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Keith Gordon, John Stockwell, Alexandra Paul, Robert Prosky, Harry Dean Stanton ... see more see more... , Christine Belford , Roberts Blossom , William Ostrander , David Spielberg , Malcom Danare , Steven Tash , Stuart Charno , Kelly Preston , Marc Poppel , Richard Collier , Bruce French , Douglas Warhit , Jan Burrell , Robert Darnell , Karen Rea

Director John Carpenter returns to the suburban landscape he explored so chillingly in Halloween (1978) with this lean, stripped-down adaptation of the Stephen King best-seller about a haunted car wit... read more read more...h a devilishly bad attitude and the teen underdog who falls head-over-heels for her chrome-accented charms. Shortly after geeky, horn-rim-sporting Arnie Cunningham (Keith Gordon) narrowly escapes a beating at the hands of shop-class bully Buddy Repperton (William Ostrander) on the first day of his senior year, he soon falls prey to a far more duplicitous villain in the form of a rusted-out 1958 Plymouth Fury nicknamed "Christine" by its crusty owner George LeBay (Roberts Blossom) -- who sells wide-eyed Arnie the old hulk despite the protests of best friend Dennis (John Stockwell) and the admonition of his domineering parents. As Arnie sets to the task of restoring Christine, his hobby grows into an obsession -- and the real power that hums beneath her hood begins to emerge, seemingly granting newfound coolness and sex appeal to the once-nerdy outcast, while simultaneously drawing away his very soul. A vengeful spirit, Christine lashes out violently at those who dare to stand between her and Arnie -- starting with Repperton and his gang, who completely trash the car, but are soon hunted down one by one and pulverized beneath the whitewalls of the miraculously-restored Fury. When Arnie's pretty, popular girlfriend Leigh (Alexandra Paul) begins to suspect she may soon be on the receiving end of automotive vengeance, she calls on Dennis for help... but a frightening midnight ride in Christine convinces Dennis that Arnie's only hope lies in destroying the demonic vehicle. ~ Cavett Binion, Rovi

Flixster Users

62% liked it

61,652 ratings

Critics

65% liked it

23 critics

R, 1 hr. 45 min.

Directed by: John Carpenter

Release Date: June 1, 1983

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DVD Release Date: September 28, 2004

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Stats: 2,391 reviews

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The new CCC jacket Keith Gordon, John Carpenter and the rest of the cast of Christine!! William Ostrander as Buddy Repperton Christine Christine christine William Ostrander as Buddy Repperton My Avatar on Christine Car Club John Carpenter and the Cast of Christine with the Christine Car Club!! The devil inside Christine William Ostrander (Buddy Repperton) William Ostrander, John Carpenter and the Cast of the 1983 film Christine. Christine John Stockwell in christine 1984 Christine John Stockwell, Keith Gordon and William Ostrander William Ostrander as Buddy Repperton
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Flixster Reviews (2,391)

