8mm Forum: Best "Train" movies ...

This is topic Best "Train" movies ... in forum General Yak at 8mm Forum.

To visit this topic, use this URL:
https://8mmforum.film-tech.com/cgi-bin/ubb/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=8;t=003649

Posted by Osi Osgood (Member # 424) on September 17, 2015, 11:17 AM:

Lets see, what is the best film that features a train as a main focal point? We have a lot of lovers of actual films about trains and they're routes, but let's just limit this to Hollywood style films with trains as the main focal point.

I'll start with my top 4 picks ...

1. Runaway Train (1985 Jon Voigt)
2. The Train (1960's Burt Lancaster)
3. The General (Buster Keaton)
4. Breakheart Pass (Charles Bronson)

Posted by Mathew James (Member # 4581) on September 17, 2015, 11:37 AM:

Does Chasing Choo Choos count?(Monty Banks, Play Safe) [Smile]

Posted by Steve Klare (Member # 12) on September 17, 2015, 11:38 AM:

Well....

As a guy who got into film because I was into trains first, I have to say a lot of the railroad-based dramas and comedies out there suffer because the people that made them don't really understand railroading.

I remember a TV movie with Ralph Waite about 30 years ago where as an act of defiance, he just took a Diesel locomotive and motored a hundred miles to headquarters to lodge his grievances. Problem: this is not a car out on the road. The control tower would know exactly where you are, put up a red signal, trip your brakes and stop you literally dead in your (or their) tracks!

That being said, one favorite of mine in this category has always been "The Titfield Thunderbolt":

The Titfield Thunderbolt

It goes a little light on the facts here too (One Example: You CAN'T just fire up a 120 year old boiler without endangering the entire neighborhood, and I would hope the Ministry of Transport would beat you up thoroughly if you tried instead of giving you a license to operate!), but it's a great story with good, good guys and bad, bad guys and it's a lot of fun!

For the...documentary portion of my railroad films, I'm finding the thing to do is bring a nice one to Wildwood and show it through Doug's GS Xenon and on the big screen. It's quite a sight (and sound)!

Posted by Joseph Randall (Member # 4906) on September 17, 2015, 03:14 PM:

No particular order:

THE GENERAL
MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS
THE LADY VANISHES
TERROR BY NIGHT
FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE

Posted by Paul Adsett (Member # 25) on September 17, 2015, 03:23 PM:

Strangers On A Train The classic thriller starring Robert Walker as the psycho Bruno.
Human Desire A terrific film noir, starring Glen Ford and the promiscuous Gloria Grahame,

Posted by Mike Newell (Member # 23) on September 17, 2015, 03:34 PM:

1st Great Train Robbery Sean Connery
Von Ryan's Express
The General Buster Keaton
Narrow Margin Gene Hackman
Taking Pelham 123 Robert Shaw

I did know a collector who had all 3 versions of 39 Steps in Super 8 full feature just for the trains

Posted by Brian Fretwell (Member # 4302) on September 17, 2015, 03:55 PM:

As well as many of those above I also enjoy "Silver Streak" Richard Pryor, Gene Wilder and Patrick McGoohan.

Posted by Paul Barker (Member # 4318) on September 17, 2015, 04:23 PM:

Robbery. 1967. stars Stanley Baker. account of the great train robbery.a 2k restoration from original 35mm negative just released in uk on blu ray. great film. great restoration.

Posted by Joe Caruso (Member # 11) on September 17, 2015, 05:09 PM:

RAILROAD STOWAWAYS - Billy Bevan
THE GREAT TRAIN ROBBERY - Edison
Finale of HOW THE WEST WAS WON (segment with Peppard & Wallach)
SLIM - Film with Henry Fonda
Well, you people have named all the choicer moments

Posted by David Guest (Member # 2791) on September 17, 2015, 05:37 PM:

the love match
the ghost train
both of which I have on 16mm and stars Arthur askey

Posted by Barry Attwood (Member # 100) on September 17, 2015, 11:59 PM:

Mine would have to be the classic Will Hay film -

Oh! Mr. Porter

It's brilliantly funny, and the majority of the film features classic steam trains in one way or another.

Posted by Clinton Hunt (Member # 2072) on September 18, 2015, 01:51 AM:

YES Mathew I think Chasing Choo Choos should count?(Monty Banks, Play Safe)I just recently watched my Super8 sound film of it and it's fun!

Posted by Peter Scott (Member # 4541) on September 18, 2015, 03:17 AM:

Another vote for Oh Mr Porter and The Great St Trinians Train Robbery.

Posted by Graham Ritchie (Member # 559) on September 18, 2015, 04:09 AM:

I agree with "Oh Mr Porter"...

Steve... this 20min version would certainly be fun to run at your "Wildwood" convention. [Smile]

Posted by Peter Scott (Member # 4541) on September 18, 2015, 04:55 AM:

I know that Walton done the 4 x 400ft but was their ever a full length feature done ?

