Mystery Train

Starring:Masatoshi Nagase, Youki Kudoh, Screamin' Jay Hawkins, CinquÃ© Lee, Rufus Thomas, Jodie Markell, William Hoch, Pat Hoch, Joshua Elvis Hoch, Reginald Freeman, Beverly Prye, Nicoletta Braschi, Elizabeth Bracco, Sy Richardson, Tom Noonan, Stephen Jones, Lowell Roberts, Sara Driver, Richard Boes, Darryl Daniel
Director: Jim Jarmusch
Studio: MGM (Video & DVD)
Product Type: DVD

Amazon.com essential video

Just the name "Orient Express" conjures images of a bygone era. Add an all-star cast (including Sean Connery, Ingrid Bergman, Jacqueline Bisset, and Lauren Bacall, to name a few) and Agatha Christie's delicious plot and how can you go wrong? Particularly if you add in Albert Finney as Christie's delightfully persnickety sleuth, Hercule Poirot. Someone has knocked off nasty Richard Widmark on this train trip and, to Poirot's puzzlement, everyone seems to have a motive--just the setup for a terrific whodunit. Though it seems like an ensemble film, director Sidney Lumet gives each of his stars their own solo and each makes the most of it. Bergman went so far as to win an Oscar for her role. But the real scene-stealer is the ever-reliable Finney as the eccentric detective who never misses a trick. --Marshall Fine

Customer Reviews:

Murder on the Orient Express.......2007-07-04

An unrecognizable Finney transforms himself into Agatha Christie's renowned Belgian sleuth, Hercule Poirot. Beyond this star's astonishing portrayal, the fun of this whodunit comes from the fascinating assortment of characters he interrogates, played by some of our most accomplished acting veterans: Lauren Bacall, Ingrid Bergman, Sean Connery, Wendy Hiller, and John Gielgud among them. Predictably, in addition to Finney, old pros Hiller and Gielgud steal the show. "Murder" should be nirvana for any mystery lover, and director Lumet gives the film plenty of period charm and atmosphere.

Unlike so many DVD's, this one is worth owning.......2007-07-03

I remember seeing this movie when I was 5 years old in 1974. Fortunately for me, I forgot "whodunit" and was able to enjoy when I saw it again as a teenager. Having viewed the movie at least 20 times since then, I find it hard to see how plebian works like "The Usual Suspects" garner such rave reviews when such obviously better fare like this exist. Everyone involved in this film gives it their finest effort. Only with many viewings does one get the opportunity to observe the details that are so interwoven into the script and acting. The story is among the most perfect murder mysteries ever penned, and the performance of the cast is resplendent. Throughout, the cast crackles with sparking witty dialog that is matched perfectly with the deftest of facial expressions and gestures that continuously lay clues at your feet until your so confused that you'll be begging at the conclusion to find out who the murderer is.

So few movies stand up to repeated viewing and thus are seldom worth the cost of the DVD or the space it takes up in your home. Buy this movie so you can watch it, so that your parents can watch it, your children and your grandchildren. Heck, you will probably want to mention it in your will!

Beautifully Realized: A Classic Of Its Kind.......2007-07-01

In the early 1960s Agatha Christie (1890-1976) sold the film rights to several of her most celebrated novels--and although the public liked the ensuing films, she herself did not. She was forever after suspicious of the film industry and rejected one offer after another until the early 1970s, when Lord Louis Mountbatten interceded on behalf of son-in-law and film producer John Brabourne for the film rights to MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS. Christie reluctantly agreed. In 1974, upon seeing the film, she declared it to be the ONLY film version of any of her novels that she liked.

The story is famous. Hercule Poirot (Albert Finney) is a celebrated private investigator traveling via the legendary Orient Express. The train is snowbound in the Balkans--and Mr. Rachett (Richard Widmark) is found brutally stabbed in the bed of his luxury room. At the request of Signor Bianchi (Martin Balsam), an official of the train, Poriot agrees to investigate the murder... but the more he learns from the numerous passengers, the more impossible the crime seems.

Even today, most film versions of Christie novels are played with a bit of a twinkle in the eye, as if to say "this is all just in good fun." Not so MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS. The all star cast includes John Gilegud, Lauren Bacall, Ingrid Bergman, Michael York, Jacqueline Bisset, Sean Connery, Vanessa Redgrave, Anthony Perkins, and Rachel Roberts, to name but the most obvious, and they play out the story with tremendous style but without the self-knowing cuteness that tends to undercut most similar films. The novel is among the more convoluted Christie works, but the Paul Dehn manages to encapsulate it without simplifying it. And then there is the look and sound and feel of the movie, which is simply amazing.

The Orient Express had passed into legend by 1974, but this film returns the celebrated luxury train to sparkling reality. From costumes to art design, from cinematography to score, MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS is so richly detailed that it becomes an almost tactile experience. This is truly an example of "no expense spared." The film was nominated for no fewer than six Academy Awards, winning one for Ingrid Bergman, and was also nominated for no fewer than seventeen awards from other groups, winning at least six. All in all, it was one of the most celebrated films of its era.

For many years MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS was only available in mediocre VHS and DVD transfers, but this particular edition not only returns the film to a near-pristine state, it includes several memorable bonuses as well, most especially a "making of" documentary that includes many of the cast members; a short documentary on Agatha Christie; and a short documentary on the Lindberg kidnapping, which was among Christie's inspirations for the novel. Slick, beautiful, and seductive, the 1974 MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS sets a standard for mystery movies that few have equaled--and none have surpassed. Strongly recommended.

GFT, Amazon Reviewer

The Best of Christie.......2007-06-12

Murder on the Orient Express is undoubtedly the best Christie mystery ever filmed. Not only is the acting superb, the producers and writers stayed very close to the original novel in their presentation, which was not true in later Christie presentations by the same production team. But in Orient Express one gets a real feel for what it was like to travel from Istanbul on the Calais Coach.

Christie's best.......2007-05-29

The best of the movies from Christie's books, Well done and a lot of fun.

