Terror Train (1980) coming from Scorpion Releasing

[Akijama]

Coming April 7th from Scorpion Releasing!
Distributed by Kino Lorber!

Terror Train (1980)
• Brand New 2K Master
• NEW Interview with Director Roger Spottiswoode
• NEW Interview with Screenwriter Judith Rascoe
• Optional English Subtitles
• Theatrical Trailer

Take an excursion into terror with Jamie Lee Curtis (Halloween, Love Letters, The Fog) in this classic shocker from director Roger Spottiswoode (Tomorrow Never Dies, Under Fire, Shoot to Kill). It’s New Year’s Eve, and a group of college coeds have planned a masquerade bash aboard a chartered train. What they didn’t plan on was that a knife-wielding psycho would crash the party and begin slaughtering the guests one by one. Who is this brutal costumed killer? Could it be the mysterious magician (David Copperfield) with a talent for swordplay... a former frat pledge with an axe to grind... or any number of other guests, both invited and uninvited? Also starring Academy Award Winner Ben Johnson (The Last Picture Show, The Hunter, The Getaway, Dillinger, The Town That Dreaded Sundown), Hart Bochner (Die Hard, Apartment Zero), Sandee Currie (Gas, Street Justice) and D.D. Winters (aka Vanity, Action Jackson, 52 Pick-Up).

[Show spoiler]It looks like Scorpion will be (re) releaseing it, according to their FB post.

https://www.facebook.com/11104210238...8546783971439/

[redrunner97]

New transfer too.

I'm in, I don't get how anyone could rank Prom Night over Terror Train. It's so much better in just about every way, IMO.

[Q-Tip]

Originally Posted by redrunner97

New transfer too.

I'm in, I don't get how anyone could rank Prom Night over Terror Train. It's so much better in just about every way, IMO.

I personally think Prom Night murders (pun intended) Terror Train by miles but I do love both films. Haha

[DetroitSportsFan]

Is this still with Fox or did the rights end up with the producer or something?

[redrunner97]

Originally Posted by DetroitSportsFan

Is this still with Fox or did the rights end up with the producer or something?

I'm gonna guess Scream Factory's deal expired because Fox lost the rights.

Probably with one of the producers and that's where Walt picked it up.

He actually teased this acquisition a few weeks on his personal facebook page but no one really payed any attention. lol

[drb124]

I like this one a lot. Will double dip depending on new transfer and extras.

[DetroitSportsFan]

Originally Posted by redrunner97

I'm gonna guess Scream Factory's deal expired because Fox lost the rights.

Probably with one of the producers and that's where Walt picked it up.

He actually teased this acquisition a few weeks on his personal facebook page but no one really payed any attention. lol

That’s what I figured. I was hoping Walt pulled off a deal with Fox.

[Monterey Jack]

Missed out on the SF release, so I may get this if the price is right. Not a great film, but a decent slasher for the era with some especially nice photography.

[Blu Titan]

This is a terrific movie...it really is very good.

[FelixFlankin]

Will definitely be interesting to see the difference. I don't ever mind a potential better release.

[DR Herbert West]

Great news! It's in desperate need of a new scan.

[trevanian]

Seconded about the great cinematography, also I remember there was a blonde girl I liked in it, and I think it was Vanity's first released movie, while she was still DD Winters. (TANYA'S ISLAND starred her, but was held up for years, and I honestly don't know if it even ever came out, though I remember a whole chunk of an issue of CINEFANTASTIQUE was dedicated to covering it, and how the ape suit was made.)

[SpaceBlackKnight]

This title was a Canadian Astral/Bellvue production that Fox picked up for distribution along with the Porky's movies and a few others. The Scream release went OOP because Fox's US distribution rights expired and their licence went down with it.

The North American distribution rights reverted to Astral Films successor TVA Films, and since they licensed out titles like Death Ship and The Hot Touch out to Scorpion, it was inevitable Walt would get wind of this https://forum.blu-ray.com/showpost.p...postcount=3973 and try to acquire it from TVA.

