5 Reasons Why Buddy Repperton Was Cool

Last week my brother Gordon & I talked about the 1983 John Carpenter film Christine, an adaptation of the Stephen King horror story about the 1958 Plymouth that has an evil, life-like soul and kills people it doesn't like. A classic piece of American literature, for sure. Gordon apparently had it arrive via Netflix and by coincidence it also happened to be on AMC Sunday afternoon where I watched most of it. I forgot how much I liked the villain in the film, Buddy Repperton. Having read the story back in the day, the film version was a little different. For those who haven't seen this movie or read the novel, in the beginning of the film, Buddy beats up a mousey little classmate named Arnold Cunningham one day during high school shop class. Arnold then goes out, buys an old Plymouth Fury Hardtop possessed by a murderous spirit, fixes it up to showroom condition and promptly kills Buddy Repperton and his gang. The end.

You're supposed to hate Buddy Repperton and all that his kind stand for. They're the kids from shop class with dirty hands & grease under their fingernails. The punks with long hair, leather biker jackets, and no morals. They drink liquor and listen to the Rolling Stones and don't fear authority. Its clear halfway through the story that Buddy is one of the lowest forms of human life because he did something that nobody should ever do to a fellow man: he messed with his car.

But here I am, 30 years later with the feeling that Buddy was actually a role model. Sure, he was thuggish and probably needed some Oxy face wash, but deep down all guys want to be Buddy Repperton...at least for about 20 minutes. Here are my top 5 reasons why Buddy Repperton was cool.

1. He had mad knife skills. 

2. He drove a 1967 Camaro with tinted windows and a good stereo.

3. He frequently enjoyed fits of road rage.

4. He swung a sledge hammer like John Henry.

5. He went out like a viking warrior. 

Watch the movie Christine again, and tell me you don't feel the same way about Buddy Repperton. Who knows, you may just find yourself admiring his personality traits a whole lot more than Arnie's by the time the credits roll.

-D