Christine
1983 – It’s Stephen King AND John Carpenter, so it’s ALL good.
What? Were you expecting The Wraith perhaps?
Christine is a 1958 Plymouth Fury – possibly one of the best looking American cars of 1950s I might add.
Christine had two major elements that made it a fantastic car-based horror movie. Stephen King wrote it and John Carpenter directed it. Accurately showing the bond between a high school kid and his car, Christine is more than a slaughter-fest of a people-hating car. There’s real motivation for most of the action and the crux of the film is never lost in the telling.
Not only is Christine the best car-based horror movie, it’s a sensational movie too.
It’s a simple tale really. You’ve seen it many times. You know – – – boy meets evil car, boy rebuilds evil car, boy falls in love with evil car, evil car kills enemies, evil car accidentally kills boy as it battles bulldozer… you know – that old chestnut.
The movie omits or changes some of the facts of the book. This in turn makes it a different story altogether. In the movie, Christine is born evil – she even does some damages and kills during her construction. The book flows differently and uses Christine as a vessel for the spirit of the former, evil owner. Still, in many other ways, the movie and book are pretty close.
Cool fact: Dig this – – – Kevin Bacon was offered the lead. He opted for Footloose instead – sigh. You could have been “someone” Kevin – you coulda been a contender.
TFLCar.com knows there are lots of good, car-based horror flicks out there. I mean, The Hitcher, the zany Killdozer and the truly terrible Wheels of Terror are fun Halloween films too. Let us know what car-based horror films you like.
Have a happy Halloween and keep a weary eye out for creepy rides… other than the Pontiac Aztec.
…Or a Toyota Echo.
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