The Midnight Meat Train (2008)

A photographer's obsessive pursuit of dark subject matter leads him into the path of a serial killer who stalks late night commuters, ultimately butchering them in the most gruesome ways imaginable.

Director:

Ryûhei Kitamura

Writers:

Jeff Buhler (screenplay), Clive Barker (short story "The Midnight Meat Train")

Stars:

Vinnie Jones, Bradley Cooper, Leslie Bibb

2 wins & 6 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Bradley Cooper	...	Leon
Leslie Bibb	...	Maya
Brooke Shields	...	Susan Hoff
Vinnie Jones	...	Mahogany
Roger Bart	...	Jurgis
Tony Curran	...	Driver
Barbara Eve Harris	...	Detective Lynn Hadley
Peter Jacobson	...	Otto
Stephanie Mace	...	Leigh Cooper
Ted Raimi	...	Randle Cooper
Nori Satô	...	Erika Sakaki (as NorA)
Quinton 'Rampage' Jackson	...	Guardian Angel
Dan Callahan	...	Troy Taleveski
Donnie Smith	...	Station Cop
Earl Carroll	...	Jack Franks

Storyline

The photographer Leon lives with his girlfriend and waitress Maya waiting for a chance to get in the photo business. When Maya contacts their friend Jurgis, he schedules a meeting for Leon with the successful owner of arts gallery Susan Hoff; she analyzes Leon's work and asks him to improve the quality of his photos. During the night, the upset Leon decides to wander on the streets taking pictures with his camera, and he follows three punks down to the subway station; when the gang attacks a young woman, Leon defends her and the guys move on. On the next morning, Leon discovers that the woman is missing. He goes to the police station, but Detective Lynn Hadley does not give much attention to him and discredits his statement. Leon becomes obsessed to find what happened with the stranger and he watches the subway station. When he sees the elegant butcher Mahogany in the train, Leon believes he might be a murderer and stalks him everywhere, in the beginning of his journey to the darkness.

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Plot Keywords:

photographer | subway | butcher | beaten to death with a hammer | cannibalism | 

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Taglines:

The most terrifying ride you'll ever take

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Genres:

Horror | Mystery

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for sequences of strong bloody gruesome violence, grisly images involving nudity, sexual content and language

Details

Official Sites:

Lionsgate [United States]

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

16 May 2008 (Lithuania)

Also Known As:

Clive Barker's Midnight Meat Train

Filming Locations:

Burbank, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$15,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$34,394, 3 August 2008

Gross USA:

$83,361

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$3,533,227

Company Credits

Production Co:

Lakeshore Entertainment, Midnight Picture Show, GreeneStreet Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

98 min 103 min (unrated)

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Leslie Bibb and Bradley Cooper are both part of the MCU, Bibb played Christine Everheart in Iron Man (2008) and Iron Man 2 (2010), Cooper does the voice of Rocket Racoon.

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Goofs

When Maya is searching through Mahogany's bathroom, at one point the white t-shirt of a crew member is visible in the mirror.

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Quotes

Mahogany: Welcome.

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Alternate Versions

German version is cut by approx. 7 minutes to secure a "Not under 18" rating.

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Connections

Featured in Out of the Furnace (2013)

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Soundtracks

I Am Controlled By Your Love
Written by Willie Clarke & Clarence Reid
Performed by Helene Smith
Courtesy of The Numero Group
By Arrangement with Bank Robber Music

User Reviews

Unsettling scenes , terror, tension at the last night train

A frustrated photographer named Leon (Bradley Cooper) is assigned by ambitious owner of art gallery named Susan (Brooke Shields) asks him to improve the quality his pictures.Leon neglects his waitress fiancée (Leslie Bibb) and roams the undergrounds at night in search of something rare and actual. Then he finds a strange and silent meat-packer (Vinnie Jones) at the last midnight train. After that, Leon goes to the Police precinct but the Detective Hadley(Barbara Eve Harris) doesn't believe him.

This frightening movie displays terror, shocks, hard-edged drama , and creepy images . While the look is suitable atmospheric and eerie, the argument stretches plausibility to the breaking point. This is an acceptable Clive Baker adaptation of the short novel with same title. The picture is full of suspense,thrills, mystery, and lots of blood and gore .This slick gore-feast is a triumph of style over movie logic. It's packed with overwhelming body count, excessive gore, grotesque killing, and rivers of red blood. The picture is smartly designed ,stylishly photographed filming in shades and lights . It packs,tension,suspense,chills,horror and lot of blood and gore including slitting the throat,attempted rage, slicing ,stabbing, all courtesy of excellent craftsmen. They create a creepy make-up of horrible and bloody images. The gutsy murders are gruesomely executed and equally are ghastly graphic .The film is constituted by some well done horror set pieces with creepy and spooky atmosphere.The butcher-murderer appearance deliver the goods with hair raising chills, full scares and scary frames.The story is borrowing from the original short story by Clive Baker who has several cinematic adaptations, as ¨Nightbreed¨, ¨Lord of illusions¨, ¨Hellraiser¨ and ¨Candyman¨ with their uncountable sequels. Thrilling musical score with frightening sounds and appropriate cinematography with dark atmosphere by cameraman Jonathan Sela. The motion picture is skillfully directed by Kitamura. Rating : Acceptable and passable Clive Baker rendition that will appeal his followers.