La bête tue de sang-froid

"The Night Train Murders," also known as "Last Stop on the Night Train," follows two teenage girls riding an overnight train on Christmas Eve from Munich to be home with their families for the holiday. Unfortunately, two thugs are also onboard, who happen to find an unlikely accomplice when they decide to brutalize the two girls in an empty car. Things, however, get increasingly complicated when they find themselves in the company of one of the girls' parents after de-boarding.

The Italian equivalent to Wes Craven's "The Last House on the Left" (or Bergman's "The Virgin Spring"), "The Night Train Murders" follows a familiar plot, so it needs to excel in other areas in order to set itself aside from its source material; and it more or less manages to do this, with some caveats. Where "Last House" took place in bucolic New England, "Night Train" sets itself within the confines of a train (a tradition dating back to Hitchcock's "Lady on the Train") running through rural Germany, and the film is extremely atmospheric for this. The Christmas Eve setting, though ultimately inconsequential to the narrative, does give the film another sinister layer.

The film is really well shot and there are some fantastic overhead views and other shots of the narrow train corridors that make for claustrophobic chase sequences. There is some contrived social commentary peppered in from the doctor father in the film, who waxes poetic about contemporary violence, but what's more interesting is the involvement of an austere woman on the train who finds herself a voyeur, and ultimately, a participant, in the brutalization of the girls. The psychology behind this is truly fascinating, and Macha Méril plays the part perfectly. The violence inflicted on the girls is difficult to watch, and the anonymous woman's participation in it is riveting. The conclusion, per the source material, is expected, but is also handled with stylish flair.

Overall, "The Night Train Murders" is a grim and stylish retread of a familiar story, but the material is handled well and the film boasts several disturbing scenes and a general atmosphere of foreboding and dread. Some people have tended to classify the film as an example of genre sleaze, though I didn't necessarily get that vibe from it. The violence here is more implicit than it is gratuitous, and the thematic overtones keep the film from edging into outright exploitation; it's more of a character study in the terrible things people are capable of in the most arbitrary of circumstances. 8/10.

Taut thriller from director Aldo Lado.

Frequent criticism that "nothing happens" in the film's first forty-five minutes is rubbish. The film takes its time to establish what finally becomes a very nasty situation for two teenage girls (Marina Bertie and Irene Miracle). The suspense builds slowly as the villains, impeccably played by Flavio Bucci and Gianfranco De Grassi, are introduced and the predicament of the women is unfurled.

The production values are top notch and the spare Ennio Morricone score is utlized for maximum effect. A haunting but melodic Demmis Roussos song, "A Flower Is All You Need", is a perfect, ironic bookend to the film's grim developments.

Lado directs with a sure, intuitive, practised hand. He conjures a very uncomfortable atmosphere and tightens the tension with sharp cutting, ultra-moody interior lighting and excellent direction of the actors.

Macha Meril plays a female passenger who allows herself to be corrupted by the villains. Lado uses her to explore the nature of evil and the fascination of horror. Meril's performance is exemplary for she renders her highly disturbing character with great authenticity.

The centrepiece of the film is a sequence featuring the rape and killing of one of the girls. Although the scene is reasonably brutal, much of the violence is suggested. A shot of one of the women being thrown off the train into a river is strangely beautiful.

Comparisons with LAST HOUSE ON THE LEFT's plot structure are to be expected. Technically, the film is much more accomplished than LAST HOUSE, but LAST HOUSE, as a work of pure terror, is more confronting on a pure gut level.

NIGHT TRAIN MURDERS is a film of subtle power and horror, and it leaves one feeling uneasy (which can only be a good thing).

I couldn't sleep last night, so I decided to dig up something to watch. Being in the holiday spirit, I wanted to watch something I haven't seen on Christmas. I got sick from the 24 hour marathon of A CHRISTMAS STORY, so I found this little doozy of a picture in my vaults. Bottom line - I liked it. It blatantly rips-off THE LAST HOUSE ON THE LEFT, but this film took more time in getting to know the characters, and the German-Austrian-Italian locations are gorgeous. Blackie (the guy from SUSPIRIA), and his pal hop a train bound to Italy for Christmas and violate two young girls with a psychopathic woman (creepily played by Macha Meril from Argento's PROFONDO ROSSO). Afterwards the trio unknowingly run into the parents of one of the girls ala finale LAST HOUSE. I had an extremely difficult time finding this movie, I don't think it was ever released in the United States; the copy I had was Dutch subtitled. If you can obtain this film, I recommend it.

This movie is well worth at least one look:yes,it is a variation (rip-off)of Last house,but it does have a few surprises and arguably,a stronger theme than Last House;there is a definite anti fascist ,left leaning sensibility to this film,underlying its more European take on the "Us and them "idea behind Last house.

Firstly,its really well made.If you've seen Lado's Gialli ,you'll know hes no hack,but he sets scenes really well.The scenes on the train have a insular,outward looking feel,as though you are really trapped inside looking at the world flowing by the windows.

Thematically,the two films are VERY similar;two ultra middle class girls (more worldly than their square parents know)get involved with two scumbags,Blackie and er...his junkie friend (cant remember his name).Sorry,THREE scumbags,as Macha Merill,middle class but a deviant,joins in as the two girls are trapped on an overnight train,en route to a family Christmas.Rape,torment,and retribution follow,as you damn well expect.

Anyway,its not as brutal as last house.The rape and revenge stuff is strong (enough for it to be banned here,anyway)but its quite a dark film nonetheless:its very influenced by Pasolini.Hence,the middle class are twisted deviants who exploit the working class to get their fun.Its Macha Merill who is the real villain here,not Blackie,enjoying the twisted stuff to fulfill her libertinism,as the ending (no spoilers)reveals.Shes good in this film,too.

The bad?the theme song is awful.Seriously.I played this on my laptop and at first I thought the speakers had melted,the singer warbles so much.Awful.I hope Morricone had nothing to do with it.The actings so-so,I liked Blackie anyway.Cute Irene Miracle is one of the girls.The parent figures are really dull...and the Dads a doctor!How blatant is that!

I dug the humour of the film too:in one scene in the train a young priest notices that the rummy old Cardinal is slyly winking at him;he turns to another priest who says "Oh its just a nervous tic".But in the best scene,Blackie discovers a carriage full of old ex-Nazis singing a fascist marching song(the film is set in Germany and Italy).He sneaks in and shouts "Heil Hitler" to which all the old chaps jump up and shout "Heil" in response.I liked it anyway.i think it reveals a lot about the films idea that perversion is always under the surface,in the most respectable of places.

This is one of the few nasties I never tracked down on copied VHS,so its great to see it so pristine and clear.It could easily get released now in the UK;but they would probably cut the scene where Merill gets raped and enjoys it,totally taboo for the BBFC,especially in a non art-house flick (total hypocrisy of course)as they did with House on the edge of the Park.The scene with the knife would get axed as well,if you see the film you'll understand.All readers in Countries where people can make up their own mind,check it out now!

N.B has now been released with an uncut 18 certificate by shameless in the UK. What a dunce I sound like now...

Macha Meril, as "The Lady On The Train" is the star of this seasonal, fun for all ages, thriller.

Yes, it rehashes the plot from "Last House On The Left" but it's done effectively and brutally. Lisa and Margaret don't stand a chance against Blackie, Curly and beautiful, sexy Lady. I particularly like the inventive use of the phallic knife. The final third of the film, where the killers meet the victim's parents is predictably implausible but gratifying nonetheless.

Demis Rusos' epic song which accompanies the opening and closing credits is wonderfully insensitive and inappropriate.

I'd love to see this on Christmas Day television.

7/10