Night Train To Terror (1985) (Blu-ray/DVD Review)
Directed By: Jay Schlossberg-Cohen
Starring: Cameron Mitchell, John Phillip Law, Merideth Haze
Rated: R/Region: A/1:85/Number of disc: 2
Available from Vinegar Syndrome
Aboard a fast moving train bound for Hell, God and Satan decide the fates of three unfortunate mortals. In HARRY, a fiendish killer keeps the horribly mutilated body parts of his countless victims in a diabolical torture chamber. In GRETTA, a young woman, obsessed with death, takes part in an unspeakable ritual of Russian roulette. Finally in CLAIRE, a young woman and a Holocaust survivor are terrorized by the son of Satan! NIGHT TRAIN TO TERROR comes to you on home video for the very first time in its original aspect ratio and restored in 2k from 35mm film elements.
You don’t get much wackier than this film right here and that makes for a very entertaining film overall, even if parts lack much sense. We have God and Satan on a train debating for souls, which leads us to three shorts and the train being the wrap around segment. We have musical numbers and other wild things that make the film just scream 1980s. It might also scream acid trip. There is gore and even some questionable claymation scenes. The clay scenes are pretty bad, but enjoyable.
Out of our three stories, I believe the one about an atheist is probably the best one and maybe even the wildest one. We can’t look over the fact that much of this film is recycled films. “Scream Your Head Off” (which was left unfinished until 1992), “Cataclysm,” and “Death Wish Club,” have all had several titles and edits besides this one. Still, it makes for a mess, but a fun mess regardless. The transfer looks very old in spots, but the color is there for sure. Things get a little shaky here and there, but nothing to really bring down the release.
– Restored in 2K from 35mm elements
– Bonus feature film: GRETTA (DVD only / Sourced from 1 inch Master)
– Interview with Producer/Director Jay Schlossberg-Cohen
– Interview with Assistant Editor Wayne Schmidt
– Commentary track by The Hysteria Continues
– Theatrical trailer
