Celebrating 40 years of Stephen King’s CHRISTINE

Published 40 years ago—April 29, 1983—Stephen King’s classic horror novel CHRISTINE is the frightening story of a nerdy teen who falls in love with his possessed car…

Celebrating now 40 years, the classic Stephen King horror novel Christine tells the story of a car—a 1958 Plymouth Fury—possessed by dark supernatural forces. The book was also adapted—that same year—as a movie directed by John Carpenter.

According to the Tor blog, the idea for the novel Christine goes back to 1978 when King was walking home one day, frustrated with his dying car. “Wouldn’t it be funny,” King thought, “if the little numbers on the odometer started to run backwards, and that when they ran backwards the car would get younger? That would make a funny short story.”

Randy Lofficier talked to King about Christine and they discussed the alternating ideas of the book and the movie:

Lofficier: It’s difficult to tell from reading the book whether Christine is evil herself, or whether Le Bay makes her evil. From what source do you see the evil emanating?

King: That's one of the questions with which the movie people started to wrestle. Was it Le Bay, or was it the car? I understand that their answer is that it was the car. In fact, it may be—and I’m just guessing—that Le Bay isn’t anywhere near as sinister as he is in the book. I think that, in the book, there is the suggestion that it’s probably Le Bay, rather than the car.

When the film people came to me, I said, “Look, this is your decision. You decide what you’re going to do with the story.” But, later, I was told that in the opening sequence, when the car rolls off the assembly line, one of the workman is dead behind the wheel. This would give you the idea that the car was bad from the beginning...

About the book Christine

Stephen King’s ultimate evil vehicle of terror, Christine: the frightening story of a nerdy teenager who falls in love with his vintage Plymouth Fury. It’s love at first sight, but this car is no lady.

It’s love at first sight for high school student Arnie Cunningham when he and his best friend Dennis Guilder spot the dilapidated 1958 red-and-white Plymouth Fury for sale—dubbed “Christine” by its original owner. Christine quickly changes things for Arnie, and suddenly he has newfound confidence and popularity, dating one of the most beautiful girls in the school, Leigh Cabot.

As Christine starts to terrifyingly consume every aspect of Arnie’s life, Dennis and Leigh soon realize they must uncover the awful truth behind a car with a horrifying history. Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned, and heaven help anyone who gets in Christine’s way…

Find Christine by Stephen King on Amazon

About the movie Christine

Christine—titled onscreen as John Carpenter’s Christine—is a 1983 supernatural horror film directed by Carpenter that starred Keith Gordon, John Stockwell, Alexandra Paul, Robert Prosky and Harry Dean Stanton. The film also features supporting performances from Roberts Blossom and Kelly Preston.

Written by Bill Phillips and based on King’s novel, the movie was released in the United States on December 9, 1983. Christine received generally positive reviews from critics and has since become a cult classic.

Find the Christine movie by John Carpenter at Amazon

A remake from Sony Pictures and Blumhouse is in development.

Scroll down to watch a panel discussion featuring members of the movie’s cast and crew.

About author Stephen King

The author of such popular horror novels as The Stand and The Shining and ’Salem’s Lot (not to mention the epic Dark Towers series) and SO MANY MORE, Stephen King was born in Portland, Maine in 1947. He made his first professional short story sale in 1967 to Startling Mystery Stories.

In the fall of 1971, he began teaching high school English classes at Hampden Academy, the public high school in Hampden, Maine. Writing in the evenings and on the weekends, he continued to produce short stories and to work on novels.

In the spring of 1973, Doubleday & Co., accepted the novel Carrie for publication, providing him the means to leave teaching and write full-time. He has since published over 50 books and has become one of the world's most successful writers.

King is the recipient of the 2003 National Book Foundation Medal for Distinguished Contribution to the American Letters and the 2014 National Medal of Arts. Stephen lives in Maine and Florida with his wife, novelist Tabitha King. They are regular contributors to a number of charities including many libraries and have been honored locally for their philanthropic activities.

More about Stephen King online

Full CHRISTINE Panel from Stephen King Film Series at Egyptian Theatre

From the Stephen King film series at the world famous Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood, a Q&A panel featuring the cast and crew of John Carpenter’s classic, CHRISTINE. The panel, moderated by Sharknado director Anthony C. Ferrante, featured actors Alexandra Paul, Malcom Danare, and William Ostrander, composer Alan Howart, cinematographer Donald M. Morgan, and DP Tony Riveti.

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