The Alfred Hitchcock Signature Collection (Strangers on a Train Two-Disc Edition / North by Northwest / Dial M for Murder / Foreign Correspondent / Suspicion / The Wrong Man / Stage Fright / I Confess / Mr. and Mrs. Smith)

Average customer rating:

Alfred Hitchcock Signature Movie Collection DVD set
Wonderful Collection
a must for a fan
Alfred Hitchcock Signature Collection
Alfred Hitchcock

The Alfred Hitchcock Signature Collection (Strangers on a Train Two-Disc Edition / North by Northwest / Dial M for Murder / Foreign Correspondent / Suspicion / The Wrong Man / Stage Fright / I Confess / Mr. and Mrs. Smith)
Starring: Alfred Hitchcock
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Classics | Genres | DVD | Video

Signature Collections | Classics | Genres | DVD | Video

Classics | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

( A ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

Mystery & Suspense | Boxed Sets | Stores | DVD | Video

Classics | Boxed Sets | Stores | DVD | Video

Alfred Hitchcock - The Masterpiece Collection (Psycho / Vertigo / Rear Window / The Birds / Shadow of a Doubt / Family Plot / Frenzy / The Man Who Knew Too Much / Marnie / Rope / Saboteur / Topaz / Torn Curtain / The Trouble with Harry)
Lifeboat (Special Edition)
Alfred Hitchcock Presents - Season One
To Catch a Thief (Special Collector's Edition)
Film Noir Classic Collection, Vol. 1 (The Asphalt Jungle / Gun Crazy / Murder My Sweet / Out of the Past / The Set-Up)

ASIN: B0002HOES0
Release Date: 2004-09-07

Description

The Alfred Hitchcock Signature Collection contains the DVD debut of 8 Hitchcock classics including "Strangers on a Train Two-Disc Special Edition," and the following 7 new single-disc DVDs: "Dial M For Murder," "Foreign Correspondent" "Suspicion," "The Wrong Man," "Stage Fright," "I Confess" and "Mr. and Mrs. Smith." The previously released "North by Northwest" is also included in the 10-disc Signature Collection. Each of the 9 films in the collection shows why Hitchcock is regarded as one of Hollywood's most esteemed and important directors, and also brings legendary stars to the digital front including Cary Grant, Henry Fonda, Marlene Dietrich, Grace Kelly, Montgomery Clift and many others.

Strangers on a Train - En route from Washington, D.C., champion tennis player Guy Haines (Farley Granger) meets pushy playboy Bruno Anthony (Robert Walker). What begins as a chance encounter turns into a series of morbid confrontations, as Bruno manipulates his way into Guy's life. Bruno is eager to kill his father and knows Guy wants to marry a senator's daughter (Ruth Roman) but can't get a divorce from his wife. So Bruno suggests the men swap murders, which would leave no traceable clues or possible motives. Though Guy refuses, it won't be easy to rid himself of the psychopathic Bruno. Hitchcock's daughter Patricia appears in this film. The extra features included on the DVD are: Alternate 'preview' version of the film; Commentary by director Peter Bogdanovich, Psycho screenwriter Joseph Stephano, Strangers on a Train author Patricia Highsmith and biographer Andrew Wilson; New making-of documentary Strangers on a Train: A Hitchcock Classic, with Farley Granger, film historian Richard Schickel, Patricia Hitchcock O'Connell and other Hitchcock family members and colleagues recalling the making of this suspense landmark; Three intriguing featurettes: The Hitchcocks on Hitch, Strangers on a Train: The Victim's P.O.V., Strangers on a Train by M. Night Shyamalan; Alfred Hitchcock's Historical Meeting, a vintage newsreel.

Each DVD will be presented in a format preserving the aspect ratio of its original theatrical exhibition and will include the original theatrical trailer, and subtitles in English, French and Spanish.

Customer Reviews:

Alfred Hitchcock Signature Movie Collection DVD set.......2007-04-12

A Must have for all hard-core Alfred Hitchcock movie fans

Wonderful Collection.......2007-04-06

This collection is absolutely fabulous. All the movies are remastered and are excellent quality especially on a big screen. Just as I remembered them. Too cool...

a must for a fan.......2007-03-08

As a long time fan of Hitchcock, I am always looking for more. I have approx. 20 of his films on DVD. This collection has some that I had never seen before. In addition, the "making of" special features are great for someone who wants to know what made Hitch so unique as a film director. I have (and will) spend many hours viewing these discs.

Alfred Hitchcock Signature Collection.......2007-01-29

If you an Alfred Hitchock movie fan, you need to get this box set. There are some movies, I haven't seen before, but I did enjoy them.

Alfred Hitchcock.......2007-01-16

This was a gift to my son, he was thoroughly excited about it, he said he loved it.

Average customer rating:

A question of morality.. transfer slightly below grade
Excellent war film
The Train
What a Train ride should be like...
"Mancaster"

The Train
Starring: Burt Lancaster , Paul Scofield , Jeanne Moreau , Suzanne Flon , and Michel Simon
Director: John Frankenheimer , and Arthur Penn
Manufacturer: MGM (Video & DVD)
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

Classics | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

Adventure | Kids & Family | Genres | DVD | Video

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Von Ryan's Express (Special Edition)
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ASIN: 079284047X
Release Date: 1999-02-23

Amazon.com essential video

This is one of John Frankenheimer's breathless gems--all marvelous action that never lets up. Burt Lancaster plays a French train engineer during the waning days of the German occupation who tries to prevent Nazi colonel Paul Scofield from transporting a precious art collection back to Germany. Utilizing sabotage and cunning deception, Lancaster and his Resistance colleagues stall for time with the Allies on their way. It's a brilliantly made film, showing off Lancaster's acrobatic skills (he performed all of his own stunts) and Frankenheimer's sense of pacing and brilliant use of space. It's choreographed with the utmost precision (those are real explosions during the pivotal strafing sequence) and extremely authentic in its details. Lancaster is in rare minimalist form, and Scofield manages to extract intelligence and sympathy. A firecracker action film shot in crisp black and white, with yet another telling audio commentary by the always instructive director. --Bill Desowitz

Description

Paris, August 1944. With the Allied army closing in, German commander and art fanatic Colonel von Waldheim (Paul Scofield) steals a vast collection of rare French paintings and loads them onto a train bound for Berlin. But when a beloved French patriot is murdered while trying to sabotage von Waldheim's scheme, Labiche (Burt Lancaster), a stalwart member of the Resistance, vows to stop the train at any cost. Calling upon his vast arsenal of skills, Labiche unleashes a torrent of devastation anddestructionloosened rails, shattered tracks and head-on collisionsin an impassioned, suspense-filled quest for justice, retribution and revenge. Inspired by an actual event and highlighted by spectacular stuntwork and visual effects, The Train is "an edge-of-your-seat, thrilling, suspenseful and superior film" (The Motion Picture Guide).

Customer Reviews:

A question of morality.. transfer slightly below grade.......2007-05-17

Are great works of art worth the lives of many human beings to protect them?Lancaster is at his best , the film is swift and rousing,and the trains are the real star of the show.There are explosions and nazis and french resistance fighters and then there is Jeanne Morreau.What more can you ask for? A crackerjack directors commentary by John Frankenheimer , that is worth the price of admission.Transfer is a tad soft, audio good;but dvd content well worth the $9.00 they are asking.(in black & white)

Excellent war film.......2007-05-14

War films can be good or bad just like any movie however this film is Excellent with great acting from everyone a suspenseful war film with lots of action French freedom fighters try saving French paintings the pride of France and thier heritage and the Germans who want to steal them aboard a train leaving to Germany at the end days of WW2 there is a lot of espionage in this film nice cinematography and location scenes you feel as if you are there with these freedom fighters and cheer them on Burt Lancaster does a excellent job in this film the film moves at a great pace keeping the viewer interested in what is going to happen next very interesting movie it is a black and white film but nice picture and I like the B&W films anyways it looks WW2 this is a excellent film to any collection enjoy.

