Horror Express  

From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia

(Difference between revisions)
Jump to: navigation, search
Revision as of 16:55, 30 December 2018
Jahsonic (Talk | contribs)

← Previous diff		 Revision as of 22:50, 24 January 2023
Jahsonic (Talk | contribs)

Next diff →
Line 1: Line 1:
{{Template}} {{Template}}
-'''''Horror Express''''', also known as '''''Pánico en el Transiberiano'''''/'''''Panic on the Trans-Siberian Express''''', is a 1972 [[Spanish horror film]] directed by Eugenio Martin, produced by [[Bernard Gordon]] written by [[Arnaud d'Usseau]] and Julian Zimet (credited as Julian Halevy), and starring [[Christopher Lee]], [[Peter Cushing]] and [[Telly Savalas]].+'''''Horror Express''''' (''Pánico en el Transiberiano'') is a 1972 [[science fiction film|science fiction]] [[horror film]] directed by [[Eugenio Martín]]. It stars [[Christopher Lee]] and [[Peter Cushing]], with [[Alberto de Mendoza]], [[Silvia Tortosa]], [[Julio Peña]], [[George Rigaud]], [[Ángel del Pozo]], and [[Telly Savalas]] in supporting roles.
-The film is now in the public domain.+Set in 1906, the film's storyline follows the various passengers aboard a European-bound [[Trans-Siberian Railway]] train. They are soon stalked, one-by-one, by an alien intelligence inhabiting the frozen body of an ancient primitive humanoid brought onboard by an anthropologist.
==Plot== ==Plot==
 +In 1906, Professor Sir Alexander Saxton, a British [[anthropology|anthropologist]], is returning to Europe by the [[Trans-Siberian Express]] from [[Shanghai]] to [[Moscow]]. With him is a crate containing the frozen remains of a primitive humanoid that he discovered in a cave in [[Manchuria]]. He hopes it is a [[Transitional fossil#Missing links|missing link]] in [[human evolution]]. Doctor Wells, Saxton's friendly rival and [[Geological Society of London|Geological Society]] colleague, is also waiting to board. Also waiting is Polish Count Marion Petrovski and his wife, Countess Irina. With the couple is their spiritual advisor, an [[Eastern Orthodox Church|Eastern Orthodox]] monk named Father Pujardov, who proclaims to Saxton that the contents of the crate is evil. Additional passengers include Inspector Mirov and a squad of soldiers.
-In [[1906]], Professor Alexander Saxton ([[Christopher Lee]]), is an English [[anthropology|anthropologist]] returning to [[Europe]] by [[Trans-Siberian Express]], through [[Siberia|the frozen wastes]] from [[China]] to [[Moscow]]. With him is the frozen remains of a primitive humanoid creature that he has discovered in a cave in [[Manchuria]] and hopes is the [[missing link]] in the [[evolution|evolutionary chain]]. Also aboard by coincidence is Doctor Wells ([[Peter Cushing]]), Saxton's compatriot, rival and [[Royal Society]] colleague.+Saxton‘s eagerness to keep his scientific findings secret arouses the suspicion of Wells, who bribes a porter to investigate the crate. The porter is killed by the defrosted humanoid within, who escaped the crate after picking the lock and kills several more passengers. Wells performs an autopsy and deduces that the creature absorbs the skills and memories of its victims. When the humanoid is gunned down by Mirov, the threat seems to have been eliminated. Saxton and Wells discover that the real threat is a formless [[Extraterrestrial life|extraterrestrial]] that inhabited the body of the humanoid. Unknown to them, the creature has transferred itself into Mirov.
-A mysterious death occurs before the [[steam train]] departs [[Shanghai]] – a thief, having picked the lock to break into the crate, is found dead on the platform bleeding from the eyes, which have turned opaque white. A [[Rasputin]]-like monk ([[Alberto de Mendoza]]), the spiritual advisor to a [[Poles|Polish]] Count and Countess waiting to board the train, proclaims the contents of the crate to be evil. Saxton furiously dismisses such [[superstition]] and an army platoon facilitates the loading and departure. Saxton's eagerness to keep his scientific find secret has aroused the curiosity and suspicion of Doctor Wells, who bribes a porter to investigate the crate. As the man does, he is killed by the glowing red gaze of the ape-like creature within, which then escapes its confines using lock-picking skills...+The extraterrestrial has been stranded on Earth for millions of years. It kills passengers with specific knowledge that could help it build a new spaceship. Eventually, [[Cossacks|Cossack]] Captain Kazan stabs and shoots Mirov. With Mirov dying, Pujardov, believing the creature to be [[Satan]] and having pledged allegiance to it prior, allows it to possess him. The passengers flee to the [[brake van]] while the alien murders Kazan, his men, and the Count. Saxton, having discovered the creature cannot use its powers when it is exposed to light, blinds it. The alien bargains with Saxton, tempting him with its advanced knowledge of technology and cures for diseases. When Saxton refuses, it resurrects all its victims as [[zombies]], and has them attack Saxton.
