TerrorTrain Tagged Articles at Cinematical

When is a Terror Train remake NOT a Terror Train remake? When it's a movie called Train, which kinda began as a Terror Train remake, but definitely isn't anymore. And we know this for sure because someone out there is very interested in making an actual Terror Train remake.

Will all this going on, you might actually be duped into believing that Roger Spottiswoode's Terror Train somehow demands a remake -- when in fact it's just another slasher flick that Jamie Lee Curtis did right after Halloween because that's all she was being offered at the time. Aside from the fact that the flick features unlikely co-stars like Hart Bochner, Ben Johnson and David Copperfield (as "Ken the Magician"), there's not much to distinguish Terror Train from, say, Killer Car, Eerie Elevator, or Satanic Scooter. OK, so I just made those up.

Here's how the two new trains break down, as Shock sees it: Turns out that Train (which stars Thora Birch and still yearns for an American distributor) is more like "Hostel on rails," whereas a totally new project (being spearheaded by producer Phil Goldfine) aims to be a "true" remake of Terror Train. As if that actually matters because nobody except the hardcore horror fans even REMEMBER Terror Train and I certainly didn't hear any of them clamoring for a remake. But Mr. Goldfine's previous credits include sequels like The Art of War 2, The Lost Boys 2, and The Dukes of Hazzard 2 -- so switching over to those types of remakes shouldn't be all that difficult.

We love to do the whole "embed" thing where YouTube trailers are concerned, but since this promo clip for the upcoming horror flick Train has some harsh violence, sweaty sexuality, and two or four bare boobies, we'll just share the link -- and then offer a silly reminder that this trailer is not, as they say, work-safe. (Unless you make horror movies for a living, in which case I'd say this clip is perfectly appropriate. Invite your boss into your office to watch it.)

When we last discussed this project, we were hearing from writer/director Gideon Raff that the flick is technically not a remake of Terror Train, but just a horror flick with a pretty similar plot. I could care less, frankly, if it's a remake or not, but I can say that I'm slightly impressed with the ferocity found in the trailer. Basically it looks like Hostel on a creepy old train, and I do believe that could make for a fairly diverting way to spend 91 minutes. (Or the flick could suck raw eggs, but your recent remake alternatives include Prom Night, April Fools Day and Shutter, so maybe this one looks half-decent by default.)

The Millennium / Nu Image item stars Thora Birch, Gideon Emery and Derek Magyar. No word yet on who'll be distributing the flick, but we'll let you know new stuff when we know new stuff.

I'd just like to take a second to mourn what I thought would be a great career for Thora Birch. She went from a number of "eh" roles to a really breakout performance in American Beauty. A few years later, she starred in the ultra-quirky and likable Ghost World, which nabbed her a Golden Globe nod, and a chilling stint in the thriller The Hole with Keira Knightley. Sure, she had a bit part in Silver City, which was far from horror, but beyond that, it's like she made a pact with the devil to give up the non-ghoulish, non-dark cinema.

The latest in her ever-growing list -- she's signed on to star in Train, the remake of Terror Train, filling in the shoes of the ultimate Scream Queen, Jamie Lee Curtis. (Scott Weinberg first posted about the film back in April.) While that doesn't mean all hope is lost, since Curtis has some great films once she stopped screaming (although has tanked recently), it's not giving me much hope for the Birch future. It's too bad, especially considering all the crappy 20-something actresses who usually haunt the roles for young women.

The Bulgarian site that brings this news also has word on another film gearing up to shoot in the country -- Shark in Venice. Directed by Danny Lerner, the movie will star the born-again Stephen Baldwin and Vanessa Johansson, Scarlett's older sis. She's getting a heck of a resume lately -- she's got one film completed, and two others in post-production. Will she get as big as her little sister?

[via HorrorMovies.ca]

Man, the remake-makers are really digging through the bottom-shelf horror titles these days, aren't they? (When's the Hell Night remake coming out already?) And what's up with the current rash of Jamie Lee Curtis remakes anyway? Between Halloween, The Fog, Prom Night and the just-announced remake of Terror Train, the gal's entire back catalog is about to get a new coat of paint. (Someone tell Richard Franklin to keep his phone handy; his Road Games is absolutely guaranteed to be remade soon.) Yes, aged horror fans, you read that right: Someone, namely Nu Image Films, is about to remake the 1980 slasher flick Terror Train. Yep, the one with David Copperfield in it.

Assigned to the adaptation/directorial duties is Gideon Raff, while the whole Nu Image squad will be on board as producers. Production will begin later this year in Bulgaria, which is the sort of country Nu Image loves to shoot in. The studio's premiere titles include Mansquito, Shark Attack 3: Megalodon, Octopus 2: River of Fear and Kraken: Tentacles of the Deep. For those who don't watch early-'80s horror flicks three times a week, I'm happy to remind you that Terror Train is about a bunch of college students who throw a New Year's Eve costume party on board a moving train ... only there's a raving psycho on the loose who aims to kill everyone. I'm sure the Nu Image guys won't have any trouble adhering to such a complicated plot structure. (For a full and hilarious list of the Nu Image titles, please click right here.)

Interesting trivia regarding the original Terror Train: It was the first feature from Canadian filmmaker Roger Spottiswoode, a man who would go on to direct films both very entertaining (Under Fire, The Best of Times, Shoot to Kill) and very painful (Turner & Hooch, Air America, Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot). He also got to direct one of the James Bond movies, only it was Tomorrow Never Dies, which makes the credit a lot less impressive. Also, Terror Train does indeed feature a very bizarre acting performance from master illusionist (and weirdo) David Copperfield. You'll just have to rent the movie to appreciate it.