1972 is one of the greatest years for horror films and this Spanish/British co-production is further proof of that. You get the rare treat of Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee both being on the same side, a plot that mixes horror and sci-fi in an ORIENT EXPRESS setting featuring a prehistoric monster and an alien force, and most importantly the great Telly Savalas acting his ass off. Bloody eyeballs, dodgy science, white-eyed zombies and good claustrophobic horror elements make for a great ride.
The original Spanish version, titled PANIC ON THE TRANSIBERIAN, features a funkier soundtrack. This version is 88 minutes long while there's a shorter, 85 minute T.V. version out there also. Allegedly re-released at some point as THE POSSESSOR. Known in Japan under the snazzy title of ZOMBIE EXPRESS TO HELL.
This remains one of my favorite horror flicks, possibly because it is one of the first Eurotrash horrors I ever saw... even a girl-hating ten-year-old, I found the women amazing. And the horror stuff was pretty cool, too. (The scene where every dead person starts getting up floored me.) A fun classic and must-see.
ReplyDeleteIt's a great mix of horror elements!
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