Search - Christine [Special Edition] on DVD

MPAA Rating: R Content Advisory: Violence, Adult Situations, Not For Children, Adult Language, Profanity Movie Release: 1983 DVD Release: 09/28/2004 Format: DVD - Enhanced Wide Screen Letterbox for 16x9 TV - Closed Captioned Edition: Restored/Remastered Audio Tracks: English, French, Spanish Subtitles: English, French, Spanish, Thai SwapaDVD Credits: 1 Number of Discs: 1 Run Time: 1 hrs 50 mins Studio: Columbia TriStar Members Wishing: 4 Genres: Horror, Thriller See Also: Christine

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 with 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, All Movie Guide

Keith Gordon - Arnie Cunningham
John Stockwell - Dennis Guilder
Alexandra Paul - Leigh Cabot
Robert Prosky - Will Darnell
Harry Dean Stanton - Rudolph Junkins
Christine Belford - Regina Cunningham

John Carpenter DVDs done right are a pure joy, as evidenced in Columbia TriStar's Special Edition of the car-gone-mad Stephen King classic Christine. This release sports a new commentary with the director and actor-turned-director star Keith Gordon, and it's safe to say that it does not disappoint. There are people who pull off good commentaries and then there are people like Carpenter, who have literally mastered the art with a healthy mix of wit, filmmaking lessons, and adept interviewing skills. Here, he and Gordon meet on similar terms as professional peers as they share fond stories of the production and their careers while making their way through a nearly 20-year-old picture. A whopping 20 deleted and alternate scenes have been included on the disc as well, with most adding good meat to the film and others that serve as a fine example of smart editing. The fun does not stop there, with three incredibly well-done featurettes on the film totaling over an hour's worth of new cast and crew interviews as well as exclusive behind-the-scene photos. Literally the only thing this edition is missing is the trailer, which most likely was tied up in legal issues with other companies at the time. The gorgeous anamorphic picture presents the film in its original 2.35:1 aspect ratio, and its Dolby Surround audio track does a fine job with the dialogue, action, and Carpenter's score. This special edition is plenty worth it for fans of the film and those waiting for this solid of a DVD release. ~ Jeremy Wheeler, All Movie Guide