  • fb1664868775
    November 10, 2011
    fb1664868775
    A minor work by Carpenter but still thoroughly entertaining. Great character acting by Robert Prosky and Roberts Blossom as well.
  • WrenchLT
    April 17, 2011
    WrenchLT
    I usually don't tend to find possessed vehicle movies particularly frightening but there was something really menacing and chilling about "Christine" - the devilish Plymouth Fury that seduces a 17 year-old college boy into fixing her up to her former glory to get up to more murde... read morerous mischief. It's pretty tame violence wise with the bad language being far harsher, but it's a really enjoyable film with good suspense and tongue-in-cheek humour. One of my favourites from Carpenter.
  • kenstachnik
    March 11, 2011
    kenstachnik
    Totally ridiculous, but fun at points. Not one of Carpenter's stronger efforts, but far from his worst.
  • ajv2688
    January 18, 2011
    ajv2688
    A great story from Stephen King, it may sound silly at first sight, but if you see it you'll see what a great psychological and supernatural horror movie it is.
  • TheDudeLebowski65
    November 22, 2010
    TheDudeLebowski65
    John Carpenter adapts Stephen King's novel with skillful precision. A high school kid becomes obsessive in his feelings for a very strange car he has bought. The car is given the name Christine and repays her owner's adoration by "taking care of" his enemies. It is fun watching K... read moreeith Gordon, owner of Christine, go from wimp to self proclaimed stud. Also in the cast are: John Stockwell, Alexandra Paul, Harry Dean Stanton and David Spielberg. It is super cool watching Christine repair her damaged parts. This is an underrated movie that deserves a repeat viewing. Christine is horrifying and is one of the best Stephen King adaptation ever. The film is terrific and the cast is very good here. A definite classic of Horror cinema. I read the original work by Stephen King, and the filmmakers have done a great job at adapting this awesome story. For me, Christine is one of the best film adaptations of a Stephen King Novel. Even there are a few things that were changed, most of the elements that made the book so good are here. John Carpenter not was able to adapt a book, but in the process he was able to make the film his own. The film has a sense, and a style that could only come from John Carpenter. The story of "Christine" is almost a lkove story between a boy and his car, or as they say in the book, a love triangle. Christine knocks off her potential rivals as the car is seemingly jealous at the main characters girlfriend and best friend. One of the high points of the film is of course the fact that the 1958 Plymouth Fury is itself a character as it kills off it's rivals, it's one of the most frightening "characters" in horror history. The love aspect with the car works well because after men and ares are one. We've always had an affinity with cars and always will. Christine is a terrifying Horror film, and is one of the best examples of a near perfect Stephen King film adaptation.
  • FilmFanatik
    January 11, 2010
    FilmFanatik
    Fantastic flick, but the ending was a little subpar to me.
  • ceWEBrity
    December 28, 2009
    ceWEBrity
    I think this is just about the best you can get out of a movie about a killer car. The characters are decent, the acting surprisingly strong, and the plot compelling if you can suspend disbelief at the utter bizarreness. It isn't scary in the slightest, and if you're scared of a ... read moremurderous car then I feel really sorry for you, but it's a well-done film in a sort of creature movie way. It's sort of interesting to see Christine act essentially like a jealous, primal human woman with absolutely no sense of inhibition or morality. Perhaps I'm reading into it too much...there's a scene where Christine forces a girl to choke on a hamburger, I don't think it's the brightest film in the world. I had fun watching it though.
  • ythelastman89
    November 17, 2009
    ythelastman89
    Just about the best Stephen King adaption out there along with The Shining. John Carpenter was able to take this story seriously and make it believable, something nearly impossible to do in the 80s. It's a great dramatic piece as well as a horror. Arnie is great because he's comp... read moreletely relateable and you can feel his slip into obsession all the more closely. The music choices were great and definitely creepier than one would expect.
  • stormyweather980
    September 13, 2009
    stormyweather980
    I'm a major fan of both John Carpenter and Stephen King movies, but "Christine" is one of their low points for me. I didn't find it that scary, and the idea of a car coming alive and killing people I don't know...just a little too farfetched I suppose.
  • SirPant
    September 8, 2009
    SirPant
    Not a great adaptation from Carpenter but then it is one of the most overrated books of all time. Quotable but not scary.

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Critic Reviews

Variety Staff
September 24, 2007
Variety Staff, Variety

This deja vu premise [from the novel by Stephen King] combined with the crazed vehicle format, makes Christine appear pretty shop-worn. Full Review

Dave Kehr
September 24, 2007
Dave Kehr, Chicago Reader

Carpenter's thematic self-consciousness can't entirely overcome a shaky dramatic structure that sacrifices character logic to increasingly meaningless thrills. Full Review

Roger Ebert
October 23, 2004
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

This is the kind of movie where you walk out with a silly grin, get in your car, and lay rubber halfway down the Eisenhower. Full Review

Janet Maslin
May 20, 2003
Janet Maslin, New York Times

Only a moderately engrossing film. Full Review

Nick Schager
April 14, 2011
Nick Schager, Lessons of Darkness

Proves Carpenter's mastery of both mood and the widescreen frame. Full Review

Dennis Schwartz
January 8, 2011
Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews

Slickly made dumb horror flick about a diabolical car and a nerd transformed into a lady killer. Full Review

Fernando F. Croce
November 16, 2009
Fernando F. Croce, CinePassion

Fifties fetishism here is not nostalgia but critique, the cultural residue that deforms consciousness Full Review

May 6, 2008
Film4

Tight editing and some decent scares make this one of the better King adaptations. Full Review

September 24, 2007
TV Guide's Movie Guide

Boils down to another average adaptation of one of the increasingly weak Stephen King novels that hit Hollywood like a bad rash in 1983. Full Review

February 9, 2006
Time Out

Off the page, a 1958 Plymouth is no more scary than the St Bernard which romped through Cujo. Full Review

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

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Facts

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    • Leigh Cabot: God, I hate rock and roll.
    • Buddy: Let's give this a**hole some of his own medicine.
    • Arnie Cunningham: Oh man, there is nothing finer than being behind the wheel of your own car! Except 'maybe' for pussy!
    • Buddy: (to Arnie) I'll fix you, you're gonna wish you were never fu**ing born!
    • Arnie Cunningham: (about Christine) Whoa, whoa. You better watch what you say about my car. She's real sensitive.
    • Dennis Guilder: A real hero could have saved Arnie.
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  • Which Stephen King movie is about a killer car?  Answer »
  • in the movie 'christine', is the name christine given to a:  Answer »
  • In which movie are both Ben Stiller and Christine Taylor in?  Answer »
  • what type of car was used in the movie christine  Answer »
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