Terror Train Review

MPAA Rating: R
Released: 1980

Terror Train was an early 80's (1980, to be exact) horror flick that contained a blend of standard elements for the time (scream queen Jamie Lee Curtis, bloody kills, etc.) and some unexpected treats, such as the inclusion of a young David Copperfield as an arrogant magician (whoda thought!?) whom everyone suspects as being the killer. So get out your tickets and prepare for a journey on the Rascoe's Folly as we cruise on towards the Feature Attraction.

Doc Manley (Hart Bochner), Mitchy (Sandee Currie), Alana Maxwell (Jamie Lee Curtis) and a couple of other college freshmen pull a cruel fraternity prank on Kenny Hampson (Derek McKinnon), a nerdish young man. When the trick goes terribly wrong, Kenny is sent to a mental institution and locked away.

About four years have passed since that fateful night, and now the freshmen are seniors bound for a special New Years Eve costume party aboard a reserved classic train: The Roscoe's Folly. On this train countless partygoers will drink, dance and carouse the night away as they ring in the New Year. But there's a problem… Kenny has escaped the institution and has decided to invite himself to the party so he can exact some bloody revenge.

One by one young men and women are struck down, but the Kenny is a crafty little killer. As claustrophobic as a train is, there are plenty of little nooks and crannies to hide away the bodies. But such secrets cannot be hidden indefinitely. Soon Carne (Ben Johnson), the kindly train conductor, stumbles across the bodies and learns that there is a killer in their midst.

With the train traveling through uncivilized lands during a snow storm in below zero degree weather, Carne has no choice but to continue his charted journey towards the next city, hoping that he and the rest of the men and women on board the train can survive the terror long enough to reach safety.

Terror Train has a lot going for it. Although the general plot itself is not exactly uncommon in the horror genre, it's surprisingly intelligent and well executed when compared to most of its peers. There's a nice sense of claustrophobia and paranoia throughout the film, caused by the isolation and tight quarters of the train as well as the fact the killer could be anyone since the costume party makes nearly everyone "faceless" and unidentifiable. As an added bonus, for the most part the actors are far better than what you normally see in such low budget slashers.

In fact it's the actors that really make Terror Train the unique gem that it is. Those familiar with the late Ben Johnson are probably scratching their heads right now saying, "He can't mean THAT Ben Johnson… the cowboy that starred in countless Westerns." Yep, that's the one! Clearly an actor of Johnson's caliber was slumming when he accepted a role in a low-budget horror flick, but bless him for that choice because he made the film what it is. His subdued and highly charismatic performance stole the show, which is an impressive feat considering he was acting besides the horror scream queen herself, Jamie Lee Curtis.

Despite the fact that Ben Johnson received and deserved top billing for this film, Jamie Lee Curtis was as solid as always. While most of the other actors are fairly unknown, they did lend a certain authenticity and personality to their characters, particularly Hart Bochner. His performance as the mean-spirited prankster Doc was spot-on… he was clearly a character you loved to hate.

Perhaps even more surprising than Ben Johnson's decision to jump aboard the Terror Train was David Copperfield's. I remember racing to the television throughout the 80's every time Copperfield had a television special – he was a heck of a magician. Well, he wasn't quite as skilled an actor, but his character was very creepy and arrogant nonetheless, which is exactly what the role called for. He probably could have pursued a more serious acting career had he wanted to, but apparently Terror Train convinced him that magic alone was his true passion.

While it's not an all time great in the horror genre, Terror Train should be snatched up by anyone that appreciates inventive and underrated slasher flicks. Terror Train is a suspenseful horror movie with the right blend of atmosphere, violent deaths and unexpected surprises, both in casting and plot developments.

Movie rating: 8 stars

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