The Train.......2007-05-12

This movie was great. If did not give you how the movie was going to end, until the end, and a great ending it was. I wish we could see more quality movies/actors like this one.

What a Train ride should be like..........2007-04-20

Burt Lancaster plays Labiche, a railroad yardmaster, forced by the Nazi's to do their work. Although you can see a fierce undercurrent to Labiche, he is strangely satisfied with this working arrangement until he is asked to decide whether he is a patriot or a collaborator. He is presented with the opportunity to help save a shipment of French Impressionist paintings from being taken in to Germany as loot. It so happens that the German commander, Paul Scofield playing Colonel von Waldheim, commandeers a train and coerces Labiche into being the engineer driving the train for him. The original engineer was caught rather clumsily sabotaging the train and is summarily shot. Talk about igniting a fire under Burt, even though he is forced to engineer the train, he now has a compelling reason to do something good in this war, even though being a member of the Resistance, he has participated in other acts of sabotage himself. So heeding the imploring of the erstwhile Museum Curator Miss Villard, he takes matters into his own capable hands.

John Frankenheimer and his cast and crew did a masterful job of making "The Train" a runaway, non-stop suspense vehicle. Burt Lancaster gets to show his athleticism to the max and the supporting cast rolls right along with him. The action sequences were well designed and superbly filmed. Frankenheimer had a remarkable decade of hits in the 60's, most starring Burt Lancaster, starting with "The Young Savages", ending with "The Gypsy Moths" and with "The Train" in the middle. It also includes two of my all-time favorites, "Seven Days in May" and "The Manchurian Candidate". And though he never won an Oscar or Golden Globe for his efforts, his body of work is a tribute to what great film-making should be.

"Mancaster".......2007-03-14

Great old time WW11 movie. Good action, decent special effects. This Black and white tells an interesting story (True?)of Paintings being smuggled out of France to Germany by German officer with good taste. Some really excellent preformances by old school French/ euro actors. Lancaster is Young and Studly, and quite nimble. American Accent, well doesn't work. Don't get too deep with this one. This movie is well made however and has real grit to it as people die and are roughed up good. Fun little film at a good price.

Average customer rating:

Stranger things have happened! Another Hitchock classic!
Never talk to a stranger
Beware of Friendly Well-Dressed Strangers
Strangers on a Train
strangers on a train

Strangers on a Train
Starring: Al Bridge , John Brown , Leo G. Carroll , John Doucette , and Roy Engel
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

Suspense | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

Thrillers | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

Mystery | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

Classics | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

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Dial M for Murder
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ASIN: 0790731029
Release Date: 1997-06-11

Amazon.com

From its cleverly choreographed opening sequence to its heart-stopping climax on a rampant carousel, this 1951 Hitchcock classic readily earns its reputation as one of the director's finest examples of timeless cinematic suspense. It's not just a ripping-good thriller but a film student's delight and a perversely enjoyable battle of wits between tennis pro Guy (Farley Granger) and his mysterious, sycophantic admirer, Bruno (Robert Walker), who proposes a "criss-cross" scheme of traded murders. Bruno agrees to kill Guy's unfaithful wife, in return for which Guy will (or so it seems) kill Bruno's spiteful father. With an emphasis on narrative and visual strategy, Hitchcock controls the escalating tension with a master's flair for cinematic design, and the plot (coscripted by Raymond Chandler) is so tightly constructed that you'll be white-knuckled even after multiple viewings. Better still, the two-sided DVD edition of this enduring classic includes both the original version of the film and also the longer prerelease British print, which offers a more overt depiction of Bruno's flamboyant and dangerous personality, and his homoerotic attraction to Guy by way of his deviously indecent proposal. In accordance with the cautious censorship guidelines of the period, Hitchcock would later tame these elements of Walker's memorable performance by trimming and altering certain scenes, so the differences between the original and prerelease versions provide an illuminating illustration of censorship's effect on the story's thematic intensity. Beyond all the historical footnotes and film-buff fascination, Strangers on a Train remains one of Hitchcock's crowning achievements and a suspenseful classic that never loses its capacity to thrill and delight. --Jeff Shannon

Description

Strange thing about this trip. So much occurs in pairs. Tennis star Guy (Farley Granger) hates his unfaithful wife. Mysterious Bruno (Robert Walker) hates his father. How perfect for a playful proposal: I'll kill yours, you kill mine. Now look at how Alfred Hitchcock reinforces the duality of human nature. The more you watch, the more you'll see. "Isn't it a fascinating design?" the Master of Suspense often asked. Actually, it's doubly fascinating. Hitchcock left behind two versions of Strangers on a Train. The original version (Side A) is an all-time thriller classic. A recently found longer prerelease British print (Side B) offers "a startling amplification of Bruno's flamboyance, his homoerotic attraction to Guy and his psychotic personality," according to Bill Desowitz of Film Comment. The laying bare of Bruno's hidden nature, along with the great set pieces (head-turning tennis match, disintegrating carousel) and suspense as only Hitchcock can deliver, makes for a first-class trip.

DVD Features:
Interactive Menus
Newsreel:Hitchcock newsreel footage
Production Notes
Scene Access
Theatrical Trailer:Five trailers of Hitchcock movies

Customer Reviews:

Stranger things have happened! Another Hitchock classic!.......2007-05-14

This is one of my most favorite movies and wow, Granger stole the movie from Walker. Walker died soon after making this movie, but it was a true classic. This movie is reasonably priced on Amazon, so buy it with true faith in how great it will be. The movie lasts for generations. I enjoy it every time I see it.

Never talk to a stranger.......2007-04-04

In Alfred Hitchcock's "Strangers on a train" (1951), Robert Walker gave a remarkable and disturbing performance as Bruno, a spoiled playboy - psychopath who came up with a brilliant idea of committing a perfect murder - find a stranger who hates someone strong enough to wish them dead and swap murders with him - he kills yours, you kill his. While on a train, Bruno introduces himself to a handsome rising tennis star, Guy (Farley Granger) who is going through a rather nasty public divorce with his unfaithful wife Miriam in order to marry the woman he loves, Anne Morton. Guy hates his wife but would he kill Bruno's dominating father if Bruno murders his wife?

One of the most discussed and analyzed Hitchcock's films, "Strangers on a train" is considered one of the most satisfying thrillers ever. It is based on the early novel by the master of the psychological crime thrillers, Patricia Highsmith and it is a great artistic achievement in the thriller genre due to the masterful and creating Hitchcock's directing. Many scenes stand out and some are simply carved in the viewer's memory like the head turning tennis match with only one head never turned and the eyes fixed on Guy's's face and these are Bruno's eyes.

