BOTB-M #19: Terror Train (1980) VS Prom Night (1980) - Page 4

Erick H. · 01-13-2009, 07:46 AM

Both have their good qualities but I cast my vote for PROM NIGHT.I think it's better acted (though Ben Johnson adds some weight to TERROR TRAIN).Also,the end of PROM NIGHT is actually rather hurtful,it's tragic in a way that I don't think TERROR TRAIN quite achieves.
TERROR TRAIN does have a memorable reveal at the end though and the locomotive setting gives it some atmosphere.

Kim Bruun · 10-17-2009, 05:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Matt89

As much as I love Prom Night, I can't help but disagree. Prom Night has a VERY long period where nothing really happens. It's a long stretch of boredom. It also does have an amateurish look to it, whereas Terror Train has very good cinematography, and its concept was handled a lot better than Prom Night.

I rewatched both this month, and Prom Night has always been my favourite of these two... But, I have to agree with this.

There is a long, uneventful stretch in Prom Night. The disco scenes, Wendy's chase, and Jamie Lee's poignant realization at the end - they all work for me. But everything up to the dance could have been trimmed and peppered with something more dread-inspiring than a few phonecalls and some pictures torn out of a yearbook.

Terror Train, on the other hand, at least sprinkles the money scenes more evenly throughout. And it is technically better. I guess my problem with it was the very fey killer. There was no mystery surrounding his identity, and we already know that he's this physically unimposing guy, who, frankly, isn't very convincing as someone who is heterosexually interested in Jamie Lee. But there are some effective scares, because even though we mostly know what costume the killer is wearing, he still manages to pop up in unexpected places.

I like both, but I think Prom Night has lost some of its status as a favourite of mine, while Terror Train has grown on me.

One question remains: Why did they saddle Jamie Lee with such an anti-hunk in both of these?

CrazyFatEthel · 10-17-2009, 07:42 PM

Dis ist mist scheizer!!!! Ich schätzung schülerball nacht...

Yeah, Im catching up on my German!!! Hope its accurate!!!

Kim Bruun · 10-17-2009, 08:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CrazyFatEthel

Dis ist mist scheizer!!!! Ich schätzung schülerball nacht...

Yeah, Im catching up on my German!!! Hope its accurate!!!

The first line has a funky article and the second line is missing a verb... But, I think you're saying that you like Prom Night better?

rhett · 10-17-2009, 08:11 PM

PROM NIGHT definitely has its lulls, but the characters are all so interesting and memorable. Lou is the fucking man, and as if you all wouldn't take a ride with Slick in his wonder van. Leslie Nielsen creates ham worthy of a pork roast with one of his last serious roles, and even the bitch and Slick's date do a memorable job. It's got all that great disco ("you'll be dancin' in the moonlight!") and even if it is lighter on gore, the end beheading kicks all sorts of ass. It's one of my favorite slasher deaths. Nobody seems to mention the opening, but it goes to a pretty dark place considering it's all child actors, and to this day I still find it unsettling. It's so effective that it gives the tragic reveal at the finale all the more impact. Of all the slasher films, that ending always wrings the most tragedy for me. Even with the lulls though, I still think the mid-film phone calls are quite well done and certainly keep the dread intact.

TERROR TRAIN is no slouch of a film, definitely better shot by Kubrick vet John Alcott, but it just doesn't have the same resonance for me. The characters aren't as interesting, the location too drab and unchanging, and the tone more grungy than enjoyable. I still like it a lot - the mask is perfect, Ben Johnson adds some class, the opening and closing provide some great tragedy with the killer, and the Copperfield stuff is a decent substitute for disco. Still, it's no PROM NIGHT, and to all those who disagree I offer this refute:

"Sit on it, ape!"

Kim Bruun · 10-17-2009, 08:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rhett

Lou is the fucking man, and as if you all wouldn't take a ride with Slick in his wonder van.

Prom Night has often been said to have the ugliest cast of any slasher (an assessment that requires one to ignore Eddie Benton), and looking at Slick and Nick, I can see where people are coming from, but I was always attracted to Lou for some reason.

Harry Warden · 10-17-2009, 08:30 PM

Had to go with Terror Train.

rhett · 10-17-2009, 08:32 PM

Ugliest cast? Jamie Lee is prime in that movie, and yeah, Edie Benton is something for the eyes too. Whoever said that must not have seen Don't Go in the Woods, Final Exam, A Day of Judgment, Backwoods, Sleepaway Camp, The Prey...

Body Boy · 10-17-2009, 08:40 PM

Love both, but Terror Train is easily the better of the two. Plus it has one of my favorite lines:

"Maybe then Mitchie and I can ROOM IN together." :P Oh bunnies.

Kim Bruun · 10-17-2009, 08:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rhett

Ugliest cast? Jamie Lee is prime in that movie, and yeah, Edie Benton is something for the eyes too. Whoever said that must not have seen Don't Go in the Woods, Final Exam, A Day of Judgment, Backwoods, Sleepaway Camp, The Prey...

I'm not saying that I agree with that opinion, but there are some gals and guys there who aren't exactly tv pretty. But yeah, Jamie Lee and Eddie Benton look great, and Lou does have a sort of animal magnetism owing to his primal appearance.

I'd add The Forest to your list - not a looker in the bunch (at least in terms of guys).

Body Boy · 10-17-2009, 08:46 PM

Wendy was pretty fine. Jude was okay as well. Hell, any of the girls aside from JLC were fine.

The guys on the otherhand...Kelly's bf was alright. But uh...Nick was below average...and the others...I'm not even gonna touch. :P Phobia of unibrows.

CrazyFatEthel · 10-17-2009, 09:27 PM

The most unattractive cast ever is probably Last Slumber Party cast members. GOOD LORD!!!!

