Originally titled "Panic on the Trans-Siberian Express"
A British anthropologist (Christopher Lee) discovers a frozen prehistoric “missing link” in 1906, Manchuria, and transports it to Europe by train. All hell breaks loose when the eerie thing escapes and preys on the passengers. Peter Cushing plays a colleague while Telly Savalas hams it up as an intimidating Cossack officer in the last act.
A joint UK/Spanish production, “Horror Express” (1972) isn’t a Hammer film, but it has the aura of one, and I love Hammer films. The best way to describe it is as a meshing of "The Thing,” "Murder On The Orient Express," “Ten Little Indians,” "Trog," "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly" and a few Hammer flicks with Lee & Cushing. The horrific creature obviously influenced Chris Claremont’s Proteus, aka Mutant X, in the X-Men comic seven years later.
You might be curious as to why I included "The Good, The Bad and The Ugly" in the list; it's because the quality score by in John Cacavas will bring to mind that popular Western composition, except that it's a more eerie and fitting for early 70’s horror. Another highlight is that it features two gorgeous redheads: Helga Line, who was 39 years-old during shooting, and 24 year-old Silvia Tortosa as a Countess.
In its time "Horror Express" was cutting edge horrific entertainment. It may be dated now, but the film at least takes its subject seriously and is never campy. I’d give it a higher rating except that it loses its mojo in the last act and becomes dull. Up to that point, though, this is stellar early 70’s Gothic horror.
The film runs 88 minutes and was shot in Madrid, Spain.
GRADE: B
