College students are stalked by a killer during a costume party aboard a train in this iconic 80s horror movie. The setting is a tad far-fetched, but it leads to some great thrills and chills as nobody is able to leave the nonstop locomotive and as the killer keeps changing masks and costumes with everyone simply assuming that he is the person who they first saw in that outfit. A couple of minor plot holes aside, the biggest thing that weighs against 'Terror Train' is a precredits scene that gives away the killer's identity; as such, the film lacks the mystery element of something like 'Friday the 13th', but it is a surprisingly gripping ride even with the murderer and his motivations very obvious from the get-go. David Copperfield offers a lot of extra sparks as a mysterious hired magician who performs several of his own tricks, the train interior sets are deliciously over-the-top with neon lighting and party decorations, and the whole production is well photographed by the legendary John Alcott (of 'Barry Lyndon' fame). The film additionally offers some food for thoughts in terms of pranks taken too far, with the killer motivated by one such prank and most of the other characters believing that the deaths are merely pranks. The film also gets some points for making Groucho Marx look absolutely terrifying simply by the way the killer wears a mask of his face.

As freshmen in college, a group of friends play a nasty prank on pledge Kenny Hampson (Mckinnon) That goes horribly wrong and lands him in a mental hospital. Four years later the group of friends boards a Train on New Years Eve, and Hampson is there ready to stalk and kill his former classmates. There is a costume party going on and Hampson wears several different masks as he slices his way through the group. Killings include impalement by sword, Slashed throat, decapitation to name a few. Alana (Curtis) the most innocent of the group since she didn't really know what kind of prank was being played is left for last. First time director Roger Spottiswoode uses moody camera-work from excellent cinematographer John Alcott, and decent sets ups to raise Terror Train above a lot of the slashers being produced in the early 1980's. In many ways it is sort of the same old stuff, but Spottiswoode's sets ups to the deaths, and the closed confines of the train make for some good atmosphere. All thought there isn't any doubt who the killer is, the masked character doesn't speak and is quite creepy. The movie bogs down in the middle with a crappy magic act done to disco music with real life magician David Copperfield (who seems lost here), and too many scenes of the kids dancing and partying. It makes up for it with a tense final 20 minutes as Alana is the last one left and is chased through the train. A certain highlight comes when Alana locks herself in a caged room with the killer trying to get at her! Jamie Lee Curtis is terrific as she shrieks and fights for her life in what is her best Scream queen role outside of the original "Halloween". Ben Johnson as the conductor brings a professionalism the film needed and Hart Bochner is extra slimy as the head prankster Doc. Overall an above average slasher film from the golden age of the slasher.

This movie has everything that a slasher should have: A lesson about reckless living, sex appeal aplenty, a diabolically clever yet anti-heroic and semi-sympathetic killer, more twists and turns than a maze and finally, an ultra-creepy ending that surprised even me, as well as I know the slasher "formula". Plus, it's hard to go wrong in horror when you have the "Scream Empress", Jamie Lee Curtis, showing fear as only she can. Indeed, I would make the case that the final chase scene is, mainly due to Curtis's performance, the second best in horror history (after Halloween, which also had Curtis).This is an underrated gem, as the casual horror fan has never heard of it, but they should have, and I write as someone who has watched hundreds of horror/suspense films.

Terror Train starts off with young people around a campfire checking each other out. The scene is awkward and strange with kid's furtive glances over the big fire outdoors. We see a group of young guys teasing each other about sex which leads to a sick joke played on someone in the group. A scene that doesn't wrap up well. Later, the same group is on a train for a Halloween party to end all. The interior car sets are excellent and the cars even rock back and forth while the characters party. A nice touch. The lighting, the colors, the costumes are all great. Oddly enough, even though the cars are small and cramped at times, the film doesn't seem claustrophobic, just tight. The problem here isn't with the familiar 10 Little Indians story. The problem is with the characters. There isn't anyone likable here. Is that intentional so we don't mind if one by one they are all bumped off? At times it does seem like they focused on most of the unpleasant characters. Even the so-called hero of the film isn't really that likable. With that in mind there is sort of a lack of punch here. Even when it is confirmed who the killer is it isn't suspenseful. It is just creepy because of the way the actor portrayed his part. He/she isn't likable either. So if a horror film is to be successful we are all told that there must be someone to root for and that isn't here. Other than that though, the film has a unique atmosphere and isn't bad. I doubt anyone will want to sit through it over & over though like Halloween.