#44 Horror Express (1972). Spaghetti Yeti horror films are rare (though this one might be considered more appropriately a Paella Yeti dish), so all the more impressive Horror Express got it so right for the cost of fare. The script, written by blacklisted talents Arnaud dUsseau and Julian Zimet (with help from producer Bernard Gordon, himself a blacklist victim), really keeps the plot twists coming, and integrates a truly international cast and crew in almost seamless fashion. Shot for $300,000 in Madrid, it features Christopher Lee, Peter Cushing, Telly Savalas and one of the scariest, most lethal screen cryptids of its era. Often derided as The Thing on a train, thats missing its own sense of original horrors by a depot or two, imho. Cushing was depressed by his wifes passing, and Lee basically talked him into appearing to alleviate his overwhelming grief. The train sets were left over not from Nicholas and Alexander (as popularly misconceived) but from Gordons earlier collab with Savalas Pancho Villa. The eerie, plaintive whistling musical score by John Cacavas really put the fear of squatch in me when I was a tyke viewer, and I still enjoy that aspect of it, tremendously. Alberto de Mendoza is great as the Rasputin-clone Pujardov, whom prophetically warns all aboard of their certain doom owing to the creatures Evil Eye. In fact, Horror Express is my all-time fave Glowing Red Eyes movie, and director Eugenio Martín really makes the most of it, including the red-eyed horde of soldiers who storm the scant survivors in the final moments, intent on devouring them alive. Oddly, this lush, Hammer-esque film found little critical or commercial success in its native Spain upon release, but found appreciative audiences internationally, both then and now. It played every six minutes (it seemed) on my local UHF station as a kid, probably because it fell into public domain almost immediately after its release. Its still hard to see it widescreen and best-quality transfer, so hold out for that if you can, as it is comped for the format, no doubt. Space cryptids are not completely rare in Bigfoot films, but few have ever packed the scare wallop this e-ticket ride to hell did, imho. #44 of my Halloween Horrorfest. A reverse countdown of my favorite (not necessarily critically regarded as The Best) horror films, one for each day until Halloween, in no particular order.
Posted on: Fri, 19 Sep 2014 16:05:56 +0000
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