Beware of Friendly Well-Dressed Strangers.......2007-03-24

Two cabs drop off two men at a train station in Washington DC for long distance travel. Bruno Antony makes his acquaintance with Guy Haines, the tennis star. Their characters are quickly established. Bruno is a too-friendly stranger (a bad sign?), a ne'er-do-well rich man's son. Bruno has the idea of committing the perfect murder: no motive to point to the killer. Guy humors Bruno instead of telling him where to get off (not a New Yorker). Guy's wife, pregnant with another man's child, no longer wants the divorce. Guy is so angry he threatens to strangle her. We see Bruno described as a "naughty boy". Bruno's father threatens to get medical treatment for him. [Does the apple fall far from the tree?] So Bruno goes ahead with this imagined contract, He stalks Miriam, Guy's wife, who goes to an amusement park with two men. [This shows popular entertainment before television.] And Bruno carries out his self-appointed mission.

Guy returns on another train. Bruno is lurking in the shadows of night to see him. The police drop by Guy's home. Guy visits Ann Morton, a Senator's daughter, and hears of Miriam's murder. There is humor in the Senator's remarks. The professor on the train remembers little. Now Bruno begins to stalk Guy. [The police don't notice this?] There is a funny scene at the tennis club where people's heads move mechanically, except for one man. Bruno's conversation with the Senator shows his increasing insanity, and so does his trick with the old lady. He is so weird it can create a scandal in Washington! Ann Morton figures out what happened: her sister Barbara resembles the late Miriam Haines! The watching detectives also see that "something funny is going on".

Guy calls Bruno to tell him his plan will be followed. [We see a watchdog that doesn't bark as a stranger?] There is a surprise here! The police learn of Guy's absence from home. Ann visits Bruno's mother, but little is accomplished. Bruno plans his revenge. Luck upsets Bruno's plan when the lighter slips from his hands. A crowd watches its retrieval. Once again Bruno visits the amusement park [remember them?] waiting for the darkness to cover him so he can plant Guy's lighter at the crime scene. The merry-go-round plays "Ain't We Got Fun". Guy shows up to follow Bruno, a fight on the carousel while "The Band Played On". There is a dramatic finish to the ride, and the truth is discovered at last when it slips from Bruno's hand.

You can pick out some faults in this story, but it seems quite good with its mixture of drama, suspense, and humor. Raymond Chandler wrote the screenplay.

Strangers on a Train.......2007-03-19

I'm not a real Hitchcock fan, but this movie by far is my favorite of anything he's done. The story line, suspense and drama is absolutely first rate. If you want to try a Hitchcock film, this one is it.

strangers on a train.......2007-03-09

This Albert Hitchcock film based on a Patricia Highsmith novel was not successful by normal standards when released. long undervalued as one of Hitch's suspense movies, it is now being given the credit it deserves. This movie is both sudtle and startling in revealing the underbelly of those attractive people who walk among us harboring malice and death. Like Highsmith's Ripley character, Walker plays a composed neurotic as he convinces a stranger on a train to swap murders with him. Problem is only one of them was serious. Grand fun, and the ending will blow you away.

Average customer rating:

maybe not as good as the first but still very slick
A witness to a murder, a lethal train journey, and Gene Hackman to make it interesting
An atmospheric thriller quickie
MISSED BEING A CLASSIC BY A "NARROW MARGIN" INDEED
More Suspense Please.

Narrow Margin
Starring: Gene Hackman , Anne Archer , James Sikking , J.T. Walsh , and M. Emmet Walsh
Director: Peter Hyams
Manufacturer: Lions Gate
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

Crime | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

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ASIN: 0784011699
Release Date: 1998-11-10

Amazon.com

Back in 1952, during the waning days of film noir, director Richard Fleischer made The Narrow Margin, a cheaply produced, tightly structured B movie thriller about a cop forced to protect a gangster's widow while on a train. While it's no work of art, Fleischer's noir features a shocking climax of mistaken identity, an ominous, claustrophobic atmosphere, and tough, nearly unlikable protagonists screwed by fate, who spout sharp-witted dialogue and feel little more than contempt for each other. When Hollywood remakes itself, all the understatement and charm is usually lost when the filmmakers try to "modernize" the subject matter. This is one of many problems with writer-director Peter Hyams's remake (given the slightly shorter title Narrow Margin). He's dumped the surprising plot twist (it's now an action set piece atop a moving train) and softened the characters (now played with sleepwalking intensity by Gene Hackman and Anne Archer) with preposterous motivations. All that seems to be intact is the train premise, but Hyams is more interested in its action potential than any kind of menacing atmosphere. He's dropped the ambiguous relationships and smart dialogue in favor of pumping up the action sequences and daredevil stunts to ridiculous levels. Instead of adding excitement, all Hyams's expensive tricks do is drain Narrow Margin of any tension it might've retained from the original. --Dave McCoy

Customer Reviews:

maybe not as good as the first but still very slick.......2007-03-01

In every movie that he does gene hackman gets one scene where he quotes from the bard and one of his more famous plays, and this movie has that scene in it also. Now in some of these scenes (uncommon valor , targets, and hoosiers), this scene is is very moving and has some weight to it, and in some (loose cannons, lucky lady, and yes, superman the movie), this scene is just silly and is there so mr. hackman can feel like he's really acting. that said, the scene in this movie is very effecting and gives the part a nice spin. mr. hackman and annie archer make a great odd couple and the tense train ride is very well done . so if you like your thrillers with a little meat, and your heros a little bit more well read then this fine little movie will suit you just fine.

A witness to a murder, a lethal train journey, and Gene Hackman to make it interesting.......2006-09-02

So what if some critics say that Peter Hyams' Narrow Margin is filled with improbable coincidences, train-hunt cliches, characters who obviously may not be good guys, and the strenuous activities of a 60-year-old star which would lead to heart attacks for the rest of us. With all that I still think that the film is a lot of fun, a satisfying adventure that relies successfully on two things: First, the proven attractiveness of a murderous, extended hunt in the confines of a moving train; and second, the skill and personality of Gene Hackman.

The movie is based on 1952's The Narrow Margin. It shares the title and the basic plot idea with the earlier film, but in tone and style it's as different as a Chicago hot dog is from a Beverly Hills steak. A wise man can enjoy both.

