SHAM009 - Night Train Murders

[vincenzo]

Excellent review there, ecc. Nice to see the original Italian poster illustration on there too featuring our favourite 'Man In A Cardigan'.

[The Reaper Man@Cult Labs]

Jesus ec,you must have a lot of time to spare,or is it what you do for a living?

[ecc]

Not a lot of time. I consider the reviews therapeutic. I actually started it two weeks ago but just got around to finishing it up earlier this week.

[Peter Neal]

I'm very happy that this one finally found it's way on a decent R2 release, which should make the movie better known outside the usual fanbase.

Despite being obviously heavily influenced by "Last House", "Night Train" is much more beautiful to lok at and Aldo Lado offers his own intelligent take on the "violence breeds violence" theme fuelling the story.

The Shameless presentation looks good and the reversible cover art is an improvement over the BU release.

On a personal note: Since I spent a healthy portion of my youth in Munich, the opening scenes have a special magic to me, watching a 70's Italian production filmed partly in Munich, dubbed into English...."Those were the EU exploitation days!"

When you look carefully during the scenes at the central station, you'll see that there's a cinema for adult movies INSIDE the station (in the bit when the "lady" is entering the train).
That cinema was actually still there up until the early 90's, but it's vanished since then, though the inner city of Munich pretty much still looks the way it's shown at the start of the movie..though that cosy 70's feeling is gone.

[Peter Neal]

Night Train Murders

Of all the Italian "Last House" rip offs (intentional or not), "Night Train Murders" is certainly the most classy one, boosting a strange beauty in its visual style you wouldn't expect from a "Rape 'N Revenge" flick.
That's not to say that its content would be any less intense/controversial as anything the likes of "Last House on the Beach" or "House On The Edge Of The Park" have to offer - quite on the contrary.
While Deodato even imported the inspirational villian Krug in the shape of David Hess for his version of the Wes Craven movie, "Night Train's" director Aldo Lado stayed somewhat closer to the source story, yet gave it a personal, clever twist by adding his take on the "class conflict" to the mix, creating some disturbing images in the process.
Unlike "House On The Edge Of The Park" and very much like "Last House", you'll totally side with the victims and be horrified by their fate - and that's were Lado's own ideas really add texture to the exploitation elements.
Combine that with the Munich opening, a sentimental theme song (plus score, written by the one and only, Ennio Morricone) and you're back in EU exploitation heaven!


Clearly one of the better "ex nasties"! Don't miss it!

****

[vincenzo]

My favourite Shameless release to date. A sledgehammer of a movie that just seems to get better every time you see it.

Whoever dreamed it would one day see an uncut light of day in the UK.

[The Reaper Man@Cult Labs]

Second best Shameless release to date......VIOLENZA!....we love it...

[trench]

I'm going to have to order this one because none of the shops in Belfast are stocking it. Can't wait to get my hands on it.

[steve]

I also watched this today (been a good film day) and I really enjoyed (although using the word 'enjoy' does seem a bit wrong but I'm sure you'll all understand what I mean). I wasn't sure what to expect because I've read so much about it being a complete rip off of Last House... but it's not as simple as that. I think this film is far more subtle than Last House... and not as in your face. It's disturbing and upsetting and I can see why it was banned way back in 1976.

The two girls (like those in Last House...) come across as really nice, friendly and likeable and what happens is truly shocking. It's the scenes that aren't as graphic which upset me more - the power of the mind and imagination.

The humilation of the two girls is almost unwatchable and even though I knew what was going to happen to them (after reading about it so often I know the story well enough) I was hoping they were going to escape.

It's the ending that really sets this film apart from Last House... The revenge of the father is not as over the top as it is in Last House... with the mother joining in for good measure. I'm glad that doesn't happen here. The ending is just as shocking, less sensational but no less savage.

Another excellent presentation from Shameless - the print is beautifully clear with the colour being bright and darkness being dark but not too dark.

Bravo.

[The Reaper Man@Cult Labs]

You're right Steve,it's a far more enjoyable (if that's the right word!) viewing experience than LAST HOUSE.......