When it comes to horror, there are a few names in the genre that stand out. Among them is, without a doubt, Stephen King, the so-called King of Horror whose novels have inspired countless adaptations across TV and film across five decades, beginning with Carrie in 1976. Within that time span, several legendary horror directors have tackled King’s iconic works, from George A. Romero’s Creepshow to David Cronenberg’s The Dead Zone. In the ‘80s, King and a horror legend collaborated on what would become one of the best adaptations of King’s works ever, but that iconic movie is getting ready to drive out of Netflix’s streaming library.
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John Carpenter’s Christine is scheduled to leave Netflix on March 1st, meaning subscribers have just over a week left to stream it. Carpenter’s follow-up to the box office flop-turned-cult classic The Thing opened in 1983 as one of only two King movies released at Christmastime. The movie is adapted from King’s novel of the same name and centers around bullied teenager Arnie Cunningham, who purchases the titular sentient 1958 Plymouth Fury. When he begins to restore it, he unintentionally jump-starts the car’s sinister supernatural powers, and it begins to transform him while punishing anyone standing between them.
John Carpenter’s Christine Remains One of the Best Stephen King Adaptations of All Time
Christine was far from an instant success. In fact, the movie had a pretty rocky start. While the film was a modest box office success, opening in fourth place with $3.4 million in its opening weekend and grossing roughly $21 million against a $10 million budget, it was initially met with pretty mixed reviews from critics, and King himself in 2003 labeled it “sort of boring.” The movie has risen to reach cult classic status and is now recognized as one of the best King adaptations. Its 72% critic score on Rotten Tomatoes even puts it near the top of Carpenter’s film rankings.
So what makes Christine so good? The movie perfectly blends Carpenter’s signature style with King’s iconic story. Under Carpenter’s direction, the slow-burn supernatural novel about a jealous, sentient car is transformed into a fast-paced creature feature where, similar to Michael Myers, Christine is a relentless and lethal force. Carpenter brought his trademark atmospheric suspense by utilizing eerie, slow-burn tension rather than jump scares, as well as his iconic synthesizer scores and innovative camera techniques, to create a masterful blend of supernatural horror and psychological tension, all while keeping the core story and themes of King’s novel in place. Add to that the strong cast and their great performances and amazing practical effects, particularly the self-repairing car scenes, that remain impressive and hold up better than early CGI, and it’s easy to see why Christine is such an impressive and memorable entry in the 1980s horror landscape.
Where to Stream Christine After It Leaves Netflix?
Horror fans will want to stream Christine while they still can. The 1983 classic is currently only available on Netflix, and it’s still unclear if the movie is simply moving to a new streaming home following its March 1st departure. Outside of streaming platforms, Christine is available to rent or purchase online.
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Image courtesy of Tor Books/Macmillan -
Official art by Bastien Lecouffe-Deharme
