Horror Express (1972) (Remastered) coming from Arrow

[Akijama]

https://www.diabolikdvd.com/product/...ow-us-blu-ray/

Description
Horror royalty and Hammer alumni Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee reunite for this tale of mad monks, primitive humanoids and bloodthirsty zombies set aboard a train bound for Moscow – all aboard the Horror Express!

Renowned anthropologist Saxton (Lee) boards the Trans-Siberian Express with a crate containing the frozen remains of a primitive humanoid which, he believes, may prove to be the missing link in human evolution. But all hell breaks loose when the creature thaws out, turning out to be not quite as dead as once thought!

Directed by Spanish filmmaker Eugenio Martin, Horror Express remains one for the most thrilling (and, quite literally!) chilling horror efforts of the early 1970s.

SPECIAL EDITION CONTENTS

• Brand new 2K restoration from original film elements

• High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) presentation

• Original Uncompressed mono audio

• Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing

• Brand new audio commentary with Stephen Jones and Kim Newman

• Introduction to the film by film journalist and Horror Express super-fan Chris Alexander

• Murder on the Trans-Siberian Express – an interview with director Eugenio Martin

• Notes from the Blacklist – Horror Express producer Bernard Gordon on working in Hollywood during the McCarthy Era

• Telly and Me – an interview with composer John Cacavas

• Original Theatrical Trailer

• Reversible sleeve featuring newly commissioned artwork by Graham Humphreys

FIRST PRESSING ONLY: Fully-illustrated collector’s booklet with new writing by Adam Scovell

[DR Herbert West]

Excellent.

[Aclea]

In for the restoration, but the new extras aren't enticing, especially what will probably be another ill-informed rambling drunken ego trip from Chris Alexander as per his dismal audio commentaries. Still, it's carrying over the extras from the US edition, and the film itself is truly a thing of wonder...

[babybreese]

Alexander is an embarrassing chump, but his intro will be 90 seconds and easy to skip.

The audio commentary from Jones & Newman should be excellent & seals the deal on a super announce!

[JMDiaz718]

Yes!!! Classic horror movie.

Wish they would provide a stereo or 5.1 sound mix, on some of these older flicks. Would be awesome to hear, the train ambience and background sounds, in the interior scenes.

[oddbox83]

Won't be difficult to beat the Severin on picture quality.

[Aclea]

Well, considering it was made because they had the train and a few days on Telly Savalas' contract left over from Pancho Villa and wanted something to do with them, I doubt the material is there to work with for a proper stereo mix.

[Aclea]

Originally Posted by oddbox83

Won't be difficult to beat the Severin on picture quality.

true, but Severin's version was certainly the best the film previously looked on home video despite a few scratches on the print here and there, with a comparative clarity and sharpness to its widescreen print that's probably not been seen since it opened back in 1973. It's not perfect by any means, with some fluctuation in the grading and a bit of not too excessive DNR in some shots, and it does have the Spanish credits rather than the English ones, though these still manage to mis-spell `Cristopher Lee's' name (well, we've all done it) just as the US and UK prints do, but considering how poorly the film has been served over the years by numerous public domain labels using worn, damaged, cut and sometimes barely in focus prints, it was decent enough. But this should be a huge improvement.

However, I notice Arrow are not including the recording of Cushing's 1973 interview at Britain's National Film Theatre covering his entire career up to that point that's both charming and filled with nice and frequently self-deprecating anecdotes: a pity.

[starsteam]

Another title I bought during that Severin "going OOP" bundle which I never got around to watching and will likely upgrade to this before I do. But it should be a improvement regardless.

[ditcin]

Interestingly in the previous release the audio turned stereo for the end credits.

[The Great Owl]

Cool! I’m on it.

[Aclea]

Scores were often recorded in stereo but laid on mono at that time. Since they had an interview with Cacavas he may have pointed them in the direction of a stereo tape of the end titles.

[JMDiaz718]

Originally Posted by Aclea

Well, considering it was made because they had the train and a few days on Telly Savalas' contract left over from Pancho Villa and wanted something to do with them, I doubt the material is there to work with for a proper stereo mix.

Well, considering the technological breakthroughs in sound mixing, it's possible. I'm sure money is a factor. Many other companies have taken mono sound and designed decent surround tracks.

[asmodeux21]

Awesome news! It's an amazing movie...scary, gruesome, suspenseful, intelligent, and even a bit of humor! Great cast too!

[Aclea]

Originally Posted by JMDiaz718

Well, considering the technological breakthroughs in sound mixing, it's possible. I'm sure money is a factor. Many other companies have taken mono sound and designed decent surround tracks.

But only where they've had access to the original tracks. Considering how long the film has been in Public Domain Hell, it's unlikely that they archived all the original sound elements very well, if at all.

[MJD64]

"The czar will hear of this. I'll have you sent to Siberia."

"I am in Siberia!"

Always loved this one. Tense, humorous and at times genuinely creepy with a great cast of colorful characters. I put off buying the Severin hoping for a release with a better transfer and I'm betting Arrow will deliver...recently received my purchases of THE ADDICTION, THE BLOODTHIRSTY TRILOGY and DEEP RED from the Arrow sale and the transfers are phenomenal. Psyched to hear AUDITION will be hitting the States as well.

[RalphoR]

Sweet! This will be a very nice upgrade. Although this is great I wish we'd get the Hammer films that haven't hit blu-ray first.

[oddbox83]

Originally Posted by RalphoR

Sweet! This will be a very nice upgrade. Although this is great I wish we'd get the Hammer films that haven't hit blu-ray first.

As always, depends who owns the rights and what good business contacts and working relationships that label already has.

This is a good fit for Arrow given the Euro-horror connection. Arrow don't really have working relationships at the moment with those who own the majority of Hammer's output.

[Partyslammer]

Originally Posted by Akijama

Nice cover illustration by Graham Humphreys. I wish his big art book would get a new printing, I totally missed out when it had it's initial print run and it rarely pops up on eBay and when it has, it's been astronomically expensive.

[cakefactory]

Cool. Depending on how this looks I might have to double-dip. It's a good one. I didn't read anything about it beforehand apart from the cast list, so I was shocked when I discovered it was based on "Who Goes There" and thus had a ton in common with the '82 The Thing.