-The murders continue while the beast roams the moving train, its victims being found with the same opaque, white eyes. An [[autopsy]] leads Wells and his assistant Miss Jones to hypothesise that the brains of the victims are being drained of memories and knowledge. When the reincarnate fossil is gunned down by police Inspector Mirov, an authority in charge of the train, the threat seems to have been vanquished. Saxton and Wells discover images retained in liquid removed from inside the eyeball of the fossil's corpse, images that reveal a [[prehistoric]] Earth and a view of the planet seen from space. They deduce that the real threat is somehow a formless alien creature that had inhabited the body of the fossil and now resides within the Inspector. The monk, sensing the greater presence inside the Inspector and believing it to be that of [[Satan]], renounces his holy faith to plead allegiance. +Saxton and the countess fight their way through the train until they reach the van, where the other survivors have taken refuge. Saxton and Wells uncouple the van from the rest of the train containing the alien. Kazan's superiors send a telegram to a dispatch station ahead, instructing them to destroy the train by sending it down a [[Siding (rail)|siding]] overlooking a gorge. The survivors watch as the train crashes down the gorge and goes up in flames.
-When news of the murders on the train is wired to the [[Russia]]n authorities, the train is stopped and an intimidating [[Cossack]] officer, Captain Kazan ([[Telly Savalas]]), boards with a small group of his men. Kazan believes the train is housing rebels and is only convinced of the alien's existence when Mirov is discovered to be the creature, which has absorbed the memories of scientist Miss Jones, an engineer and others, and seeks the Polish Count's [[metallurgist]] knowledge too, in order to achieve [[rocketry| escape from the Earth]]. Fatally shot by Kazan, Mirov manages to stagger away and the alien transfers itself to the crazed monk.+==Cast==
- +* [[Christopher Lee]] as Professor Sir Alexander Saxton
-The passengers flee into the trailing freight car while the monk murders Kazan and his men, and then the Count, draining all their minds. Rescuing the Countess, Saxton manages to hold the monk at gunpoint under a light – as he has realised that bright light in its host's eyes will prevent the entity from draining minds or transferring to another body. The creature/monk explains that it is in reality an energy being that had travelled from another [[galaxy]] with others of its kind, but been marooned. It existed alone for millions of years in the bodies of [[protozoa]], fish and other animals to survive, but cannot live outside a living being longer than a few moments. The creature/monk begs to be spared, tempting Saxton with its accumulated and advanced alien knowledge – but by this ruse manages to escape, by suddenly animating the dead body of the Count. +* [[Peter Cushing]] as Dr. Wells
- +* [[Alberto de Mendoza]] as Father Pujardov (dubbed by [[Robert Rietti]])
-Saxton and the Countess flee the creature, but it now resurrects all of its victims as white-eyed [[zombie]]s. These undead chase Saxton and the Countess back to the rear car, where the survivors have taken refuge. They work desperately to uncouple the caboose from the rest of the train, as the Russian government sends a [[telegraph]] to a dispatch station ahead, instructing them to destroy the train by sending it down a dead-end spur. The switchhouse follows this order in the belief the country is at war. The creature/monk assumes the train's engineer position to take over the train, which enters the spur leading to a deep ravine. Saxton and Wells manage separate the last car from the rest of the train, which goes over the cliff to a fiery wreck below, presumably killing the creature and its resurrected dead. The freight car rolls precariously to the end of the track, where the survivors witness the fire consuming the train and the unnatural inhabitants within.+* [[Silvia Tortosa]] as Countess Irina Petrovski (dubbed by Olive Gregg)
 +* [[Julio Peña]] as Inspector Mirov (dubbed by [[Roger Delgado]])
 +* [[Telly Savalas]] as Captain Kazan
 +* [[George Rigaud]] as Count Marion Petrovski
 +* [[Helga Liné]] as Natasha (dubbed by Olive Gregg)
 +* [[Alice Reinheart]] as Miss Jones (dubbed by Olive Gregg)
 +* [[Ángel del Pozo]] as Yevtushenko
 +* [[José Jaspe]] as Conductor Konev
 +* [[Víctor Israel]] as Baggage Man
 +* Faith Clift as Miss Bennett
 +* Juan Olaguivel as the Creature
 +* [[Barta Barri]] as First Telegraphist
 +* Hiroshi Kitatawa as Grashinski, the Thief
 +* Vicente Roca as Stationmaster
 +* [[José Canalejas (actor)|José Canalejas]] as Russian Guard
 +* José Marco as Vorkin
 +* Allen Russell as Captain O'Hagan
{{GFDL}} {{GFDL}}

