ARTS The Michigan Daily Saturday, January 7, 1984 page 7 'Christine' runs out of gas By Larry Dean C hristine, the third in a trio of Stephen King novels adapted for the screen in 1983, seemed to have everything going for it: A young cast headed by promising semi-newcomer Keith Gordon, a producer who exhibited more than the usual financial know-how to the above-average television film of King's Salem's Lot, a director who has proven himself time and time again in the horror genre, and a good starting point in the novel, one of King's best in years. However, for all the promise at hand, Christine is a let-down. In comparison to the book, the movie pales; and John Carpenter's direction is sadly lax, if not downright uninspired. This is too bad, because, despite the simple plot, Carpenter could have worked wonders. Christine is the story of super-nerd Arnie Cunningham (Gor- don) and his love affair with a 1958 Plymouth Fury (named Christine), a car with a diabolical will of its own. Between Arnie and his beloved steps his best friend Dennis (John Stockwell), a jock with a brotherly attachment to the insecure nerd, and Leigh Cabot(Alexan- dra Paul), the new and prettiest girl in school who is Christine's human rival. If that little triangle isn't enough to fill up two hours of movie time, then there's the other subplots-Arnie's in- volvement with a bunch of rangy hoodlums, his "apprenticeship" under sleazy garage-owner Will Darnell (played wonderfully by Robert Prosky), and the atmosphere in the Cunningham household as Arnie slowly alters from his previous, overprotected self, to a strong and independent macho thug. One of the biggest problems with Christine is that the screenplay, by Bill Phillips, condenses King's 500-page novel into a barely recognizeable fac- simile of the original; many of the minor characters are simply brushed off (as in the case of Arnie's parents, whom we get a decent picure of in the book), or merely done away with. In the most ill-fated character-com- promise, Roland LeBay, the menacing old coot who sells Arnie his beloved Fury in the book, is done away with in the movie; instead, Phillips combines LeBay's character with his brother, George. George explains why the car is evil in the book but his individual per- sona is eradicated for the film. Sound confusing? Yes, it is, and detracting as hell, as LeBay's evil presence-so essential to the book-all but vanishes from Phillips' screenplay. The biggest error that Phillips makes in his Christine adaption is leaving out all the most horrific aspects of King's story. All the ghouls, corpses, menace and special effects are written out, and the absense of these Kingian trademarks reduces Christine to a sim- ple-minded and confusing joyride. Carpenter has proven that he can master both over and understatement in the suspense department. His most successful film, Halloween, was a vir- tually bloodless exercise in technique that put the audience in the hands of a craftsman who was capable of making them scared with his subtleties rather than grossing them out with gore. On the other hand, last year's The Thing was a brilliant example of unrestrain- tment, wherein Carpenter let effects man Rob Bottin run wild in creating a bevy of disgustingly lurid monsters; this is quite different from Howard Hawks' less graphic handling of the original film, a '50s kitsch classic, but it' proves that carpenter has the vision and the gusto to do more .than just "adapt" from another source. So why, then, does Christine look so bad? One guess is that it was too hastily done-the book hadn't even been published in hardcover before producer Kobritz bought the rights, and production supposedly went so smoothly that its release-date was pushed up by six months. That means that the film was essentially completed in eight months' time, a record for any celluloid effort with a modest budget. However, it may be that Carpenter, as versatile as he is, might have sucked up to recount for the losses he had with The Thing, which was a financial flop. Ironically, he had been slated to direct the adaption of King's Firestarter until Universal, the company behind The Thing, pulled him off it because of bad receipts at the ,box-office. Now that project is under the auspices of former child "star"-turned-director Mark Lester (Roller Boogie, Class of '84). The ad for Christine features a quote from Stephen King wherein he says that he considers it to be one of the finest adaptions of his work. But in a short in- terview, Scatman Crothers, who was featured in Stanley Kubrick's wildly uneven The Shining, remarked that although King had professed to liking the film when pressed by reporters, he said he could tell King was just "being nice" about it. I wish I could be that nice about Christine. But the truth is that Carpen- ter, Phillips and crew have, as your friendly local used car dealer might say, sold us a lemon. 1983's King sweepstakes tallies up two winners with Cujo and The Dead Zone, and a big disappointment with this movie. Christine is a supreme letdown. ANN ARBOR 2 INDIVIDUAL THEATRES 5h " o iert'''y 741-9700 $2.00 SHOWS REFORE 6:00 P.M. MAX IRENE GARY "W-JO" CARA BUSEY GAIL FRI., MON. 1:00, 7:20, 9:40 (R) SAT., SUN. 1:20, 3:20, 5:20, 7:20, 9:40 SHIRLEY MacLAINE DEBRA WINGER JACK NICHOLSON FRI., MON. 1:00, 7:00, 9:30 SAT., SUN. 1:00, 3:30, 7:00, 9:30 (PG) Keith Gordon, Alexandra Paul and John Stockwell star with a 1958 Plymouth Fury named Christine in John Carpenter's latest film. Halfway Inn hosts hardcore happy hours By Joe Hoppe The Halfway Inn, also known as East Quad's basement, goes big time tonight with the Necros, midwest hardcore's first and foremost band. They hail from Maumee, Ohio, and have been around for five years, or pretty close to a real long time, anyways. Inspired by first-generation L.A. thrashers like The Germs and Black Flag, as well as the all-important Misfits on the other coast, the Necros got together, became associated with a fanzine, Touch & Go, which is now also a record label, and the band's sound, style and attitude spread from Maumee to Detroit. The four piece (drums, bass, guitar, voice) band has done a lot of en- couraging, a lot of example providing, if nothing else, to the, whale scene in Michigan; bands like Ann Arbor's own State, Detroit's Negative Approach and all the young bands, East Lansing's .Crucifucks, and Kalamazoo's Violent Apathy (who will be at the HalfAss next week). The Necroes have done two EP's on their own Touch & Go records, with at least one all time great h.c. hit-"I.Q. 32." Both EP's have sold very well. A full length Necros album, Conquest from Death was released last summer, a few days after the band played at Joe's Star Lounge. The album is slower and more heavy- metalish than previous Necros efforts, as was the show, but they're still a good band to see. They've also had a recent personell change as evidenced by the new Necros drummer. His name was unavailable at press time, but he used to play with Detroit's Gerbils. So here's your chance, people; har- dcore with a history tonight at the Half- way. You know it's always fun. Fate unknown, also from Maumee, plays too, along with some other special guests. As with all In The Red productions, there isn't an age limit on this one, so the young may attend. Again fitting in- to the pattern, admission is $4. The poster says it begins at 9 p.m. That's sharp. The Necros are back in town with hard core for all you die-hard punk fans tonight at the Halfway Inn, East Quad. False alarm Well Police fans, sorry if we alarmed you. the Police are not (sigh of relief) breaking up. This rock institution - they've been together for nine years - is going to go right on making music. According to A&M records the Police have decided to turn off the red light and continue recording and touring. No need to send out an SOS, the Police will be around when you need them. So just forget all this "goodbye to rock" talk Andrew, Sting, and Stewart - we couldn't stand losing you. 0n 40 Dance Theatre Studio 711 N. University (near State St.) Ann Arbor Classes in ballet, modern, jazz, tap. .v f -9W I m I