Tuesday, October 21, 2014

Horror Express

(1972) **1/2

It was a toss between 2.5-3 stars, because of creativity!(review contains spoilers!!)--
Christopher Lee plays an anthropologist named Prof. Saxton, who goes to Manchuria with his assistant and tries to bring back the find of the century! He tells people that the crate is full of fossils making sure it is covered and locked up, as curious minds want to know what it is. As he is trying to claim his room  at a local hotel that he booked weeks ago, he comes across an old pal (Peter Cushing)Dr. Wells. As they are checking into the hotel, a thief tries to open the crate, only to become the first target of this "creature". The thief's eyes are found to be white as he is found dead by the police!

The local police know of his thievery past, and finds the professor at the hotel. This brings out the curiosity of Dr. Wells as Prof. Saxton brings the crate onto the train. Well, now the train starts bringing about the deaths of a curious(paid by Dr. wells) baggage handler who gets killed while opening the crate-so the creature gets out! Oh no!
There are a few colorful characters on this train-a lady spy, a countess, a father, and a scientist.
The professor and his assistant does an autopsy on the baggage handler to find out that his brain is completely soft and smooth, like a baby's bum! This concludes that the creature extracts knowledge from his victims through their eyes, gaining their knowledge! They just can't help staring into his beaming red eyes!
Well, a few more people die as the train goes on. Police aboard the train send a telegraph to the next train station inquiring assistance, which finally stops the train. This doesn't make the creature happy!
We find out that the creature can body jump into someone else as he kills!
This is where Telly Savalas comes into the movie, playing Captain Kazan. He responds to the police assistance aboard the train playing a jerk role, as he takes over the train! He gets his, though!
The doctor and professor find out what the creature wants and finds out that he is from another galaxy. They must destroy him!
They contact the next train cross-over and get all of the survivors to one part of the train, disconnecting the caboose that the creature is in! The caboose is thrown over a cliff and the creature burns to death!
This movie contains minimal blood, but shows a couple of foreheads being sawed during autopsies, and gross dead eye-poking to extract fluid...eeww!

5 comments:

Catfreeek said...

Im glad it had a little game anyway, some of those old one are all talk, no action.

JPX said...

Wow, I just referred to the Monster List and I found that I reviewed this in 2005! I also gave it 2.5 stars. I really don't recall it at all but the pictures you posted jarred my memory a bit. Catfreeek you are so right about the talky nature of early 70s horror films. This one is fun though.

Johnny Sweatpants said...

I love this dumb movie and want to watch it again!

Octopunk said...

If I saw a smooth brain I don't think I could resist throwing it to see if it bounced.

AC said...

Love the review but will skip the movie.

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