BLU-RAY REVIEW

Horror Express

Featured In Issue 165, March 2012

Picture3
SoundNR
WSR Score2
Basic Information on new release titles is posted as soon as titles are announced. Once reviewed, additional data is added to the database.
(Studio/Distributor):
Severin Films
(Catalog Number):
SEV1176
(MPAA Rating):
Not Rated
(Rating Reason):
(Retail Price):
$29.98
(Disc Type):
Single Side, Dual Layer (BD-50)
(Widescreen Edition):
Yes
(Full Screen Edition):
No
(Running Time In Minutes):
90
(Color Type):
Color
(Chaptered/Scene Access):
Yes
(Closed Captioned):
Yes
(Regional Coding):
Not Indicated
(Theatrical Year):
1972
(Theatrical Release):
Yes
(Direct-To-Video Release):
No
(Disc Release Date):
11/29/11
(THX® Digitally Mastered):
No
(Director):
Eugenio Martin
(Screenplay/Written By):
(Story):
(Music):
(Director Of Photography):
(Production Designer):
(Visual Effects):
(Costume Designer):
(Editor):
(Supervising Sound Editors):
(Re-Recording Mixers):
(Executive Producers):
(Co-Producers):
(Producers):
(Academy Awards):
(Principal Photography):
(Theatrical Aspect Ratio):
(Measured Disc Aspect Ratio):
(Disc Soundtrack):
Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono
(Theatrical Sound):
(Theatrical Re-Issue Soundtrack):
(DTS Bit Rate):
(Dolby Digital Bit Rate):
(Additional Languages):
(French Language):
(Spanish Language):
(Chinese Language):
(Subtitles):
(Cantonese Language):
(Mandarin Language):
(Japanese Language):
(Italian Language):
(German Language):
(Portuguese Language):

In Horror Express, rival turn-of-the-century anthropologists (Lee and Cushing) transport a frozen "missing link" aboard the Trans-Siberian Express. But when the prehistoric creature thaws and escapes, it unleashes a brain-scarfing spree that turns its victims into the eye-bleeding undead. Can the crafty colleagues stop this two-million-year-old monster, hordes of zombie passengers, and a psychotic Cossack officer (Savalas) before terror goes off the rails? (Gary Reber)

Special features include an introduction by "Fangoria" Editor Chris Alexander (HD 06:50), an interview with Director Eugenio Martin (HD 13:59), the featurette Notes From The Blacklist: Producer Bernard Gordon Discusses The McCarthy Era (HD 30:30), a 1973 interview with Peter Cushing (Bonus View), a "Telly And Me" interview with Composer John Cacavas (HD 08:04), the theatrical trailer, and previews.

The 1080p AVC picture actually looks quite presentable for an aged print, with nicely saturated colors and naturally rendered fleshtones. Black levels are weak, however, as is shadow delineation. Resolution is generally quite good, with revealing details. The overall visual experience is pleasurable, though, at times print damage is evident. (Gary Reber)

Originally produced in optical monaural, the Dolby® Digital 2.0 monaural soundtrack is undistinguished with a loud, distorted presence, which is characteristic of such films of this genre and age. Interestingly, the end credits music is encoded in Dolby Digital Stereo. (Gary Reber)