Carol Hunnicut (Anne Archer) witnessed a mob hit where Mr. Big, Leo Watts, was present. She wasn't noticed, but she knows that if anyone discovers what she saw she'll become a target for killing. She flees to an isolated cabin in the Canadian Rockies. Unknown to her, she left a fingerprint on a glass, and now L. A. Assistant District Attorney Robert Caulfield (Hackman) not only knows what she saw, he has been able to learn where she's hiding. But when he shows up to convince her to testify, a hail of bullets tears through her cabin. They flee in a truck and barely make it to a small town just as a train is pulling up. Caulfield finagles a private compartment and off they go...followed by the two hit men who had originally followed Caulfield to the cabin. For the rest of the movie we're up to our necks in a polite and lethal cat-and-mouse game as the hit men attempt to locate Hunnicut, whom they've never seen, through Caulfield. He tries to call up reinforcements, but they do, too. He is slow to realize that there may be more than two killers on the train. Close escapes happen in dimly lit train hallways, smiling bribes are offered in the club car, a character winds up with a bullet hole in his forehead and a water pistol comes in handy. And all the while, the train barrels along through the night, swaying back and forth with the clickety-clack of iron wheels on iron tracks. At the climax, after a strenuous battle on top of the moving train as it roars over high passes and through tunnels, Caulfield has the chance to say these memorable lines, "You know what I like about you? You're tall."

Sure, the movie wouldn't amount to much without Hackman...but with Hackman the movie becomes an exciting duel between Caulfield and the obstacles he has to overcome to save Hunnicut. Hackman has probably made more B movies seem like candidates for A status than any other Hollywood actor. Three fine character actors also add a lot of interest to the film, even though their roles are brief. M. Emmet Walsh plays a good-guy detective sergeant with gum-chewing, wise-mouth quality. J. T. Walsh plays a mob numbers man who made the mistake of skimming off the top. Harris Yulin plays Leo Watts, the mob boss, with cold ruthlessness and a fine disdain.

As an added incentive to see the movie, it's a good advertisement for one of the world's great train rides, VIA Rail Canada's rail journey on the Canadian from Toronto to Vancouver (or the other way). With a private compartment, you can't beat the scenery, the service or the cuisine.

The DVD picture is just fine. There are one or two inconsequential extras, such as cast lists.

An atmospheric thriller quickie.......2004-09-17

Peter Hyams' remake of Richard Fleisher's 1952 The Narrow Margin focuses more on atmosphere and scenery than it does film noir. It does make for a cool, if a bit too short, movie.

Gene Hackman is the loudmouth Deputy DA desperate to get a big daddy mob boss behind bars. And when a shy book editor witnesses a mob assassination he treks out to Middleofnowhere, Canada to drag her into court to testify. Problem's arise when the bad guys show up in the wilderness and blow the crap out of her cabin.

A brilliant, rustic car/chopper chase down the sheer slopes of a mountain forest follows. It's a great scene with some cool shots and sharp editing. Once they reach the bottom of the mountain they find a train station and board the train for a private cabin. The bad guys follow, only they still don't know what their witness looks like.

Many scenes of hiding and seeking make up the rest of the movie. It doesn't sound like much but Peter Hyams' widescreen photography is used to the max to promote a sense of claustrophobia and even the quieter scenes are dominated by the sound of the train charging through the dark Canadian wilderness. One particular scene at Monashee Station really does take advantage of the 'middle of nowhere' feeling.

Bruce Broughton's score is kind of okay, but nothing as loud and exciting as the score he originally created. Peter Hyams disagreed (as he often does with his composers) and chopped up Broughton's work in post-production. Thus, the music in the movie is more of an underscore with much of the more action-based cues missing.

I wish it did last longer and with more scenes on the train (coz trains are cool) but, for what it is, Narrow Margin is a tightly wrought thriller with Gene Hackman on top form as always and having fun playing the older guy in the suit who can still get into fights and car chases as if it were his everyday job.

Filmed in Panavision the DVD is in 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen with a Dolby 2.0 soundtrack. Though 5.1 would have been better there is still some surround use. The R2 DVD by Universal also has better cover art than the R1.

MISSED BEING A CLASSIC BY A "NARROW MARGIN" INDEED.......2003-10-19

If it weren't for the rushed ending, this movie'd be listed high up there with LA Confidential and Fugitive in terms of an action packed thriller. And for good reason -- it's lean, crisp, and nail-biting suspense.

The original movie, a 1952 noir with the same name, had a stunning Charles McGraw cameo as well, but I am one of those who don't usually drool over B&W prints. This new version has some mild adjustments, e.g., the rail trip that makes the movie is now based entirely on a Canadian train ride. In that, the claustrophobic train interior is contrasted very well with the wide open Canadian wilderness. The cinematography and the screenplay are immaculate.

Gene Hackman is riveting. Tension is built through a series of one-on-one confrontations, each with electric undercurrents. The best by far is the gentlemanly chat between Hackman and James Sikking (one of the villians also aboard the same train) in the dining car.

What does the movie in, and leaves you with a lame parting shot is the super-quick ending. After the whole breathless action-packed rigmarole of getting a witness to LA, the case indicting a mafia boss happens all too soon to give a fitting closure. But don't let this stop you if you're into suspense films.

Great thriller!

More Suspense Please........2003-09-03

I was diapointed. I was expecting more of a Fugitive or Enemy of the State kind of movie. My 17 and 14 year old sons didn't finish watching with me because they thought it was to boring.
The first part with the mountain cabin and helicopter chase was good. Once they were on the train it fizzled out.

Average customer rating:

Elvis! No, Carl Perkins! No, Elvis! No, Carl Perkins!
Memphis Blues
MY FAVORITE JIM JARMUSCH FILM
Why can't I have something to do with Elvis
Individuality at Same Time and Place - A Thoughtful Jarmusch

Mystery Train
Starring: Masatoshi Nagase , Youki Kudoh , Screamin' Jay Hawkins , Cinqué Lee , and Rufus Thomas
Director: Jim Jarmusch
Manufacturer: MGM (Video & DVD)
ProductGroup: DVD
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Stranger Than Paradise

ASIN: 0792844033
Release Date: 2000-03-28

Amazon.com

Elvis may not be alive, but his spirit continues to permeate the American cultural landscape. Jim Jarmusch pays tribute his legacy in his funky third feature, Mystery Train. The name comes from the great bluesy recording Elvis made for Sun Records in 1955, but the stories of wandering tourists and lost souls drifting through Memphis come from the mind of Jarmusch. Three different tales play out in a single 24-hour period, a loose trilogy spinning around a fleabag hotel manned by a sleepy Screamin' Jay Hawkins and his eager bellboy Cinqué Lee. A young Japanese couple arrives in Memphis to take the Elvis tour, an Italian woman (Nicoletta Braschi of Life Is Beautiful) takes possession of her dead husband's ashes and gets a surprise visit from a wandering spirit, and three Memphis lowlifes (including indie stalwart Steve Buscemi and Clash guitarist Joe Strummer) take an aimless and ultimately fateful midnight cruise around town. Jarmusch lazily unfolds his tales at the speed of life, the unhurried rhythms lending the deadpan mix of quirky Americana, pop culture, and cinematic poetry a quietly lived-in quality, while he juggles timelines in a trick Quentin Tarantino borrowed for Pulp Fiction. The offbeat interweaving is just another pattern to the crazy quilt, lovely examples of the mercurial playfulness of life in Jarmusch's America. --Sean Axmaker

Description

After the critical triumphs of Stranger Than Paradise and Down by Law, director Jim Jarmusch was called 'the most arresting filmmaker to surface in the American cinema by The New York Times. Mystery Train is a 'smart and curiously affecting (The Nation) comedy, that is funny and thoroughly satisfying (The New York Times)! Named after an Elvis Presleyhit, Mystery Train interweaves three engrossing stories, all centering around the Presley legend and his beloved hometown of Memphis. As the characters paths collidethrough laughter, fear and fateyou can practically feel the presence of the King himself in every scene and his legacy impressed on a generation of equally lost souls in 'this wry, brilliantly structured comedy (Boxoffice).

