CHRISTINE

US, 1983, 105 minutes, Colour.
John Stockwell, Keith Gordon, Alexandra Paul, Robert Prosky, Harry Dean Stanton.
Directed by John Carpenter.

Christine is one of several films made from Stephen King novels in 1983-84 (Cujo, Dead Zone, Firestarter). It was made by John Carpenter who established his reputation as a horror film-maker with the original Halloween. He followed it up with The Fog, Escape from New York, The Thing.

Christine is a satanic car. There had been several previous films about possessed cars including Crash, The Car. The Knightrider popularised a personalised car for television audiences.

However, Christine is malevolent. She is destructive and interchanges personality with the awkward personality who falls in love with her and buys her. In fact, the screenplay highlights the relationship between hero and car. The film focuses on teenage behaviour, attitudes towards sexuality and permissiveness in the opening part of the film and seems to make a parallel with Arnie's experience with Christine. Ultimately, of course, she is a destroyer. The film does not work with the shock and suspense tactics of other King films. Rather, it establishes its mood, makes suggestions and then unleashes Christine.

It is a clever film rather than an impressive film.

1. The work of Stephen King? His focus on the 'supernatural'? Suspense, shock? His imagination? The work of John Carpenter in horror films? A satisfying combination?

2. The film as a piece of Americana? The focus on teenagers and their '80s style, attitudes, permissiveness? The focus on cars in the United States? The prologue with the '50s and the pride in making cars? The transition to the '70s and '80s? The California background, the ordinary town, family, school? Police? The credible setting for the horror film?

3. Cars and Detroit, the American pride in cars, machines, gloss, speed, power, parts? Knowledge of cars and their operation? The praise of the car? The diabolical power and influence of the car?

4. Stephen King's imagination: the possessed car, its diabolical history, the repressed teenager, his being possessed and changing, falling in love with the car, destroying, being destroyed by it? Parallels with other King novels and films e.g. Carrie?

5. The theme of the misfit, society, evil, menace, transformation and destruction of society? In the American context?

6. Teenagers, attitudes towards sexuality, talk, poses, propositions? The car as a prestige symbol, sex symbol? The use of cars for sex? The screenplay parodying attitudes towards the car? The hero and his selling his soul for the car - and being damned?

7. Christine as a personality: the opening, the assembly line, the Plymouth in the '50s, seen as a quality car, antique? The music, rock and roll background? The red colour and its symbolism? The gloss of its interiors? Its procession on the assembly line, its turning destructive, jamming the hand, the African American, death? The transition to the present? Christine as an old and abandoned car? The story of the owners, the cruelty? Arnie and his sighting Christine, love at first sight, wanting to possess her, obsession? His building Christine, growing to understand her? Experiencing her changes? His change along with that of Christine - in appearance, manner? His looking more diabolical? The encounter with Leigh and her being choked at the drive-in? Arnie being bashed by the gang? Christine being bashed and renewing herself? Her starting to kill? The fire? Darnell? Christine on the road, confronting? The attempts to destroy her? Her being diabolical and not dying? Christine as a feminine Devil and her power?

8. Christine in the context of the American town, college? The girls, the boys, tough, football, friendships, relationships? Dennis as the embodiment of the average young American? Leigh as the average girl? The contrast with Arnie and his awkwardness. his parents. his ability with machines? His changing? Injuring Dennis? The final confrontation between the two sets of values - what profit in selling one's soul? The comparison with the American way of life compared with the diabolical?

9. The portrait of Arnie: awkward, gawky, mocked, his parents and their criticisms, the home scenes. school? Rivalry with Dennis? The local thugs and their taunts, violence? The seeing of Christine, defying everybody, the clashes, the clashes with his parents? His gradual transformation e.g. the glasses, appearance, clothes, appearing more diabolical, the encounters with Darnell, the deal, the car, taking Leigh out, the choking? The thugs and the cruel vengeance by Christine and Arnie? Pursuit, the police, his revenge on his parents? Visiting Dennis in the hospital? His ultimately being possessed and dying? His talk about love and relationships?

10. The contrast with Dennis - smug, smart, friendly, sport, love for Leigh, the Cunninghams, the experience of the injury. the hospital, his helping Leigh, trying to help Arnie, the end?

11. Leigh as heroine, college, relationship with Arnie, the outing, almost killed, growing fear. joining with Dennis to try to save Arnie?

12. The town thugs, their brutality. the revenge?

13. The parents and their severity, Arnie's attitudes, revenge?

14. Darnell and his owning of the yard, toughness? Darnell as a tough bargainer, background, friends, attitude towards Arnie, Dennis?

15. The police, the investigations - and the conventions of the enquiry film?

16. The importance of the special effects - the focus on Christine, her renewing herself. her being able to squeeze through streets etc., the destruction wrought?

17. The film as a piece of Americana horror? In the context of the American way of life, cars, teenagers and their mores?