BEST OF THE B HORROR FILMS

HORROR EXPRESS (1973)
Christopher Lee, Peter Cushing, Telly Savalas, Helga Line, Silvia Tortosa

What's there not to admire about this creepy, moody, time period horror classic? Look at all the names of the actors and you just have to wonder how the film's producers and directors convinced, cajoled, persuaded, bribed, or coerced these fine actors actors and actresses into participating on an obviously "economical" budget horror film. But it all works! And really, even I enjoyed Horror Express so much that I purchased two VHS videotapes, and later, several DVD disks, all at bargain prices.
I truly loved all the main characters. First, there's the uptight, stiff-necked, mildly obnoxious Christopher Lee character, Professor Saxton, who shortly displays a well-controlled human side and ultimately, bravery and heroism. Then of course, there's the consummate British actor, the equal of Christopher Lee, Mr. Peter Cushing himself who utters the most memorial line of the movie, "Monsters? We're British, you know!" The sexy and sexual Helga Line, veteran of Euro-horror films, graces us with her icy beauty and charm. She exhibits no nudity in Horror Express, but yet, I find Horror Express all the better in quality and story for it. In fact, for a typical Euro-horror film, there is NO nudity at all, unique for this instance but my opinion is that the involvement of quality actors such as Christopher Lee, Peter Cushing, even Telly Savalas, had something to do with maintaining the pure science fiction-horror story line without any sexual digressions.
Finally, I must talk about Silvia Tortosa, an ice-queen beauty if there ever was one. Initially, I wasn't that attracted to Silvia Tortosa. But years later, her wide, doe-eyes, and snobby, stuck-up pretty girl looks started growing on me, especially after a former, fellow co-worker whom I had some attracton for, seem to resemble Silvia Tortosa. You get a much better view of Silvia Tortosa in the 1974 Euro-horror film, "The Loreley's Grasp". Then you'll see why she is beautiful in her own way.
The piece de resistance, Telly Savalas, subversively implants his TV show detective character Kojak's persona onto bullying, but hilarious, Captain Kazan. At any moment I expected Captain Kazan to blurt out, "Who loves ya, baby?", a famous line of Detective Kojak in the 1970s crime detective show.
All of this takes place in the cramped confines of a 1906 passenger train on the Trans-Siberian Express from Peking (Beijing) to Europe. The setting, even though brightly lit, feels more atmospheric and darker than it shows.