Blumhouse and Hannibal creator Bryan Fuller recently announced a movie based on Stephen King's 1983 novel Christine is in pre-production. It's another upcoming remake of the horror author's blockbuster collection. Firestarter and The Running Man are already in the queue, and attempts to reboot several others are being kicked around as well. Though not every first King adaptation was a winner, Christine's 1983 adaptation by John Carpenter is a cult classic. It's not a film that needs a remake, and it brings up old questions about why studios are leery about doing something new.

Christine is a tale of the best years of two young men's lives gone horrifically awry. Dennis Guilder is the big man on campus, the high school jock with a good heart who's always trying to support his best friend. That friend, Arnie Cunningham, is otherwise at the bottom of the social barrel. It's not a girl that comes between them at first -- that happens later -- but 1958 Plymouth Fury junker. Dennis sees a death trap, but for Arnie, it's love at first sight. Arnie's life changes for the better as he improves the car and himself. However, the titular car quickly racks up a body count while Arnie's soul is gradually carjacked by the vicious previous owner, Roland LeBay.

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Christine's original film adaptation didn't make blockbuster numbers on its December 1983 premiere, with critics mixed about its quality. But the story of a man and his obsessive love for his demon-haunted car became an indelible part of cult horror fandom. The nifty practical effects make Christine's reconstruction just as eerie as King's novel made it seem. Both book and film are firmly '80s relics, relying on the pop culture and classic car addict atmosphere of the time.

Bryan Fuller's remake is reportedly set to keep the film in its original '80s setting, which goes back to the question of why bother. With Fuller at the helm, there is a chance for a good answer. Fuller has his finger on the pulse of stylish, emotional drama that digs deep under the ribcage. And short of Mads Mikkelson in a suit, there's little else as scary and as stylish as that demonic 1958 Plymouth Fury. But there again, Carpenter's original film has just as much flair, with its intense showdowns between the relentless Christine and her on-foot human prey.

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The practical effects behind Christine's regeneration are part of the film's legacy among horror fans. Originally not going to be shown but implied, Carpenter's effects guru found a way to mix hydraulics and reverse camera trickery to show Christine's power onscreen. Fuller and Blumhouse are no strangers to mixing up new practical effects, so there's no assumption yet that these sequences will be replaced by CGI. But Fuller and Blumhouse will still be under heavy pressure from fans who fell in love with how it worked the first time, and the presence of the rare but iconic Plymouth Fury will be under scrutiny from the first minute.

Arnie with Christine 1983

Carpenter's film also succeeded in showcasing the agitated energy of its lead characters, their inner turmoil visible in their actions. Scenes feel natural in the way they're shot, the tension between kids and their parents relatable and timeless. It's another hurdle Blumhouse will have to surmount to satisfy long-time fans, some of whom already feel burned by the failure of IT Chapter 2 to stick its modernized landing.

If Blumhouse and Fuller's new Christine can add something fresh to these relatable, powerful scenes, then they'll have an answer to the question of why they bothered remaking a film that already cherished the heart of Stephen King's novel. If the new film fails to engage or satisfy those who know its story best, the fans will do what they've always done. The original film will resurrect itself, and John Carpenter's classic Christine incarnation will keep on driving down her bloody freeways.

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