not merely as a moving version of a novel. I get being angered by various film adaptations if you adore the source material, I really do (I actually snapped at a friend at the last Harry Potter film in the theater because she wouldn't shut up about little tiny things not included. After the movie ended she just went on a tirade and I told her I was never seeing another movie with her again). But I think a film should be assessed on it's merits as a film above anything else, adaptation or not.

Now Christine holds a very special place in my heart. It was the first King and one of the first "adult" books I ever read and I adore it to pieces. It took me by surprise when it wasn't just a fun read about a killer car. The melancholy tone reeled me in, the distinct voices of the characters, the details of high school life (I was a freshman at the time) hit home and the overall mature, textured and honest writing struck me profoundly. The premise of a haunted car felt totally legit to me all because King made it feel totally real on every level.

The film is actually one of my favorites ever too. And one of Carpenters most under-valued. While, like with most film adaptations, much detail is lacking, I think Carpenter NAILED the tone of the piece to a T. I mean, the movie LOOKS like the book felt in my head if that makes sense. The casting is spot on and the essence of the narrative is distilled wonderfully and just like the book Carpenter manages to sell the idea of a killer car as legit and not hokey at all.

I wish Carpenter did more King adaptations. I think the guy gets Kings voice and style. As much as I adore The Shining the film (one of my favorites) I understand Kings and some fans attitude toward it as an adaptation. I think Carpenter had the skill (had, sadly) to direct a more faithful version of the novel with the novels themes intact. Imagine a world with two awesome versions of the Shining! Man, that would be amazing.

Good post. Christine was my first King book as well. I was 12 years old and I had moved from reading "Goosebumps" and kiddie-type books onto King. I picked Christine as my first because the film was a favorite of mine. My second King was Cycle of a Werewolf- again, because I loved Silver Bullet. For me, Christine is on the bottom of Carpenter's top five films.
 
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Blake

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Feb 18, 2013
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I think the movie is pretty good. I watched it recently with the director's commentary and Keith Gordon's. I suppose-if the movie had been longer-it could have explored the relationship between Arnie and the car more deeply.
 
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Dana Jean

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I wasn't thrilled with some of the actors, but overall, Christine is good. Especially back in the day.
 
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Samantha_

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Saw an awesome shot of a car today and gave a nod to the image; still it was inanimate image that looked like it was alive. Took me straight back to this book and I read it when I was 18 years old. Wow! Good writing lasts. It was nice to stop in here, today.
 
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ArnieCunningham58

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Oct 16, 2014
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Saw an awesome shot of a car today and gave a nod to the image; still it was inanimate image that looked like it was alive. Took me straight back to this book and I read it when I was 18 years old. Wow! Good writing lasts. It was nice to stop in here, today.

Would of been nice to see that photo. ;)
 
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Samantha_

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It was a truck if I recall correctly; red and black and the grill looked like a very wide smile. So, that kind of thing reminded me of "Christine" the ultimate story about inanimate objects which are real. Of course seeing that shot and being reminded of a story also reminds me a little of the whole "cross connection" idea in Duma Key (to Edgar's way of thinking) ... . Reading is awesome. :)
 
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MarZiDayZi

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May 31, 2016
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I just recommended Christine to new or would be fans of Stephen King's litany of reading pleasure, displeasure and delight, it came born of a question of asking those who read the post to test drive "A Death" and then Christine came to mind, it's in my top ten, The Dark Half, Thinner, Insomnia, Four Past MidNight being some of my faves, I also recall the movie and the young man with, so to speak, Christine, he looks like the same guy from the Rodney Dangerfield movie Back To School, the son on the swim team, I rarely watch TV or movies, so I could be wrong, but it's a sin when you think you're right when you know you're not, I know of that, however, in summation, I am now going to read Christine again myself, it's that Itty bitty taste from that short story, the man is that good
 
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