Sony celebrates Christine's 35th anniversary by releasing this in 4k with upgraded video and audio which both look and sound amazing!
“John Carpenter brings Stephen King’s best-selling novel to life in this chilling thriller. She was born in Detroit…on an automotive assembly line. But she is no ordinary automobile. Deep within her chassis lives an unholy presence. She is CHRISTINE—a red and white 1958 Plymouth Fury whose unique standard equipment includes an evil, indestructible vengeance that will destroy anyone in her way. She seduces 17-year-old Arnie Cunningham (Keith Gordon), who becomes consumed with passion for her sleek, rounded, chrome-laden body. She demands his complete and unquestionable devotion and when outsiders seek to interfere, they become the victims of Christine’s horrifying wrath.”
John Carpenter and Stephen King, two names synonymous with horror and responsible for some of the greatest stories and films of the entire genre have collided to bring us Christine! For anyone who hasn’t seen this classic horror film of a killer car, it’s goes exactly as you’d expect a Stephen King story to go. Killer car who is inhabited by evil goes around running people over and causing them to die in all sorts of horrific, car like ways. John Carpenter’s involvement isn’t noticed as strongly as some of his other films. His recognizable music style is heavily downplayed in favor of a more rock and roll type selection which does play much better with the film, especially the sequences where what’s playing on the radio seems to indicate the current feelings and intentions of the car.
As with most book to film adaptations, a lot of the story has to be sacrificed or condensed to allow for running time. With Stephen King telling Carpenter to ‘do what you wish’ with the story, there were several changes to the story, namely with Christine. Originally possessed by the spirit of her former owner, the film maintains that it’s pure evil that possesses the car and eventually Arnie. Although how evil possesses a car is something that may be hard to understand and certainly never explained, it does feel like it could fit nicely in the Stephen King universe. With the eerie haunting light emanating from inside the cab and certainly the blinding headlights of the car very similar to the deadlights in King’s other books.
One thing I enjoy about the film are the characters. Dennis and Arnie’s relationship seems very natural and genuine, despite the major difference in social status between the two. This makes Arnie’s transformation all the more alarming as it’s taking place. That transformation unfortunately happens way too quickly and doesn’t seem to be explored as much as it could. It’s never quite clear what is exactly happening to Arnie; is the car controlling him, or infecting him in some way? Or is he possessed by evil as the car is? It’s clear that was to be some ambiguity about that as every time the car is in kill-mode the windows were blacked out to prevent the audience from seeing if it was being driven or driving itself. One thing is clear, however, that John Carpenter intended for it to be an unstoppable killing force just as Michael Myers. The only problem with that is if you’re running from a 3,000lb car there are quite a few things you can do to get away from it, like stand on some stairs.
There may not be many films about killer cars, but Christine ranks as one of the more memorable ones that truly does stand the test of time. It’s not Carpenter’s best, nor King’s, but the combination of the two will always be a major appeal to horror fans everywhere.
Video
Christine is presented in 2160 4k Ultra High Definition Widescreen 2.39:1. This transfer looks exceptional in 4k, with the HDR creating a breathtaking balance of color. The cherry red of the car, the clothing, are all beautifully contrasted with the deep darks of the rest of the film. Grain is kept at a manageable level, but the overall film looks very clear and detailed. Honestly, I was very surprised with the quality of this transfer. It looks brand new, certainly not 35 years old.
The included Blu-Ray disc is presented in 1080p High Definition Widescreen.
Audio
The audio is presented in Dolby Atmos and may be one of my favorite things about this disc. From the opening sequence with the engine revving, you know your sound system is in for a workout. Balance between the speakers sounds great, with powerful levels coming from the surrounds but never overpowers the center channel. The score sounds great as well here, with a lot of classic rock songs as well as the instantly recognizable Carpenter score as Christine chases down her victims.
Special Features
There are a few extras on this disc, but these are carried over from the original Blu-Ray release. These include:
- Deleted Scenes
- Commentary with Director John Carpenter and Keith Gordon
- Christine: Ignition
- Christine: Fast and Furious
- Christine: Finish Line
Sony’s treatment of Christine is exceptional in this 4k release for the 35th anniversary. The high quality audio and video will surely make fans of the film feel like they’re watching it for the first time, and hopefully find a new audience with a younger generation.
