A divisiveStephen Kingadaptation has found a new streaming home more than four decades after its theatrical debut. Over the years, the prolific horror author has had dozens of movies, miniseries, and television shows adapted from his work, many of which have been very well received. Adaptations including Stanley Kubrick’sThe Shiningand David Cronenberg’sThe Dead Zoneare widely considered to be minted classics, and the moviesThe Green Mile,Carrie,Stand by Me,Misery, andThe Shawshank Redemptionhave been nominated for a cumulative 15 Oscars.
However, not allStephen King movieshave received such a glowing reception.Many adaptations of his novels and short stories have been spurned by critics, such as 2022’sFirestarter(10% on Rotten Tomatoes),The Dark Tower(16%),Cell(11%),Thinner(19%),The Mangler(27%), 1984’sChildren of the Corn(38%), andGraveyard Shift(0%). Others have been commercial flops, includingApt Pupil(which earned $8.9 million against a $14 million budget),The Dark Half($10.6 million against $15 million), and King’s directorial debutMaximum Overdrive($7.4 million against $9 million).
Christine Has Found A Streaming Home
The 1983 Movie Was Directed By John Carpenter
The 1983 Stephen King adaptationChristinehas finally found a streaming home. The movie, which was directed by horror icon John Carpenter, follows the nerdy Arnie Cunningham (Keith Gordon) becoming obsessed with his new classic car, which turns out to be sentient and deadly. TheChristinecastalso includes John Stockwell, Alexandra Paul, Robert Prosky, and Harry Dean Stanton. The movie received mixed reviews, earning a 55% score from top critics on Rotten Tomatoes and a 57 out of 100 on Metacritic.
The audience scores forChristineare generally more positive, with the Stephen King adaptation earning 64% on Rotten Tomatoes and 7.2 out of 10 on Metacritic.
The cult and horror-themed streaming serviceShudderhas now announced thatChristinewill begin streaming on their platform on March 1. This is the first time that the 42-year-old movie has been available on any streaming platform for quite some time. In the meantime, it has been available for purchase and rental on various video on demand platforms. It was also given a 4K UHD physical media release for its 35th anniversary in 2018.
What This Means For Christine
It Is A Fertile Period For Stephen King Adaptations
TheJohn Carpenter movielanding on Shudder after such a long time could be the perfect moment for it to become a major streaming hit. Its streaming return comes during a period that is packed with anticipatedStephen Kingadaptations, beginning with Osgood Perkins’The Monkey, which opens in theaters on on February 21. This will be followed in short order by Edgar Wright’sThe Running Manand Francis Lawrence’sThe Long Walk, puttingChristinein good company and potentially raising its stature as one of the earliest adaptations of the iconic author’s work.
