Mon 20 Sep 2021
An Archived Review by Gloria Maxwell: STEPHEN KING – Christine.
Posted by Steve under Reviews[5] Comments
STEPHEN KING – Christine. Viking, hardcover, 1983, 526 pages, $16.95. Film: Columbia Pictures, 1983, directed by John Carpenter.
A haunted car, right… Stephen King expects readers to believe in a 1958 red and white Plymouth Fury that’s haunted no less. Well, yes, he does — and they will. For that is the magic writing quality that makes his talent so special. Stephen King can make even the most ordinary and unlikely object an item of horror.
In Christine, King attempts to invoke the terror.that permeated ’Salem’s Lot and the chilling fright of The Shining. The time is 1978, in a suburban community outside of Pittsburgh, On their way home, Dennis Guilder and Arnie Cunningham drive by a parked car — a 1958 Plymouth — with a ‘for sale’ sign in its window. Arnie falls firmly and unquestioningly in love with the car and determines to possess it at all costs, The present owner, Roland Le Bay, tells him the car’s name is Christine.
With Arnie’s purchase of Christine, no one who knows him remains untouched by the evil force that sits behind the wheel. And Arnie is a loser (“Every high school has to have at least two; it’s like a national law,”) and is frequently tormented by the school bullies. Christine quickly begins to exert an unnatural hold on Arnie, Not only does Arnie exhibit an abnormal affection for his car, but Christine’s rusty old exterior and worn mechanical parts mysteriously begin improving. Not that Arnie doesn’t spend many hours working on her, but his efforts don’t seem as methodical and orderly as her improvements indicate.
As Christine nears mint condition, Arnie acquires a girl friend, Leigh Cabot, As their relationship grows, strange and gruesome deaths happen to four bullies who inflicted damage on Christine. The story’s progression charts Christine’s increasingly diabolical hold over Arnie, and her acts of revenge towards anyone who tries to come between her and Arnie.
Although the horrific events do not fully terrify or render the reader aquiver with fright, there are some tense moments. The final duel between Christine and Dennis and Leigh showcases King’s writing skills superbly as he makes a potentially laughable and unbelievable scene ring with credibility and anxious moments.
By the time the last page is turned, it’s nearly impossible not to think of the ’58 Plymouth as “she” — as Christine — and not just an old car.
September 20th, 2021 at 9:27 pm
I’m generally not a fan of King, for a variety of faults I detect in his technique and his method. To his credit, I believe there’s evidence that he did-his-homework when he began his career. He was no piker. He genuinely set out to re-vamp the field. For that, I (sorta) commend him.
But, I suspect he did his homework too well –to the point where many of his works come off ‘cheaply’. He exhibits a too-scrupulous mimicry of previous icons in his field. He often, ‘coasts’. In sporting terminology, he’s a “ringer”.
These criticisms trotted forth –I admit too –that the guy always does possess genuinely slick writing whenever he does want to wield it. I’m no professor. But peppered in-and-among his “lazy” works, are titles with serious clout, heft, and punch. Some of the best writing in modern fiction. Ultimately, I respect what he did for his genre. He turned horror into a billion dollar industry. Can’t dismiss that feat/
Among his merits: volume. He seemingly never writes the same story twice. Characters: endless stream of ’em. Strong vocabulary, marketing savvy, and laser-like sensibility towards structure. Ideas are often trite and commercial; but he’s nothing if not the craftsman.
This particular novel reviewed above: I enjoy it. It has finesse. The concept is not that wonderful but it’s solidly articulated. And I always give this work props for the clever incorporation of 1950s car-themed du-wop lyrics prefacing each chapter. Nice touch.
September 20th, 2021 at 10:07 pm
One of his better books and films.
I owned a ’58 Plymouth Fury two tone (mine baby blue and white) and with push button drive. It was indeed possessed by an evil demon, spewing black fumes as it burned oil, guzzling gas as if it was water (even at 25cents a gallon it was expensive to fill it up every other day) and trying its best to kill me.
Mine was killed in a rear end collision that accordioned the trunk.
RIP you evil …
Needless to say I took this one to heart.
September 21st, 2021 at 2:47 pm
At one time, Stephen King’s books were highly collectible, and First Editions went for high premiums in the secondary market. It’s probably not true any more, but boy are his books bought, downloaded and read.
September 21st, 2021 at 8:29 pm
PS. Do do car owners still give their machines names? The second auto my wife and i owned was a Plymouth Valiant. We called it Prince. Very docile, thank goodness!
September 21st, 2021 at 10:33 pm
Might be more common in the South; above the Mason-Dixon, wedge-shapes and mini-vans predominate and no one works in their yard.
And in Kentucky, (NASCAR country) the Man-in-Black’s “PsychoBilly Cadillac” is still remembered. As the song says, he got it ‘one piece at a time’ (smuggling it off the GM plant in his lunchbox).
In Hazard County, ‘Cooter probably still works on the General Lee for the Duke Family.
Kiddin’. Pennsylvania (especially Pottstown PA of all places) has a thriving low-rider community.