Night Train Murders [1976] [DVD]

Jon_the_Watcher

at 11:37 pm

Review by Jon_the_Watcher for Night Train Murders [1976] [DVD]
Rating: (3 / 5)
“Night Train Murders”, original title “L’Ultimo Treno della Notte”, is the earliest example of the “Last House on the Left” copycat phenomenon. The film is an Italian exploitation remake of “Last House…” and copies the basic storyline of Craven’s original with one crucial difference: the first half takes place on a moving train.

The set-up: two school-girls are traveling home by train from Munichto Italy to spend the christmas holiday’s with their parents. On their way they run into two young punks on their flight from the scene of a misdemeanor and a nameless, decadent “Lady On The Train”. In a compartment on the “Last Train Of The Night” (literal translation of the original title) things take a turn for the worse for the two girls, culminating in the films most famous and notorious scene as one of the girls gets raped with a knife.

While the scenes on the train are quite intense and nerve-wracking, the movie as a whole lacks the psychological impact, subversive engery as well as the sense of humour and the inimitable style of Craven’s movie.

Features one of the least inpired scores by the great Ennio Morricone.

For hardcore horror fans this first uncut release of one of the former video nasties is worth a purchase. Everyone else, stick with “Last House..”

Vincenzo

at 1:07 am

Review by Vincenzo for Night Train Murders [1976] [DVD]
Rating: (5 / 5)
First UK release of the former video nasty once rejected for cinema all those years ago. Now fully uncut and superbly presented by Shameless once again. This release comes with the original European trailer and a reversible cover (for those who prefer the Italian poster and ‘video nasty’ title of “Late Night Trains”).

An essential addition and here in its original uncut glory. Grab your ticket for the Night Train now! (and please be careful not to trip over either the victims or the Demis Roussos theme song).

Kurtz

at 2:18 am

Review by Kurtz for Night Train Murders [1976] [DVD]
Rating: (1 / 5)
What a waste of film stock. A poor mans version of Last House on the Left which was a derivation of The Virgin Spring. What could have been a good thriller/horror. Poorly dubbed and terribly acted, even the so called gore shots were poorly executed (no pun). Apart from an uncomfortable scene involving a knife the rest of the movie was lame and predictable.

Buy the Last House on the Left or better still The Virgin Spring.