Christine, 1983
Welcome to another exciting, brand-new edition of Saturday Night Movie Sleepovers! Even with October officially behind us, the boys still had the urge to cover one last horror to close out the season. And this go around J. Blake and Dion Baia are covering a director they love, dubbed by fans as “The Master of Horror.” This then begs the question: What do you get when you take a humble Detroit-born Plymouth ‘Mopar‘, add the legendary horror novelist Stephen King and then throw said “Master of Horror“ into the mix? Well you get the John Carpenter classic, Christine, from 1983.
The fellas discuss their HUGE affinity and nostalgia for this film, reminiscing about specific childhood memories concerning Christine. They examine where director John Carpenter was at this point in his career, coming off the commercial failure of his 1982 film The Thing and his decision to take on this project, while only viewing it at the time as “a job.” True to form, Dion and Blake compare the book to the film, and analyze which version best presents (in their opinion) the most entertaining story. They also track the sub-subgenre of the “haunted” or “possessed” vehicle, as well as get into the history of the real star of this movie, the 1958 Plymouth Fury– and their extraneous but personal connection to the car in question. So, though this is considered Carpenter‘s least favorite project, could it be argued that it might possibly be the auteur’s best directed film? How do the popular songs used in the film help convey the mood- specifically “Pledging my Love“, and the haunting true-story behind that classic Johnny Ace track? And how essential is the entire cast of Christine (including the supporting players) succeeding in carrying a story that otherwise might be completely unbelievable? Well, you better check your oil and tires, make sure your fingers are ready to shift with the push-button Torqueflite transmission on your Plymouth, and whatever you do, be sure your 1958 two-door sedan doesn’t feel spurned, because the boys are speeding into another thrilling and informative episode of Saturday Night Movie Sleepovers!
Extras!
Check out the original teaser trailer for Christine!
Take a look at the deleted and extended scenes from Christine!
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