Customer Reviews:

Elvis! No, Carl Perkins! No, Elvis! No, Carl Perkins!.......2006-09-05

Mystery Train follows three stories through the heat of dreary summertime Memphis. Two Japanese teens dressed to the nines in 80s couture explore Memphis on a quest to determine once and for all whether Elvis or Carl Perkins was the true king of American rock and roll. They are awkwardly out of place amongst the townsfolk, but even more out of place with each other. She constantly jokes and jokes with him, at one point smearing lipstick across his face, only to be continuously ignored as he stares coolly into the distance. Their depressing love making scene in the seedy hotel where all the characters end up underscores the distance between them.

An Italian woman has an unexpected layover in Memphis related to the seemingly sudden and unexplained death of her husband. She tries to quietly navigate her way through the town, but is faced with con artists at every turn. She ends up sharing a room in the seedy hotel with a chatty local girl on the run from her allegedly crazy boyfriend and, as the only character indifferent to American pop culture, ironically ends up being woken in the night by a vision of Elvis.

The local girl's boyfriend sullenly drinks himself belligerent at a local bar with two friends. After being kicked out for getting too rowdy, the three take off in a pickup truck and rob a liquor store, unexpectedly shooting the clerk. They hide out in the same seedy hotel. Steve Buscemi is, as usual, a fabulous loser everyman who gets the brunt of the punishment for all their half-witted schemes.

The highlight of the movie for me was the bold and hilarious Screamin' Jay Hawkins who mans the desk at the seedy hotel. He continuously torments his bellhop, making fun of his hat and tricking him out of the Japanese plum he receives as a tip from the Japanese tourists. "You got any more Japanese plums? Or other exotic fruits from around the world?"

Overall, the movie is fun and watchable whether you want to read meaning into the connections between the storylines or not. It's an elegant collage of cultural clichés and a humorous look at the pursuit of superficial dreams.

Memphis Blues.......2006-01-30

A quirky minimalist movie by Jim Jarmusch that is well thought out and cleverly devised that will leave viewers either fascinated or cold. It takes place during a single night in Memphis, and revolves around three unconnected storylines: a Japanese couple on a "pilgrimage" to Elvis shrines, an Italian woman whose flight back to Rome has been delayed, and a trio of young sleazes who get drunk and shoot a liquor store owner. They all spend the night at a fleabag hotel (The Arcade, run by Screamin' Jay Hawkins!). Jarmusch's use of flashback, a la RASHOMON, is clever and inspired. But Jarmush also likes to use long takes of scenes in which virtually nothing happens, which can make the movie feel long and ponderous. It's still the best of his movies, though.

MY FAVORITE JIM JARMUSCH FILM.......2005-09-28

This was my second Jim Jarmusch film and is probably my foavorite of his movies. The stories are so orginal and flat out hilarious, all three taking place in Memphis, Tennesee and involving Elvis Presley in some way. The best story is the first, Far From Yokohama, involving the young Japanese couple (Masatoshi Nagasai & Yuki Kudoh) visiting Memphis for the first time. Though the other two stories, A Ghost and Lost In Space are also funny. Music legend Screamin' Jay Hawkins is terrific as the night manager of a run down hotel. Highly recomended for any movie fan or Jarmusch fan who hasn't seen this movie.

Why can't I have something to do with Elvis.......2005-09-26

MYSTERY TRAIN is my favorite Jim Jarmusch film, my reasons, it's one of those films you can watch over and over again, it's original and very creative. Jim Jarmusch always has interesting characters in his films. The base for this film is different people with different situations that revolve around Elvis, strange but isn't that what movies are all about, to me they are.

Individuality at Same Time and Place - A Thoughtful Jarmusch.......2005-04-05

The roads to a town usually bring people home or people away from home. The road in Mystery Train is a railroad where the Amtrak delivers people through a city where some get off. People arriving to the town come there for different reasons and they leave for different reasons. Mystery Train is a study of people in the same place at the same time.

Memphis, Tennessee, is the destination for a young Japanese couple that arrives to see Graceland and other tourist attractions of the 1950s American music. Disoriented and detached from the American society, Jun (Masatoshi Nagase) and Mitsuko (Youki Kudoh) experience a drastic culture clash, as they compare their home Yokohama with Memphis. The space between them and Memphis continues to grow, as they speak broken English muddled by their Japanese accents. Nonetheless, Jun and Mitsuko find a dirty and shabby hotel where they decide to spend the night.

Stuck for a night in Memphis the audience gets to follow the Italian woman Luisa (Nicoletta Braschi) who attempts to find a way to pass time while wandering around in the town. People try to take advantage of her innocence while preying on her kindness and the dollar bills in her purse. In order to escape a possible dangerous situation she arrives in the same shabby hotel where the young Japanese couple is spending the night.

The third story that the audience gets to follow is about Johnny (Joe Strummer) who recently has lost his job and his wife. In drunkenness Johnny escapes the reality of Memphis, as the pain that he suffers is all too real while hiding a gun tucked away in his belt. An acquaintance calls his friend Will (Rick Aviles) who calls his brother-in-law Charlie (Steve Buscemi), as they are worried about him being drunk and having a gun. Johnny brings his two friends on a hazardous journey with the gun, which ends at the shabby hotel where the foreigners are spending their night.

Mystery Train provides an insightful and thoughtful venture for the audience while three different stories converge in the same hotel. Some are arriving to Memphis as others are trying to leave while some are stuck there without the notion of leaving. The different characters are all unique. Their uniqueness brings them all different experiences despite being at the same location at the same time. Jim Jarmusch provides an outmost clever depiction of the convergence of people in time and place, which of course provides an unique experience to all the people involved due to their own uniqueness. This trivial notion turns into an existential philosophical debate through Jarmusch's eye, which offers something for all to contemplate.

