Runaway!

When on skiing holiday with the family, what better to watch as evening-entertainment than a disaster movie about a runaway train ... in a ski-resort!

"Runaway!" is one of the more obscure ABC Movies of the Week, I reckon. I never even heard of it when I accidentally stumbled upon it on YouTube (the picture quality is poor but certainly watchable). Nevertheless, it's a very entertaining and exciting thrill-ride that has quite a lot in common with the 2010 blockbuster "Unstoppable". So much even that I wonder if the late Tony Scott perhaps found some inspiration here, like the head-machinist's forced retirement or the attempt of stopping the train by connecting another one at the rear end.

For the rest, it's a typical 70s TV-movie, with typical 70s TV-movie characters. The only difference is that they are rushing down a snowy mountain at 60mph on a train of which the brakes have given up due to the ice and cold. Will the life-threatening ordeal save the marriage of a bickering couple? Shall the young student overcome the forbidden love for her professor? Will the careless and selfish rebel develop some humanity and help the other passengers? Etc. It's incredibly clichéd, but I loved it. And besides, remember the unwritten rule of disaster movies: when there's an exclamation mark in the title (!), the situation is very, very serious!

By 1973, the disaster genre had conquered the skies and the sea. I guess a move to train transportation was iinevitable.

This TV movie has all the elements necessary for a disaster film: panicking passengers, absolutely stupid dialogue and an all has-been cast. Unfortunately, the special effects are virtually nil and it has very low camp value.

The terror, however is very real. These actors know their careers are OVER.

Channel 5 decided to give this a showing yesterday - I remembered enjoying it as a B Movie in my youth and decided to record it. Ummmmm. Could I really have enjoyed something so corny and predictable. Ben Murphy plays Kid Curry but without the Cowboy Hat. Ben Johnson drives the train and shows absolutely no cause for concern that his train, carry 200+ passengers, is about to leave the rails at Jackson City and cause massive carnage. A completely unrealistic movie albeit with some good scenery. As satisfying as an episode of Love Boat.

I fully enjoyed this movie. Having once worked for a railroad I am aware of some technical inaccuracies, but it's worth overlooking to enjoy the premise. I especially love Ben Johnson as the engineer. I used to love the railroad the way his character does and totally relate to him. Some people have said there are no stars in it besides him, but Vera Miles was nice to see. Martin Milner's character is a little annoying to me though. I liked seeing the young boy from "Ben" too. I love those old diesel locomotives too! I have a grainy copy I recorded from TV. I wish they would release this on DVD. And yes, it is short and sweet.

A passenger train is runaway (the brakes have frozen) on a winding, mountainous snow covered railway! Despite the fact that this is a made for TV movie, it was theatrically released overseas under the title "The Frozen Passage" and deservedly was a hit. It's unfortunate that it's not currently available on any format since it's an exciting suspenseful film that you can see with your family. The finale it also very satisfying.

Oh come on Universal and release this one at least on VHS (DVD and of course Blu-ray Disc is ideal!).