1983’s Christine remains not only one of director John Carpenter‘s more underrated films, but also one of the more underrated Stephen King adaptations. While some major elements were changed from King’s novel, the film remained true to its essence and was brought to life by an excellent cast that included Keith Gordon, Alexandra Paul, John Stockwell, and legendary characters actors Harry Dean Stanton and Robert Prosky.
The movie hails from what is generally considered to be Carpenter’s golden era run from 1976-1988 and it bears all the hallmarks of that period. Its score in particular stands out, from its eerie, pulsing synth sounds to its wonderful usage of “Bad to the Bone” by George Thorogood and the Destroyers. In short, the film is a classic from top to bottom.
John Carpenter may not have directed a feature film since 2010, but he’s remained a busy artist. The horror master has overseen numerous comics, from extensions of his classics like Escape from New York and Big Trouble in Little China to original works like Asylum and Tales for a Halloween Night. The man has also taking up composing again, crafting stellar albums such 2015’s Lost Themes and 2016’s Lost Themes II. In addition, he’s been out on the road touring with his band, which counts son Cody Carpenter and godson Daniel Davies among its core members.
This year, Carpenter returns to music with Anthology: Movie Themes 1974-1998. The album is comprised of 13 tracks (15 on the deluxe vinyl), all of which are re-recordings of his classic film themes from that designated time period. As part of the album’s promotion, the horror maestro has directed a music video for his revamped Christine theme. While the video draws on some iconic moments from the film, it also plays like a loose follow-up to his 1983 hit. After all, Christine herself survived the events of the picture, so it’s not too surprising that she’s still rolling around out there!
You can check out the video below, as well as the track listing for Anthology., which will be available from Sacred Bones Records on CD, vinyl, and digital download on October 20th, 2017. I’ve also included Carpenter’s original Christine theme for comparison. Enjoy!
Anthology: Movie Themes 1974-1998
- In the Mouth of Madness
- Assault on Precinct 13
- The Fog
- Prince of Darkness
- Santiago (Vampires)
- Escape from New York
- Halloween
- Pork Chop Express (Big Trouble in Little China)
- They Live
- The Thing
- Starman
- Dark Star
- Christine
- March of the Children (Village of the Damned)*
- Body Bags*
* – Deluxe Limited Edition Vinyl only