Average customer rating:

Fell off its own track from its own release.
And the moral is...
Good Rental Movie
Derailed: Plenty of twists and turns
Great entertainment

Derailed (Unrated) [HD DVD]
Starring: Jennifer Aniston , Tom Conti , Giancarlo Esposito , David Morrissey , and Clive Owen
Director: Mikael Håfström
Manufacturer: Weinstein Company
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: HD DVD

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ASIN: B000J10KUU
Release Date: 2006-12-19

Amazon.com

With a nasty villain and a plot twist that will take many viewers by surprise, Derailed is the kind of potboiler that's enjoyable in spite of its flaws. It's basically two-thirds of a good movie, with a convincing set-up and a barely plausible payoff that... well, you've just got to see it and decide for yourself. Like Fatal Attraction, it's a good-enough thriller that turns infidelity into every man's nightmare, beginning when Charles (Clive Owen), a well-to-do Chicago advertising director with a sickly, diabetic daughter and a slightly troubled marriage, has a chance encounter with Lucinda (Jennifer Aniston), a lovely and quick-witted financial advisor who's also stuck in a marital rut. Their chemistry is instant (between both characters and stars), but their eventual hotel tryst is interrupted by a mugger (French actor Vincent Cassel at his vile, despicable best) who's out to milk Charles for every dollar he's got. Of course, one phone call to the police would solve everyone's problems, but as he did with Collateral (albeit more convincingly), screenwriter Stuart Beattie turns up the tension with such manipulative skill that you're willing to skate past the plot holes and go along for the ride. With lively supporting performances by rappers Xzibit and RZA, Derailed marks a commercially slick American debut for Swedish director Mikael Håfström, whose 2003 thriller Evil was a Best Foreign Film Oscar®-nominee. --Jeff Shannon

Description

A clandestine love affair may claim a terrible price from two desperate people in this intelligent thriller. Charles Schine (Clive Owen) is an advertising executive who is happily married to Deana (Melissa George) and has a young daughter. However, that begins to change when Charles meets Lucinda Harris (Jennifer Aniston) on a commuter train. Lucinda, who is also married with a daughter, keep bumping into Charles on the train, and they strike up a friendship that soon grows into something deeper. Eventually Charles and Lucinda fall into infidelity, but the consequences turn out to be greater than they imagined; Philippe Laroche (Vincent Cassel) is a dangerous criminal with a taste for violence who has learned about the affair. Laroche demands a substantial payment if he is to keep the word of Charles and Lucinda's relationship from their spouses, but they become convinced that Laroche is not to be trusted and that he may mean to do greater harm to their loved ones that simply telling them they've been unfaithful. Derailed was the first American project for Swedish filmmaker Mikael Hafstrom.

Customer Reviews:

Fell off its own track from its own release........2007-07-01

Horror and Comedy would've probably been better genres than the obvious General, Mystery, and Suspense genres for this movie. The plot is bad enough that the normal genres don't work well. If you want a movie to laugh at, this is the movie for you. If you're looking for quality suspense or watching it just for Aniston, don't even consider. There's not enough to see of Aniston to make it worth the "unrated" that this version is. The movie was so bad that a bookstore owner was nagging me to buy it even though he didn't like it just so I could get rid of some of my bookstore credit because I have a ton of it that I haven't had to use.

Aniston and Owen play their roles well and know how to be sexy and seductive in their own ways. Aniston's role is different from her friends' role. Cox in the TV series Dirt and Aniston in this movie can definitely relate to each other. The guy who plays LaRoche, whose role is probably the hardest, plays multiple personalities and the twists in the movie are cool. The part where Charles (played by Owen) admits the situation to his wife comes off as a bit awkward when we are left hanging about what he says to her even though it's not crucial to the rest of the story. The beginning of the movie is boring too. A background is needed for the story, but they probably could've shortened up the story and thrown in something to complicate the story more.

And the moral is..........2007-06-27

don't have an affair! Really.

A pretty freaky movie, quite a thriller. Jennifer Aniston's acting really impressed me - especially because this was so different than most of her other roles. Clive Owens was great as always.

I liked the fact that they met on a train. Trains have always intrigued me and they're part of many good novels and movies (such as Anna Karenina...ok that's the only one I can think of right now).

Some disturbing scenes, but they might seem less disturbing by the end of the movie.

Good Rental Movie.......2007-06-14

I bought this of course because Clive Owen is awesome. If you have not previously read the novel which this film was based on you get some nice twists and turns. There are no spectacular performances to speak of, Vincent Cassel is always charming. I enjoyed the music and I think it's an overall decent film. 3.5 stars.

Derailed: Plenty of twists and turns.......2007-06-09

Charlie is living the American dream: successful job, beautiful wife, and a house in the suburbs. One morning he is running late, misses his train and forgets to buy a ticket. A mysterious yet beautiful woman agrees to pay his fare. He pays her back with dinner and few other secret meetings and the truth comes out:they both are married, miserable in their jobs and life in general but are stuck because of their kids. They end up in a hotel and after a brief encounter and I do mean brief, they vow to never see each other again. End of story. Right? Well enter the psychopathic criminal with the strong accent. What does he want or better yet what does he know? He knows all about the affair, Charlie's work phone number, home phone number, and even makes a visit to Charlie's house. When Charlie agrees to pay him the money he wants, he only wants more and in the end wants Charlie's life. The ending will surprise you but not until you have taken the full ride with plenty of twists and turns.

Great entertainment.......2007-05-20

Although I'm not a big fan of Jennifer Aniston's, I thoroughly enjoyed this fast-paced thriller about a married man who meets an attractive woman on a train and arranges a hookup. His relationship with his wife is strained because their young daughter is seriously ill and the woman that he, Clive Owens, meets, Aniston, offers the promise of soothing his pain. Little does he know that the heartache and nightmares are about to begin!

Jennifer Aniston plays a different type role, which is nice to see since she's usually typecast in that boppy, upbeat and giggly kind of way. She is serious, almost too much so, as a high-powered businesswoman.

Owens, who I just saw in Children of Men, does a marvelous job and I loved the unpredictability of the story. Looks as though he's on his way to being the next Nicolas Cage.

Sigridmac

Strangers on a Train (Two-Disc Special Edition)

Average customer rating:

Stranger things have happened! Another Hitchock classic!
Never talk to a stranger
Beware of Friendly Well-Dressed Strangers
Strangers on a Train
strangers on a train

Strangers on a Train (Two-Disc Special Edition)
Starring: Alfred Hitchcock , John Brown , Leo G. Carroll , John Doucette , and Roy Engel
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B0002HOERG
Release Date: 2004-09-07

Amazon.com essential video

Description

En route from Washington, D.C., champion tennis player Guy Haines (Farley Granger) meets pushy playboy Bruno Anthony (Robert Walker). What begins as a chance encounter turns into a series of morbid confrontations, as Bruno manipulates his way into Guy's life. Bruno is eager to kill his father and knows Guy wants to marry a senator's daughter (Ruth Roman) but can't get a divorce from his wife. So Bruno suggests the men swap murders, which would leave no traceable clues or possible motives. Though Guy refuses, it won't be easy to rid himself of the psychopathic Bruno. Hitchcock's daughter Patricia appears in this film. The extra features included on the DVD are: Alternate 'preview' version of the film; Commentary by director Peter Bogdanovich, Psycho screenwriter Joseph Stephano, Strangers on a Train author Patricia Highsmith and biographer Andrew Wilson; New making-of documentary Strangers on a Train: A Hitchcock Classic, with Farley Granger, film historian Richard Schickel, Patricia Hitchcock O'Connell and other Hitchcock family members and colleagues recalling the making of this suspense landmark; Three intriguing featurettes: The Hitchcocks on Hitch, Strangers on a Train: The Victim's P.O.V., Strangers on a Train by M. Night Shyamalan; Alfred Hitchcock's Historical Meeting, a vintage newsreel.

