Review: Christine
"The
Ride of Your Life"
by
Christopher Highland
For Horror Bob's Blog
Horror
films have a negative reputation, and I believe I have figured out why.
With the MPAA coming into effect in 1968, controversial subject matters came
into play, more than ever before, which were usually censored after
1934. Though rated, boundaries were challenged and broken through as
genres were handled with more maturity. Horror rose again in a big way,
through the 1970s and coming to a head in the 1980's, regarding frequency and intensity,
and spilling over into recent years. Not just explictness, but
over-explictness, has tended to be the standard a disproportionate amount
of the time. This usually left little room for other elements of
what the horror film genre really is: competent acting,
character development, depth, and suspense. Endless sequels, make-up, special
effects, and icons have flooded the market, essentially alienating outside
audiences. They became cinematic cognac if made a certain way, a roller
coaster in its base elements.
Then
there are horror films such as "Christine".
"Christine",
taking place in 1978, tells the story of Arnie Cunningham, played by Keith
Gordon, who is introverted and an outcast, due to his appearance. With
his only friend, Dennis, they get into a fight at school with the bully, Buddy
Repperton, and his friends. After Buddy pulls a knife, he gets expelled after
being caught with it, but swears revenge. Arnie and Dennis pass by
an old car for sale on their way home: a 1958, Plymouth Fury, and red. Believing
his can put new life into it, Arnie buys it, despite disapproval from Dennis,
and Arnie's parents. As he fixes it up with amazing speed and dedication,
Arnie goes through a transformation, too. He dresses and acts differently,
becomes more confidant, even winning the affection of the popular girl, Leigh,
but obsessing about his car, named Christine. Never mind the fact that Buddy
and his friends trash the car, or that revenge occurs soon after. The
real horror is how Arnie goes from a quiet, sympathetic character, to
a mean, selfish, ultra-obsessive person.
Directed
and scored by John Carpenter in 1983, "Christine" is well-crafted
with a soundtrack mostly full of 1950s music. During one scene, the song
"Little Bitty Pretty One" plays on Christine's radio, which slowly
builds tension, adding to the atmosphere. Masterfully shot, each scene is
as tight as the car itself. Though the car has a life of its own, being able to
repair itself, it is integral to the story, and not a crutch.
Directors
such as Alfred Hitchcock proved that with ingenuity and class, specific genres
could be handled well enough to be inviting to those who
are unaccustomed. Since John Carpenter was influenced by Hitchcock, the
quality is evident in the film. Also, studies have shown that some
of these films can be good for the heart rate. Rarely do these
films offer more than face value other than entertainment. This has much
more.
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