EDIT: Also, I discovered that 1988's The Kiss was another Astral Films title that was with Sony/TriStar's and SF tried to get, but their US rights expired and were unaware of who has them now. I'm 100% certain The Kiss is with Astral successor TVA Films, and wouldn't surprise me if Walt is approaching them for that one.

[Matt89]

I have the Scream release and (if I remember correctly) they had initially announced a commentary with the director that ultimately fell through. It would be awesome if they were able to score an interview with him or some sort of commentary this time around.

I’ve always thought this was one of the best slasher movies of the ‘80s and I have to agree with everyone else that it has particularly nice cinematography. It was shot by John Alcott, so it looks more polished than a lot of other slashers from that era. I remember it was super hard to find on VHS for a really long time. I’ve held onto my cassette all these years, and I can’t wait for this new release.

Where was it said that this was getting a new scan? It’s true, the current blu-ray needs to be upgraded.

~Matt

[Davidian]

^^Faceplantbook!

[dwk]

Originally Posted by Matt89

I have the Scream release and (if I remember correctly) they had initially announced a commentary with the director that ultimately fell through. It would be awesome if they were able to score an interview with him or some sort of commentary this time around.

I might be thinking of another film, but isn't the one where they started the commentary and the director decided that he didn't want to do it and left?

[SeanJoyce]

Originally Posted by redrunner97

New transfer too.

I'm in, I don't get how anyone could rank Prom Night over Terror Train. It's so much better in just about every way, IMO.

Neither are particularly good.

[GeoffOliver]

I have Scream Factory’s decent edition, so this would have to be quite the upgrade (ie. a new interview or commentary with Jamie Lee) for me to consider double dipping.

Originally Posted by redrunner97

New transfer too.

I'm in, I don't get how anyone could rank Prom Night over Terror Train. It's so much better in just about every way, IMO.

I adore Prom Night because it has some relatively decent character development for the genre, and it focused more on suspense over blood and gore (not that Terror Train had a lot either). It has good chase scenes too, and Eddie Benton as Wendy is one of my all-time favorite slasher characters. She’s just so unabashedly *****y, yet she’s clearly very insecure and unhappy. We feel her need for validation, and it’s almost funny, yet tragic to see her suffer so much in the third act. There’s something about the story that almost feels like a Greek tragedy, and there’s a light sense of karma too. The film at least made an attempt to do something Hitchcockian and Stephen King-ish with the premise, even if it wasn’t really successful. They absolutely wasted Jamie Lee Curtis. Her character was unnecessary for the story. The film is far from perfect, but I adore it.

[MassiveMovieBuff]

Originally Posted by GeoffOliver

I have Scream Factory’s decent edition, so this would have to be quite the upgrade (ie. a new interview or commentary with Jamie Lee) for me to consider double dipping.



I adore Prom Night because it has some relatively decent character development for the genre, and it focused more on suspense over blood and gore (not that Terror Train had a lot either). It has good chase scenes too, and Eddie Benton as Wendy is one of my all-time favorite slasher characters. She’s just so unabashedly *****y, yet she’s clearly very insecure and unhappy. We feel her need for validation, and it’s almost funny, yet tragic to see her suffer so much in the third act. There’s something about the story that almost feels like a Greek tragedy, and there’s a light sense of karma too. The film at least made an attempt to do something Hitchcockian and Stephen King-ish with the premise, even if it wasn’t really successful. They absolutely wasted Jamie Lee Curtis. Her character was unnecessary for the story. The film is far from perfect, but I adore it.

Yeah. Terror Train's new transfer will have to be quite an improvement as well for me. I'm a little disappointed in The House on Sorority Row's remaster as I didn't think it was all that much of an improvement over the previous release but does fix the pixelation glitch from the first release.

I love Prom Night as well for all the reasons you mentioned along with the terrific cinematography and really catchy disco songs made specifically for the film. One character that I really like (even though he's supposed to be hated) is David Mucci's performance as the bully Lou. He's oddly likable for some reason for me anyways. It's an underrated slasher that's a lot of fun. Didn't care much for it my first viewing but grew on me with subsequent viewings especially with Synapse's absolutely phenomenal transfer.

[ryanmj1993]

Missed out on Screams so I’ll get this! Wonder if they will use any of Screams extras?