Terror Express (1979) La ragazza del vagone letto (original title)

Director:

Ferdinando Baldi

Writer:

George Eastman

Release Date:

December 1979 (Italy)

Genre:

Drama | Thriller

Plot:

Three thugs commandeer a couple of cars on a moving train and spread terror among the passengers.

Plot Keywords:

Train | Terror | Gun | Prostitute | Female Nudity

Cast

Silvia Dionisio	...	Juliet
Werner Pochath	...	David
Zora Kerova	...	Anna
Gianluigi Chirizzi	...	Peter
Carlo De Mejo	...	Ernie
Giancarlo Maestri	...	The Policeman
Fausto Lombardi	...	Phil
Gino Milli	...	The Conductor
Antonio Maimone	...	Mr. Hobbes (as Antonino Maimone)
Roberto Caporali	...	Evelyn's Father
Gianfranca Dionisi	...	Evelyn's Mother
Rita Livesi	...	Mary
Gianfilippo Carcano	...	Harold
Andrea Scotti	...	Willis
Cesare Gelli		(as Cesare Galli)
Fiammetta Flamini	...	Evelyn
Venantino Venantini	...	Mike
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Nick Alexander	...	The Conductor (voice: English version) (uncredited)
Carolyn De Fonseca	...	The Mum (voice: English version) (uncredited)
Edward Mannix	...	The Dad (voice: English version) (uncredited)
Susan Spafford	...	Juliet (voice: English version) (uncredited)
Pat Starke	...	Evelyn (voice: English version) (uncredited)
Frank von Kuegelgen	...	David (voice: English version) (uncredited)

Directed by
Ferdinando Baldi

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
George Eastman		(as Luigi Montefiori)

Produced by
Armando Todaro	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Marcello Giombini

Cinematography by
Giuseppe Aquari

Film Editing by
Alessandro Lucidi

Art Direction by
Gastone Carsetti

Costume Design by
Alberto Verso

Makeup Department
Giulio Natalucci	....	makeup artist
Luciano Vito	....	hair stylist

Production Management
Vincenzo Testa	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Giampiero Mele	....	assistant director

Art Department
Romana Arredamento	....	set dresser

Sound Department
Nick Alexander	....	dubbing editor
Franco Borni	....	sound recordist
Romano Checcacci	....	re-recording engineer

Camera and Electrical Department
Sandro Borni	....	still photographer: action stills
Mariano Cafiero	....	assistant camera
Luigi Filippo Carta	....	camera operator
Michele Pellegrini	....	gaffer (as Michelle Pellegrini)
Osvaldo Taloni	....	key grip

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Vanda Caprioli	....	seamstress

Editorial Department
Luisa Maria Letti	....	first assistant editor

Other crew
Rosaria Cilento	....	script supervisor (as Maria Rosaria Cilento)

Production Companies

• Rinascita Cinematografica

Distributors

• Residenz Film (1980) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• Camera Obscura (2009) (Germany) (DVD)
• Fletcher Video (1980) (UK) (VHS)
• Schmalz-Schneider (2009) (Austria) (DVD) (as Illusions Unltd. Films)
• Video Search of Miami (2009) (USA) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Fono Roma  re-recording
• R.P.A. Elios Studios  filmed at

Also Known As:

"La ragazza del vagone letto" - Italy (original title)

Runtime:

UK:80 min | West Germany:84 min

Country:

Italy

Language:

English | Italian

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Finland:K-18 (1990) | Iceland:16 | West Germany:18 (nf) | Norway:18 | Canada:18+ (Quebec)

Company:

Rinascita Cinematografica

Trivia:

The uncut pre-cert UK video, on the Fletcher label, was seized by a number of police forces during the 1980's video nasty scare, although the film may have been mistaken for Last Stop on the Night Train (1975).

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Video Nasties: Moral Panic, Censorship & Videotape (2010) (V)

Fun cast adds to entertainment value in this Last House ripoff

I actually liked Terror Express quite a bit. It's a complete Last House ripoff set totally on a moving train with three miscast actors playing psychos raping and murdering passengers. Actually, the thought of Carlo De Mejo as a scummy sleazeball seemed quite amusing to me, and gay actor Werner Pochath seemed strangely convincing as a sexually frustrated ex-con. Venantini Venantini and Zora Kerova make a pretty hilarious couple, and Silvia Dionisio gets naked enough to please most fans. A few people who acted in BURIAL GROUND around the same time also pop by, including that Pauly Shore-lookin guy who kept saying "Give me some more Cartridges." Granted there's lots of rape scenes, sex, and general depravity, but the film is generally really slow going and lacking in action or violence. Funny things to watch for: Nick Alexander doing a dopey pseudo-British accent as the voice of the pimp/train conductor, and Carlo De Mejo, Zora Kerova, and some other guy making a "Sex Sandwich" while standing up naked in a cramped compartment. I never thought I'd see this! that's for sure!

I also noticed Marcello Giombini's musical score really sounded like a big ripoff of the musical score for THE WARRIORS, complete with all the little synthesized musical stings combined with shots of the train... Ferdinando Baldi's movies rock, I wonder why nobody really seems to give a c**p about his work. I really liked Viva Django, which actually topped the original in most ways, and this film is definitely worth checking out; granted it's no Hitch Hike.