Friday 28 November 2008

Not "Christine" - But Still Deadly




Photobucket


Who can forget the film "Christine"? Written by Stephen King and directed by John Carpenter, it told the story of a killer car and the effect it had on the teenage owner.


This movie is just a story but, there have been cursed cars. James Dean's for one apparently. This story goes back to before the start of World War One. The war was precipitated by the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife.


Franz Ferdinand wanted to own a car that would really impress the public when he and his lovely wife, toured Sarajevo. Europe, at that time, was seething with political unrest and he felt he needed to put on a brave show. What better than something that stood out brightly, something that to him, inspired confidence.


He decided on a blood-red, six-seat open tourer. The royal couple arrived at Sarajevo on June 28th, 1914. They were destined to meet their deaths. The car made such a splendid target. All was going well until a fanatic, armed with a gun, jumped onto the running board of the car. Laughing aloud he fired shot after shot into the bodies of Franz and his wife.


The war that resulted had the appalling casualty list of around twenty million people.






When peace finally came, the new Governor of Yugoslavia decided to have the car restored to its previous pristine condition and use it himself. However, after four accidents, one of which cost him his right arm, he got a bad feeling about the vehicle and decided that it would be best if it were destroyed.

His good friend disagreed. Dr. Srikis scoffed at any notion that a car could be in any way "bad" or "cursed". So he happily took the motor on and all was well for a few months. Then, one day, the car was found overturned on the highway. Underneath it lay the crushed body of Dr. Srikis.

Another doctor became the new owner. He had nothing but bad luck, his patients deserted him, his practice fell apart. To try and gain back some money, he sold the car on. The next owner was a Swiss racing driver. Whilst he was driving through the Dolomites, the car threw him over a stone wall. He died of a broken neck.

A wealthy farmer decided that he would like it. Whilst out in it one day, the car stalled completely. There was only one thing to do, it would have to be towed to a garage for repairs. Another farmer gave a hand and was towing it in when, out of the blue and for no apparent reason, the car suddenly roared into life again. It knocked the tow-car aside killing both farmers instantly.

The last owner decided that there was nothing wrong with the car and all it needed was a change of colour. He considered red to be sinister. So, Tiber Hirshfield had the vehicle painted a cheerful blue. Once it was finished, he invited five of his friends to accompany him to a wedding. Hirshfield and four of his guests died in a head-on smash as they drove to the festivities.

Finally, the re-vamped car was shipped to Vienna where it was placed in a museum. Karl Brunner, the attendant, lovingly cared for it. He revelled in telling visitors the stories about the car's curse. He did however, forbid anyone to sit in it.


During the second world war two bombs fell on the museum. Karl Brunner was blown to pieces. It is said that the car was also destroyed. However, the car or a car is still on show in a museum.

Who knows whether it is a car of the same model and year, a replica ........or is the cursed car still sitting there quietly keeping its deadly secrets to itself?


Photobucket

20 comments:

  1. Wow, pretty scary. I guess I will pass on the car thanks.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Gosh that is far too many accidents for it to be a coincidence ,I hadnt heard that story before ,very interesting Jeannette ,thankyou, very weird...love Jan xx

    ReplyDelete
  3. Does make one wonder doesn't it!, as for James Dean Alec guinees actually had a premonition and had told James Dean not to drive it and within a few days he was dead, very spooky.

    Take care

    Yasmin
    xx

    ReplyDelete
  4. That was a scary story today Jeannette found it very interesting. Hope you are feeling better. Love Joan.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Oh that is such a creepy tale! I would have to say I believe that car IS indeed cursed and would not have gotten within 10 feet of it!!

    Another wonderfully chilling tale.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I loved this story Jeannette ~ I think that was and probably still is a cursed car ~ Ally x

    ReplyDelete
  7. Very interesting tale. I alaways love the story behind the story.
    Laini

    ReplyDelete
  8. Hi Jeanette, You always have an interesting story. Its never too late to learn something new. Marlene

    ReplyDelete
  9. That was very interesting! I think I would stay way clear of sitting in it too after all the history behind that wheel!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Wow, what an interesting story! I'm sure I will never visit that museum...Have a nice weekend. Ciao. Antonella

    ReplyDelete
  11. stephen king will be snagging bits of this jeannete.lol great book,crap film.then most of his film adaptations are.green mile n shawshank redemption apart. both in my top 10 of all time fav.films.take care mort xx

    ReplyDelete
  12. Wonderful, gastly tale! As to Christine, the book was ever so much more sinister and scarry then the movie.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Very interesting story for sure...and scary...I do remember the movie well. Hugs and love,
    Joyce

    ReplyDelete
  14. Another good story... I'm so glad they finally stopped driving it.... :)
    Have a good weekend!!

    ReplyDelete
  15. Great story!

    Enjoy your weekend.

    ReplyDelete
  16. yeaouch.... a bit spooky. Thanks for sharing the story
    hugs

    ReplyDelete
  17. maybe they were all bad drivers..........or possibly it WAS cursed or haunted.

    a very good read.

    blessings,

    regina

    ReplyDelete
  18. Years ago, my sister and I drove our kids to southern California to Disneyland, and we purposively chose to go by way the same hwy James Dean had crashed to see the memorial. There is a small restaurant nearby, with a little store with James Dean memorabilia. I know, it was a little morbid, buy my niece is a big fan. Anyway, when we were in Hollywood, my niece bough a life-sized cardboard cut off of James Dean. On the way home, we drove back on the same idea, with the poor cardboard figure of him laying in the back of my station wagon. It was late, and dark, and that hwy is very, VERY dark. It was spooky to say the least, and a little ironic. Hugs - Julie

    ReplyDelete
  19. Hi hope you are feeling better, I love when you write about actual events like this, very interesting and you do it so well..I've been so busy I'm trying to get myself off Ebay and onto a new venue called Bonanzle....take a peek at my new site (I do not expect you to buy anything just want to show you what I've done) http://www.theBonz/Bejeweled120

    love, Sandi

    ReplyDelete

Thank you for leaving a comment, it means a lot.