Horror Express, also known as Pánico en el Transiberiano, is a 1973 Spanish horror film directed by Eugenio Martin, written by Arnaud d’Usseau and Julian Zimet (credited as Julian Halevy), and starring Christopher Lee, Peter Cushing and Telly Savalas.
Cast
Cristopher Lee … Prof. Sir Alexander Saxton
Peter Cushing … Dr. Wells
Alberto de Mendoza … Father Pujardov
Silvia Tortosa … Countess Irina Petrovska
Julio Peña … Inspector Mirov
Angel del Pozo … Yevtushenko
Helga Liné … Natasha
Alice Reinheart … Miss Jones
José Jaspe … Conductor Koniev
Jorge Rigaud … Count Maryan Petrovski
Silvia Tortosa as Countess Irina Petrovska
Trivia:
The train interior sets and the train model used for the exterior shots were the same sets that the producer/director had just used for their collaboration Pancho Villa (1972), which had just finished production and which also featured Telly Savalas.
Peter Cushing arrived in Spain for filming and immediately told producer Bernard Gordon that he could not do the picture, as he felt it was too soon after his wife’s death. Christopher Lee convinced Cushing to stay on by reminiscing with him about the previous films they’d worked on together, much to the relief of Gordon.
German Import DVD has a Super-8 Version (German language only), as a special feature on the disc.
During the production there was only one set available for the interior of the train cars. All of the scenes for each train car had to be shot at once and then the set would have to be reconstructed for the next train car.
Ironically the film wasn’t a success in director Eugenio Martin’s home country of Spain.
Most of the film was shot without audio recording, the soundtracks and dialog were all added in post production. Stars Christopher Lee, Peter Cushing, and Telly Savalas provided their own voices for the films English release.
Frequent airings on television throughout the 1970′s and 1980′s helped to gain Horror Express a devoted cult following among horror fans.