Mutilated Prey · 10-18-2009, 12:16 AM

Prom Night.

foller · 10-18-2009, 01:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CrazyFatEthel

Dis ist mist scheizer!!!! Ich schätzung schülerball nacht...

Yeah, Im catching up on my German!!! Hope its accurate!!!

This is like a quiz to me

. I am German and I am still trying to figure out what you wanted to say with the first part.
Could the second part mean: Ich schätze Prom Night (= I appreciate Prom Night)? The movie is also called "Prom Night" in German. The German word for Prom Night is "Abschlussball".
Mist = crap (in German)
scheizer = ???
Help me out!

evildeadfan123 · 10-18-2009, 05:43 PM

Love them both, have both on DVD, but went with Prom Night, because I love Disco music.

View Poll Results: vote
Terror Train (1980)	53	56.38%
Prom Night (1980)	41	43.62%
Voters: 94. You may not vote on this poll

10-17-2009, 07:42 PM	#48
CrazyFatEthel HackMaster Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Rowlett, Texas Posts: 1,222	Dis ist mist scheizer!!!! Ich schätzung schülerball nacht... Yeah, Im catching up on my German!!! Hope its accurate!!! __________________ tHaT dAmN dOcToR iS tRyInG tO sTaRvE mE tO dEaTh!

10-17-2009, 08:11 PM	#50
rhett Moderator Join Date: Jul 2000 Location: Canada Posts: 8,874	PROM NIGHT definitely has its lulls, but the characters are all so interesting and memorable. Lou is the fucking man, and as if you all wouldn't take a ride with Slick in his wonder van. Leslie Nielsen creates ham worthy of a pork roast with one of his last serious roles, and even the bitch and Slick's date do a memorable job. It's got all that great disco ("you'll be dancin' in the moonlight!") and even if it is lighter on gore, the end beheading kicks all sorts of ass. It's one of my favorite slasher deaths. Nobody seems to mention the opening, but it goes to a pretty dark place considering it's all child actors, and to this day I still find it unsettling. It's so effective that it gives the tragic reveal at the finale all the more impact. Of all the slasher films, that ending always wrings the most tragedy for me. Even with the lulls though, I still think the mid-film phone calls are quite well done and certainly keep the dread intact. TERROR TRAIN is no slouch of a film, definitely better shot by Kubrick vet John Alcott, but it just doesn't have the same resonance for me. The characters aren't as interesting, the location too drab and unchanging, and the tone more grungy than enjoyable. I still like it a lot - the mask is perfect, Ben Johnson adds some class, the opening and closing provide some great tragedy with the killer, and the Copperfield stuff is a decent substitute for disco. Still, it's no PROM NIGHT, and to all those who disagree I offer this refute: "Sit on it, ape!" __________________ "It's a good scream...it's a good scream..."

10-17-2009, 08:32 PM	#53
rhett Moderator Join Date: Jul 2000 Location: Canada Posts: 8,874	Ugliest cast? Jamie Lee is prime in that movie, and yeah, Edie Benton is something for the eyes too. Whoever said that must not have seen Don't Go in the Woods, Final Exam, A Day of Judgment, Backwoods, Sleepaway Camp, The Prey... __________________ "It's a good scream...it's a good scream..."

10-17-2009, 08:40 PM	#54
Body Boy HackMaster Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Annapolis Valley, Nova Scotia Posts: 1,448	Love both, but Terror Train is easily the better of the two. Plus it has one of my favorite lines: "Maybe then Mitchie and I can ROOM IN together." :P Oh bunnies. __________________ www.oh-the-horror.com... ...DVD Collection (most of it)

01-13-2009, 07:46 AM	#46
Erick H. HackMaster Join Date: Aug 2004 Posts: 7,432	Both have their good qualities but I cast my vote for PROM NIGHT.I think it's better acted (though Ben Johnson adds some weight to TERROR TRAIN).Also,the end of PROM NIGHT is actually rather hurtful,it's tragic in a way that I don't think TERROR TRAIN quite achieves. TERROR TRAIN does have a memorable reveal at the end though and the locomotive setting gives it some atmosphere.

10-17-2009, 08:30 PM	#52
Harry Warden HackMaster Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Hermitage, Pennsylvania Posts: 1,277	Had to go with Terror Train.

10-17-2009, 08:46 PM	#56
Body Boy HackMaster Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Annapolis Valley, Nova Scotia Posts: 1,448	Wendy was pretty fine. Jude was okay as well. Hell, any of the girls aside from JLC were fine. The guys on the otherhand...Kelly's bf was alright. But uh...Nick was below average...and the others...I'm not even gonna touch. :P Phobia of unibrows. __________________ www.oh-the-horror.com... ...DVD Collection (most of it)

10-17-2009, 09:27 PM	#57
CrazyFatEthel HackMaster Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Rowlett, Texas Posts: 1,222	The most unattractive cast ever is probably Last Slumber Party cast members. GOOD LORD!!!! __________________ tHaT dAmN dOcToR iS tRyInG tO sTaRvE mE tO dEaTh!

10-18-2009, 12:16 AM	#58
Mutilated Prey Soul Stealer Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Texarkana Posts: 5,072	Prom Night. __________________

10-18-2009, 05:43 PM	#60
evildeadfan123 Sam & Dean Winchester Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Missouri Posts: 1,967	Love them both, have both on DVD, but went with Prom Night, because I love Disco music. __________________ Why have you disturbed our sleep? Awaken us from our ancient slumber? You will die! Like the others before you. One by one we will take you. I know a good hangover remedy, a greasy pork sandwich served in a dirty ashtray. RIP: John Winchester, all us Supernatural fans will miss you. http://www.myspace.com/jaredjensenfan I love Jared's flaring nostrils

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