Horror Express: Classic Horror
Christopher Lee, Peter Cushing, Telly Savalas Star
Murders begin on a trans-Siberian Express when a scientist brings aboard a part-ape part-man fossil harboring an alien which abandons its host and starts body jumping.
This 1973 film is one of the many joint ventures between Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing. A superb cast (including Telly Savalas) backs them up in this classic horror film that uniquely employs a terrifying monster with an alien parasite and the fear of being trapped on a trans-Siberian train amidst death and paranoia. The film offers only a glimpse into the backstory and no explanations as to the creature's motivation. Consistently good horror movies seldom fall over themselves to offer reasons; it's hardly the point.
Horror Express begins in Manchuria, 1906, as Professor Alexander Saxton (Christopher Lee) discovers what he believes will be crucial evidence in the study of evolution. It is, as he constantly refers to it in his elusive nature, "a fossil." It's millions of years old, part man, part ape, and he has it crated up and loaded as cargo aboard the trans-Siberian Express. Knowing his reputation, many are curious as to the crate's contents. Their curiosity is heightened considerably when the crate seems to play a role in the mysterious death of a thief on the train's platform.
Intriguing, Spicy Characters
Professor Saxton runs into his good friend Dr. Wells (Peter Cushing), who makes the fatal mistake of secretly paying the baggage man to "take a little peek" inside the crate. Needless to say, the baggage man meets his end as the creature catches him with his evil brain-draining red eyes. The film expertly introduces the creature in glimpses: the red eyes, the close-up of a furry clawed hand or finally, its hideous face as it murders one of the train's guards.
The creature's escape is noticed the next day, when no one can locate the baggage man. A hunt begins discreetly, but before long it becomes evident that the fossilized part-man part-ape creature is merely a host. It kills its prey with its entrancing red eyes, psychically sucking its victims' brains, taking each wrinkle of knowledge until the brain is, as Dr. Wells' assistant notes, "as smooth as a baby's bottom." As the monster roaming the train is simply playing host, the murderous life form inhabiting it can, unfortunately, body jump. Only when dissecting the eye of one of its victims do the team of scientists discover it to be other-worldly, witnessing its view of Earth from space.
Great Horror Films
Horror Express is unique and engrossing. It's creepy; it employs a solid story that invokes feelings to which an audience can relate. Before events get really out of hand, the law steps in (Telly Savalas and his guards in a particularly saucy and feisty role); the confrontation brings the new host into the light and forces a showdown. The most essential characters--a Count and Countess, their monk (with his questionable motives) and a local lawman--are forced together in the fight, with mostly unfortunately consequences. The alien creature, it turns out, also has a few unplayed cards to unleash on the unsuspecting victims as the end approaches.
This is a strong and engaging horror movie, with lots of scares. Horror Express has incredible performances, a haunting and eerie score worth owning, and it is exceedingly apparent that experts of the craft were involved in its creation. It unfolds with skill and delivers a strong and memorable story. It survives the times well and is highly worthy of a revisit or a first-time viewing.
