Just as the titular 1958 Plymouth Fury took on a life of its own, so too will the upcoming remake of Christine. But that’s just fine by director John Carpenter, who is casually optimistic about the project – at least compared to his own experiences making the original.
When the topic of the Christine remake was brought up during an interview with Total Film, Carpenter said, “Oh boy…Well, good luck to him. It will probably be better.” Carpenter has never exactly been enthusiastic about the 1983 movie, having always considered Christine more of a for-hire flick since he was on the rebound from The Thing. “I needed a job, frankly…The Thing was my very first studio film. I was just diving in the pool here, and all of a sudden, WHAM. And getting fired off a movie is not the most pleasant thing,” he added, referring to another Stephen King adaptation he was tied to, Firestarter.
Keith Gordon, who played teen Arnie, who purchases Christine and tries to soup it up before it starts showing signs of possession, gave his thoughts on the remake and its director, Bryan Fuller. “I think he’s really talented, and a good person to do it…I mean, I don’t have a negative feeling about people remaking something, especially 40 years later. Christine could be told in a different way and not be an insult to the original. There’s a very short list of untouchable classics that should never be remade – films where their groundbreaking-ness or idiosyncrasy is what makes them special,” he said, specifically citing Citizen Kane, 2001: A Space Odyssey and Raging Bull, all of which are obviously in a different league than Christine, which personally I think is one of John Carpenter’s best films.
Gordon has a point overall. While die-hard devotees to Christine might snub the remake, there’s really nothing in it that demands it never be touched again. In a way, it’s almost like retooling an antique car. But please, don’t make Christine an electric car!
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