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From: leeper@mtgzz.UUCP (m.r.leeper)
Newsgroups: net.railroad,net.movies
Subject: Re: Railroad Movies
Message-ID: <1633@mtgzz.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 3-Feb-86 19:57:59 EST
Article-I.D.: mtgzz.1633
Posted: Mon Feb  3 19:57:59 1986
Date-Received: Wed, 5-Feb-86 01:50:06 EST
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Xref: watmath net.railroad:858 net.movies:9098


 >Net.railroad (ARPA railroad list) has had what seemed to me
 >a rather halfhearted series of articles on railway movies
 >lately.  I thought I could do better.  Here are two lists of
 >railway movies that I've seen that were good or excellent,
 >in my opinion as a fan of both railways and movies.
 >
 >The first list is Railway Movies of the First Kind -- those
 >where the train or railway (or *subway) occupies a major
 >role throughout the movie. 
 >
 >1927 A	The General (silent comedy/suspense)
     .
     .
     .
 >1979 B	The Great Train Robbery (caper - this is the one about the 1855 theft)
 >
 >Hmm, looks like we ought to be due for another one.

Hmmm!  I have heard good things about RUNAWAY TRAIN (1985).
The problem here is what is considered a good film.  I like much of
HORROR EXPRESS (1972) but that is probably a minority opinion.  There
is also EMPEROR OF THE NORTH POLE (1973).

 >
 >And now, some good or excellent Railway Movies of the Second
 >Kind - movies that are basically about something else, but
 >where a train or railway (or *subway/el) takes a major part
 >in one scene.
 >
 >1935 B	The 39 Steps (thriller) (1959 B and 1978 B remakes not recommended)
    .
    .
    .
 >1982	Diva (French thriller)*

Films I could add are YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN, THE WRONG BOX, THE BLACK CAT
(1934), DR.  ZHIVAGO, KNIGHT WITHOUT ARMOR, ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE
WEST,  BRIEF ENCOUNTER, FOOLS' PARADE, FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE, 49TH
PARALLEL, REDS, NIGHT OF THE DEMON, MIND BENDERS, RED SUN, MAN WHO
WOULD BE KING, CAT BALLOU, SON OF FRANKENSTEIN, SOME LIKE IT HOT, THE
GREAT ESCAPE, GANDHI, and CAT PEOPLE (1982).  I can honestly say I
admire each of these films.  I know people who admire TRADING PLACES,
42ND STREET, PASSAGE TO INDIA, BOWANI JUNCTION, and BAD DAY AT BLACK
ROCK, DREAMSCAPE, and SUPERMAN.

An odd digression.  At one point is seemed that most of the films
Maurice Jarre scored had trains in them.  Condsider this list:
LAWRENCE OF ARABIA, SUNDAYS AND CYBELE, DR. ZHIVAGO, THE TRAIN, IS
PARIS BURNING, THE PROFESSIONALS, RED SUN, THE MAN WHO WOULD BE KING,
PASSAGE TO INDIA.  It seems to me there were a lot more, but they don't
come as readily to mind.

				Mark Leeper
				...ihnp4!mtgzz!leeper