Posted by Steve Carter (Member # 4821) on September 18, 2015, 05:38 AM:

I have a 5 x 400 of 'Oh Mr. Porter' 'He's not afraid of the dark', 'No, he plays with the Pixies'...

Posted by Mathew James (Member # 4581) on October 21, 2015, 08:01 AM:

HOW CAN I FORGET THIS ONE!!!!!!
Arghh. Embarrased to be Canadian today for forgetting this TREASURE!!! I totally forgot about it until we watched it the other day as a family. Truly my favourite 'train' film!!
Railrodder:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=epfOOodUzHI

Cheers,
Matt

PS: Once you've finished watching the above...here is the documentary on how the film was made:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5HOWv7Ce69E

[ October 21, 2015, 11:28 AM: Message edited by: Mathew James ]

Posted by Steve Klare (Member # 12) on October 21, 2015, 08:32 AM:

Shorty Caruso gave me a railroad film at CineSea last week: 200 foot documentary of the Southern Pacific Narrow Gauge line operating out in the California desert. Being that this is color AND sound footage of a famous narrow gauge line that was abandoned right around the time I was born, this is right in my wheelhouse!

(Thanks Joe!)

A lot of the time when I get something like this, I do more than just watch the film. It seems it was filmed by "some guy" named Chad O’Connor.

-so I Googled him:

-Inventor of the fluid tripod head
-Filmed many historic railroads before they were torn up.
-Engineered the construction of two brand new steam locomotives
-Friend and technical adviser of Walt Disney
-Engineered the steam engines for the paddle wheelers at the Disney parks
-Technical Academy Award winner for the fluid tripod head.

-sounds like my kinda-guy!

Chad O'Connor

Posted by Winbert Hutahaean (Member # 58) on October 21, 2015, 08:39 AM:

UNSTOPABLE....!

with Denzel Washington

Posted by Douglas Meltzer (Member # 28) on October 21, 2015, 11:08 AM:

Horror Express!

Posted by Douglas Warren (Member # 1047) on October 21, 2015, 11:47 AM:

For me it would be "The Emperor of the North" with Lee Marvin and Ernest Borgnine. Funny that I came across this topic today since the wife and I had to stop twice at the same crossing for CSX to cross this morning!

Posted by Osi Osgood (Member # 424) on October 21, 2015, 01:59 PM:

Douglas! How could I forget that one! It's an excellent film, as well as Doug's choice!

Posted by Douglas Warren (Member # 1047) on October 21, 2015, 02:27 PM:

Osi,
It's a very good,and underrated film in my opinion.I have a copy of the Ken Films 400' version and thankfully there's only one brief bit of narration at the beginning and that's it! They did a nice editing job on this one as you get the feeling that the editor was striving to do their very best.It took me awhile to finally find a copy of it but I'm glad I did.

Posted by Brian Fretwell (Member # 4302) on October 21, 2015, 03:48 PM:

I have a liking for the Gene Wilder - Richard Pryor "Silver Streak" and both versions of "The Lady Vanishes" as well as Titfield Thunderbolt, Oh Mr Porter and The General mentioned above.

Posted by Steve Klare (Member # 12) on October 21, 2015, 04:02 PM:

When my son was about four or five his favorite film was reel #2 of the Derann Titfield Thunderbolt.

-he loved watching the locomotive fighting it out with the steamroller!

Posted by Clinton Hunt (Member # 2072) on October 22, 2015, 03:34 AM:

Well Mathew .... I was surprised to see Buster Keaton in COLOUR ! Must've been late in his career,so I did a search on www.imdb.com and he continued making movies from the 1910's through to the 1960's.

I always think of these actors as b/w and silent film stars.

Thanks for the info and lesson [Smile]

Posted by Lee Mannering (Member # 728) on October 22, 2015, 04:56 AM:

Some smashing titles there!

Oh Mr Porter for me as well.

A bit of a story..
Like most chaps I've Super 8 filmed many a steam railway.. In the mid 1970's the Bluebell Railway which we returned to visit only 40 years later to film again seeking a specific loco. Its still there but awaiting a full refit but I did manage to film it again this year at a siding. It gets worse! I am now working on recreating a model railway of it from 1975 and me stood there with my Super 8 cine camera..

Oh the magic of film.
Filmed 2015 with Agfa 200D Super 8

[ October 22, 2015, 06:09 AM: Message edited by: Lee Mannering ]

Posted by Mark Silvester (Member # 929) on October 22, 2015, 12:55 PM:

"Train of Events" (1949) starring Jack Warner
A cracking film - moves along with good pace...would like feedback on this. Classic Ealing GB movie - here is a clip:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mw-Q-ijom58 [Smile]

Posted by William Olson (Member # 2083) on October 23, 2015, 10:35 AM:

The General
The Train
North By NorthWest
Murder On The Orient Express
Silver Streak

UBB.classic^TM 6.3.1.2