jetsetgreen

Monday, August 11, 2008

What's in a name?

When I got home today  I turned on the TV to entertain me while I had a snack before dinner.  Lucky for me the movie Christine was playing and I have always wanted to see it.  For those not familiar with this gem of the cinema, let me give you a quick run-down.  It's a Stephen King flick about an old car named Christine.  
Christine - Horror Movie DVD Cover

Christine is possessive and very jealous of her owner Arnie.  She tries to hurt anyone who gets in the car who isn't Arnie.  When Arnie is in the car it's just little things, but when he leaves the car it chokes people and other crazy stuff like that.  Eventually some guys smash up the car and Christine heals herself and goes on a killing rampage of anyone who gets in her way.  And every time the car crashes or catches on fire it fixes itself like a phoenix rising out of the ashes.  Arnie kind of gets nuts at the end with love for Christine and he gets pretty vindictive.  Pretty entertaining stuff.  But while I was watching the movie munching on chips and salsa my Abuela came in for a snack also.  As soon as she got settled with her canned sardines and toast we watched Christine together which was even better.  Luckily the dialogue is kept to a minimum and I didn't have to translate that much.  It was fun watching it with Abuela and having to explain the intricacies of the story line, "No, that guy is bad too.  Yes, the car killed an innocent person also.  No, the CAR killed them".  And then the drama escalated and confusion was at an all time high with Abuela.  "No one is driving the car, it is CRAZY!!  No.... there is no one driving!  It is killing all on it's own!  Whoa!  The car just used the front seat to crush the man in the garage!  Don't you see?!  The car regenerates all on it's own" I tried.  She lasted through a couple commercials and then went back to her Mexican soap operas.  But at least we had a chance to bond over Christine.  


Now that I think about it, my Abuela's dog Pompona (pom-pom) had a Christine-like mentality.  It would still try and bite you when she was around - but it only went into full seek and destroy mode when she wasn't there.  Abuela was obsessed with that dog as much as Arnie was with his car.  They have both since passed away and I'd like to think that somehow, somewhere Pompona is driving Christine in the underworld.  The perfect pair.

4 comments:

tara said...

You can count me out on any movie where the leading man of the film is named Arnie.

Marge Bjork said...

oh my gosh that movie is madly amazing.

Anonymous said...

Sounds like a sweet movie. I guess I know what I'll be renting on Friday night. I wonder if it'll make me afraid of my car. Hm...Something to ponder.

rich said...

This post = pure gold. Is there a book version of this because I think it would be hard to write about a killer car... you have to see it to believe it.