Customer Reviews:

Stranger things have happened! Another Hitchock classic!.......2007-05-14

Never talk to a stranger.......2007-04-04

Beware of Friendly Well-Dressed Strangers.......2007-03-24

Strangers on a Train.......2007-03-19

strangers on a train.......2007-03-09

Agatha Christie's Murder on the Orient Express

Average customer rating:

let's be fair
We need a vaccine to immunize Hollywood against unneeded remakes
Mildly Entertaining If You Don't Know the Older Version
if it's not broke,don't remake it.
I can't belive ANYONE would like this ridiculous version!

Agatha Christie's Murder on the Orient Express
Starring: Alfred Molina , Meredith Baxter , Leslie Caron , Amira Casar , and Nicolas Chagrin
Director: Carl Schenkel
Manufacturer: Allumination
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B000BO0LLI
Release Date: 2005-12-20

Customer Reviews:

let's be fair.......2007-05-27

After watching Sidney Lumet's wonderful 1974 version of Murder on the Orient Express, it is hard to understand why anyone would want to remake it. However, the earlier version did have some glaring problems - the waltz music, which I hated even in 1974, although the kidnap music makes up for it - and Albert Finney, who is a great actor, but a caricature in that movie. David Suchet has the wrap on Poirot, but Alfred Molina is an interesting choice and very watchable. Vera, the thief, is actually a creation of Agatha Christie and appears in a couple of her stories (not as sexy of course, but I like the updated character) and Poirot is obviously in love with her even in Christie's more sedate stories. That said, this movie obviously suffers from a lack of budget - the supporting cast is often interchangeable and hard to sort out since the men all look alike, the lack of snow, the lack of period, everything on a laptop screen rather than the wonderful newspaper scenes in the original. If you haven't seen Lumet's version, then you have missed the real deal. But I gave this one a three because of Molina's performance - less eccentric and more human. Even Christie is said to have hated Poirot.

We need a vaccine to immunize Hollywood against unneeded remakes.......2006-10-01

I'm not going to reiterate other reviewers' specific criticisms of this movie. However some general comments for your consideration...

Dame Agatha's books and characters seem at times to suffer mightily at the hands of filmmakers. For example, take George Pollock's four early '60s films starring Margaret Rutherford, whose Miss Marple bore little or no resemblance to the character in the books. Remakes have been even less kind to the Dame. The best (worst?) example of remake-itis is And Then There Were None. Rene Clair's 1945 B&W film is very good, and true to Agatha Christie's play of the same name (which has a justifiably different ending from the novel). ATTWN was remade twice (in 1965 and 1974), and neither came up to the standard of the original.

That brings us to Murder on the Orient Express. Sidney Lumet's 1974 film of Agatha Christie's remarkable novel was a star-studded atmospheric period piece. This 2001 made-for-TV remake, brought into the Internet age, was an incredible waste of time and money. For the same price as this turkey (which didn't air until 2005, which ought to tell you something), you can get the stellar 1974 version on DVD (ASIN B0002I832C). Spend your money wisely.

Mildly Entertaining If You Don't Know the Older Version.......2006-08-20

Modernized adaptation of Agatha Christie classic mystery? Excuse me, but what is the point?

Anyway, the famous story about the murder on the Orient Express is retold. A stubbed body is found in a train on which a world-renowned detective Poirot is traveling from Istanbul. The passengers are interrogated, but their contradicting statements only help confuse the investigation.

So far, the same, but remember, this time the story is told in modern setting. That means Poirot doesn't have to use his brain to obtain some of the important information. Blackmailing is done with a video tape, and luckily one of the car is equipped with a VCR. In case you think the new film lost the exotic touch, it can show you a belly dancer.

There are also some visible changes done to the Christie's whodunit, most of which are pointless. For example, the train is stopped by rockslide, not by avalanche, which means much less claustrophobic feeling. Hercule Poirot (Alfred Molina) has a girlfriend in Istanbul named Vera (Tasha de Vasconcelos) and she happens to a reformed thief.

And of course there is a murder. Sorry that I cannot reveal too much about it, but if you have seen the Sidney Lumet film or read the original book, this remake would only disappoint you. Alfred Molina is not bad the Belgian sleuth, but he is not Albert Finney who was in character.

Of course you don't always have to compare. Some people have not seen the 1974 version, and they will see the newer version without (perhaps unfair) comparison. However, even they might find the murder mystery here too slow and talky, and the solution is way too incredible. Actually, most of the Christie books end with incredible solutions, but there is one unique quality about the original story of the `Murder on the Orient Express' which is totally missing in the new version.

That is, as you know (and I am trying to write without spoilers), Agatha Christie's story is inspired by one of the biggest and most notorious real-life crimes committed in the history of America as the background of her story. The (unsolved, some say) mystery plays a significant role in the original book and Sidney Lumet film, but in the new film it is completely taken away, replaced by one fictional crime that is not intriguing at all. The altered setting makes the whole story less authentic and the motive of the killer or killers more unaccountable.

Remakes are often considered unnecessary, but some of them can hold on its ground against the originals. You may prefer the original Peter Lorre version, but the remade "The Man Who Knew Too Much" is generally more popular than the other. As far as `Murder on the Orient Express' is concerned, however, I don't see any reason this should be told again.

if it's not broke,don't remake it........2006-05-23

why does hollywood always think that instead of tring new things that they must remake old movies,even when they were good. this misfire starts of bad by tring to move the story into morden times, and that is where the whole thing sinks!!! not good at all.

I can't belive ANYONE would like this ridiculous version!.......2006-05-08

This made-for-tv version was based more on the superlative movie (With Albert Finney leading an exceptionally fine cast!) directed by Sidney Lumet. This version is a complete waste of time and money. Save your money and get the 1974 movie. You'll be glad you did! Better yet, buy a copy of the movie version for yourself and a friend who has never seen it. Your friend will love you for it!!!!!
If I must give it a single star its only because Amazon made me do it. I'd rather give it -5 stars. IT'S THAT BAD!!!!!

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