Review of Horror Express (1972) by Sarfaraz A — 16 Mar 2011

This film is one of those sort of movies that's a guilty pleasure for me.

This Spanish horror movie is very much in the style of the classic Hammer Horror movies- especially with Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing starring in it. The blood application even echos the Hammer Horror films in how they look painted onto the skin.

As much as I enjoy watching Lee and Cushing acting together, I have to say that Alberto de Mendoza really steals the show as the Rasputin-like monk who advises the Count and Countess. Since the movie takes place prior to the Russian Revolution, that adds to the Rasputin type character. de Mendoza was superb in his role. Telly Savalas was also great as the Cossack commander.

This was a really low budget film- so low that the monster consisted of pretty much just a face and arm portion. The gore is pretty limited too and slightly laughable.

In fact, most of this movie is laughable- which is part of why it's a guilty pleasure for me. It's one of those few movies that I would watch more than once without rating it higher than a three star rating.