Starring Christopher Lee, Peter Cushing, Alberto de Mendoza, Silvia Tortosa, Julio Pena
Directed by Eugenio Martin
(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)
A scientist's cargo aboard the Trans-Siberian Express, a fossil of early man, returns to life and commits ghastly murders while absorbing its victims' memories.
This British/Spanish co-production, boasting Cushing and Lee in the cast as well as a bevy of international talent, including Telly Savalas as a brutal Kossack, offers an entertaining mixture of sci-fi and horror. A decent monster makeup and creative use of contact lenses and fake blood are really all the artifice that's employed to convey the supernatural premise, but the actors sell the plot well, with nary a character really doubting the creature's fantastic powers and origin. Cushing and Lee are enjoyable to watch as always, with Cushing's friendly and charming Doctor Wells nicely offset by Lee's brusque Professor Saxton. De Mendoza offers quite the characterization of a supposedly devout priest who oddly switches sides after encountering the creature, Savalas is a boisterous but cruel Russian captain, and a number of other colorful characters throughout the production keep us watching with interest. A haunting theme from composer John Cacavas, and well-photographed scenes of the monster's attacks in the dark also impress and sustain suspense and chills throughout the picture, a most memorable genre film.
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