Nerds That Geek Movie Review: 'Horror Express'

Written by Scott Edwards

In 1906, Professor Alexander Saxton discovers an ancient fossil that he believes could be the missing link in the human evolutionary chain. A frozen half man, half ape would further the case between evolution and creationism. Trying to protect his prize and transport it back to Britain, Professor Saxton battles to board a trans-Siberian train and make his way home. Not being met well at the train station, Saxton runs into an old counterpart, Doctor Wells who knows how to get things accomplished when in a foreign land…bribery.     

While Saxton decides on which path to take to get a ticket, his cargo is met by many suspecting eyes. A local thief in the area tries his hand at opening the box but is found lying beside the cursed crate with his eyes white as the snow. Upon Saxton’s return to retrieve his cargo, he is met by a priest that tells him that there is evil in the box and it must be destroyed. Trying to prove his point, Father Pujardov tells everyone that is listening that ‘where evil lives, there is no place for the cross’, and tries to draw a cross on the side of the box with a piece of chalk. The box rejects the chalk and remains unharmed as it is moved onto the train. The journey will be long and strenuous, but nobody could possibly prepare for what will come next.

Everyone at the train station is now interested in the contents of the box, and that curiosity only grows since Professor Saxton is reluctant to give up his theories. Saying it is just a fossil, but not saying it is of a man, or possibly of an ape seems to make the others restless. Doctor Wells pays a baggage man to open the crate and report back with what he finds. The baggage man does as he is asked but is met with resistance from the cargo as the fossil in the box comes alive and stares the man down with one red eye. The baggage man is found dead on arrival in the baggage car by the local police inspector that is riding on the train, and with the man’s eyes as white as the first victim's, the inspector is suspecting a pattern.   

Horror Express takes you down the line of faith and beliefs. As no one on the train is able to distinguish what it is they are dealing with or how they could possibly defeat it. Being led off with Professor Saxton (Christopher Lee) and Doctor Wells (Peter Cushing), this movie brings a little bit more to the screen. With these two working together to find and fight the threat, nothing could go wrong, unless they are stopped by a higher power. Father Pujardov (Alberto de Mendoza) plays a fantastically disturbed priest as his faith is reborn, to a higher power possibly. This movie also features a bit role from the great Telly Savalas, (Captain Kazan) who is asked to board the train to investigate the bizarre deaths, and all of these performances help keep you stuck in your seat to see how the story ends.

Not a bad horror movie from the late 70’s. It features great acting, along with a solid story line that does not leave you feeling like you have been shorted in any fashion. There are just great characters and performances all around, with everyone trying to find out who or what the creature really is, as it does not only take the lives of his victims, but their memories as well. A scary thought as your memories are really the only thing that you can truly call your own…until now. Stay Scared.

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