CHRISTINE

Keith Gordon in his Plymouth

CHRISTINE (1983). Director: John Carpenter. 

Dennis (John Stockwell) is best friends with the somewhat nerdy Arnie (Keith Gordon), who comes across an almost dilapidated old Plymouth and falls in love with her. Working on the car day and night, the car -- Christine, by name -- is not only transformed, but so is Arnie, becoming "cool" in his dress and manner like something out of the 1950's. Then the kids and others who taunted him become subjects of the wrath of Christine. But Christine, who can magically transform herself when she needs to, will not be easy to destroy. 

Robert Prosky

Based on a novel by Stephen King, Christine was not an improvement on an earlier and much better "killer car" movie entitled The Car. The Plymouth is beautiful, and some of the attack sequences are well-handled, although the alleged climax to the film is comparatively slow and dull. Stockwell and Gordon give good performances, although Alexandra Paul as Arnie's girlfriend isn't much of an actor; considering her 100 credits she must have gotten better. The movie is stolen by Robert Prosky, who makes the most of his scenes as Will Darnell, the grizzled, often dyspeptic owner of a body shop where Arnie works on the Plymouth. William Ostrander is notable as Arnie's main nemesis, Buddy. The film is at least twenty minutes too long and has no real tension or suspense. The director's mediocre score doesn't help at all. 

Verdict: Yet another schlocky John Carpenter movie. **1/4.