Revision as of 22:50, 24 January 2023

Related e

Wikipedia
Wiktionary
Shop

Featured:

Horror Express (Pánico en el Transiberiano) is a 1972 science fiction horror film directed by Eugenio Martín. It stars Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing, with Alberto de Mendoza, Silvia Tortosa, Julio Peña, George Rigaud, Ángel del Pozo, and Telly Savalas in supporting roles.

Set in 1906, the film's storyline follows the various passengers aboard a European-bound Trans-Siberian Railway train. They are soon stalked, one-by-one, by an alien intelligence inhabiting the frozen body of an ancient primitive humanoid brought onboard by an anthropologist.

Plot

In 1906, Professor Sir Alexander Saxton, a British anthropologist, is returning to Europe by the Trans-Siberian Express from Shanghai to Moscow. With him is a crate containing the frozen remains of a primitive humanoid that he discovered in a cave in Manchuria. He hopes it is a missing link in human evolution. Doctor Wells, Saxton's friendly rival and Geological Society colleague, is also waiting to board. Also waiting is Polish Count Marion Petrovski and his wife, Countess Irina. With the couple is their spiritual advisor, an Eastern Orthodox monk named Father Pujardov, who proclaims to Saxton that the contents of the crate is evil. Additional passengers include Inspector Mirov and a squad of soldiers.

Saxton‘s eagerness to keep his scientific findings secret arouses the suspicion of Wells, who bribes a porter to investigate the crate. The porter is killed by the defrosted humanoid within, who escaped the crate after picking the lock and kills several more passengers. Wells performs an autopsy and deduces that the creature absorbs the skills and memories of its victims. When the humanoid is gunned down by Mirov, the threat seems to have been eliminated. Saxton and Wells discover that the real threat is a formless extraterrestrial that inhabited the body of the humanoid. Unknown to them, the creature has transferred itself into Mirov.

The extraterrestrial has been stranded on Earth for millions of years. It kills passengers with specific knowledge that could help it build a new spaceship. Eventually, Cossack Captain Kazan stabs and shoots Mirov. With Mirov dying, Pujardov, believing the creature to be Satan and having pledged allegiance to it prior, allows it to possess him. The passengers flee to the brake van while the alien murders Kazan, his men, and the Count. Saxton, having discovered the creature cannot use its powers when it is exposed to light, blinds it. The alien bargains with Saxton, tempting him with its advanced knowledge of technology and cures for diseases. When Saxton refuses, it resurrects all its victims as zombies, and has them attack Saxton.

Saxton and the countess fight their way through the train until they reach the van, where the other survivors have taken refuge. Saxton and Wells uncouple the van from the rest of the train containing the alien. Kazan's superiors send a telegram to a dispatch station ahead, instructing them to destroy the train by sending it down a siding overlooking a gorge. The survivors watch as the train crashes down the gorge and goes up in flames.

Cast


Unless indicated otherwise, the text in this article is either based on Wikipedia article "Horror Express" or another language Wikipedia page thereof used under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License; or on research by Jahsonic and friends. See Art and Popular Culture's copyright notice.

Retrieved from "http://artandpopularculture.com/Horror_Express"
Personal tools
Metas