This Jamie Lee Curtis Slasher is Way Smarter Than You Think
Tyler Doupe'
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Jamie Lee Curtis established herself as bona fide horror royalty at a young age. Her stint in genre cinema began with Halloween and continued with films like Prom Night, The Fog, and Road Games. But, one of my personal favorites from her early years is Roger Spottiswoode’s Terror Train. I often see it lumped in with disposable cash grab slasher pictures of similar vintage and that’s a shame. Yes, the flick utilizes the tried-and-true formula of a prank gone wrong that leads to a deranged killer picking off oversexed college kids, one by one. But the film still has a number of impressive tricks up its sleeve and the execution of that proven formula is absolutely above average.
In fact, I count Terror Train as one of my favorite slasher pictures of the early ‘80s and easily the best New Year’s horror film out there. Seeing as the picture observes a release date anniversary this week (October 3, specifically), I think now is the perfect time to show this underrated effort some love.
Terror Train follows sorority gal Alana (Jamie Lee Curtis) who goes along with what she believes to be a harmless hazing prank, orchestrated by her boyfriend’s fraternity. Her role is to lure unsuspecting pledge Kenny (Derek McKinnon) into bed. She holds up her end of the bargain. But when Kenny climbs under the covers, he’s mortified to learn that he’s canoodling with a cadaver. Yikes! Kenny ends up institutionalized and Alana comes away feeling absolutely terrible. But the frat goons that pulled the prank aren’t as remorseful. Three years later, the very same mischievous bros stage a New Year’s Eve costume party aboard a train. Unfortunately, an uninvited guest crashes the bash and proceeds to kill off unsuspecting attendees.
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What makes Terror Train stand out from the pack is that it doesn’t try to create the next boogeyman. Instead of a disfigured, mask-wearing killer whose identity is never in question, we have an extra layer of intrigue that spices the narrative up a bit. Based on the prank gone wrong, we have reason to suspect Kenny is probably involved with the retribution spree. But we don’t get any concrete proof of the killer’s identity for quite some time. What’s more, the person committing the murders takes on the costume of the last person to die, so as to blend in amongst the guests. That imbues the proceedings with an air of paranoia and keeps the audience guessing.
Each time a prospective victim mistakes the killer for one of their friends, it adds to the mounting tension. Since the antagonist begins their spree by seamlessly blending amongst the guests, that keeps the passengers from catching on that they are in danger, making each of them a sitting duck. The tension continues to mount and builds to a climax as the partygoers eventually come to realize there’s a killer onboard and that they have no means of escape. The eventual reveal regarding how the killer gains access to the train and which disguise they are wearing when all is revealed makes this 1980 effort stand out from a lot of its peers. A little creativity goes a long way.
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Another aspect of Terror Train that I find quite effective is the balance of characters. We have a mixture of relatable players, coupled with characters primarily intended as cannon fodder. A good balance between the two is a recipe for an effective slasher. Jamie Lee Curtis’ Alana is among the most enjoyable of the bunch. She is good-natured, intelligent, and relatable, which works in perfect contrast to the frat bros who casually make light of the ill-fated prank that saw Kenny institutionalized.
Some films from this era were filled to the brim with characters possessing no redeeming qualities, an approach that rarely works. That leaves the viewer without an emotional core. Inversely, if everyone were as relatable as Alana, it would be agonizing to watch them succumb to the killer’s retribution spree. The mixture here strikes just the right balance. With both extremes represented on the character spectrum, we have an effective equilibrium likely to keep the audience engaged.
The film also benefits from an amusing turn from David Copperfield. The famed illusionist plays a less successful version of himself and pulls off some pretty impressive tricks during his screen time. The magic serves as a welcome distraction and briefly lures the viewer into a false sense of security, rendering the audience more vulnerable when the stabby stuff resumes.
All things considered, Terror Train is a suspenseful effort with a strong cast, some exciting twists, and a memorable turn from a legendary illusionist. If you’re game to revisit this Jamie Lee Curtis vehicle in observance of its release date anniversary, you can find the picture streaming for free (with ads) via Tubi and Plex, as of the publication of this post.
Categorized:Editorials
