Terror Train Review (1980)

Today, let’s talk about an old favorite of mine from childhood! Terror Train from 1980. This is another one of those old Horror movies that I watched with my mom and for me it was love at first fright. It also helped that I grew up with a train track right in front of our house, so that had built in Horror vibes even if most of the time it was just empty rail cars every hour on the hour. Sadly, I’ve found that this movie isn’t well liked in most circles, and I can’t comprehend why, then again, I was 6-7 years old when I first watched it, so its impact on me runs deep.

There’s something about trains that already feels a little haunted. Long corridors, locked compartments, the endless clack of wheels rolling into the dark, you’re trapped, whether you like it or not. Terror Train plays into my crippling claustrophobia and laces it with masks, blood, and just enough trickery to keep me guessing until the bitter end.

On paper, the movie sounds simple and run-of-the-mill: a bunch of college kids rent out a train to party their way into the new year, complete with booze, pranks, and even a magician on board - David Copperfield. But then the past comes calling, and suddenly the joyride turns into a rolling coffin. The setup feels goofy, but underneath the disco lights and confetti lurks something mean and nasty.

The killer’s gimmick is what really sells it - changing masks, slipping into costumes, blending with the crowd while bodies keep piling up. It’s an old-school magic trick of its own: you think you’re looking right at the answer, but the film keeps misdirecting until it’s too late. There’s a weirdness to it all, almost dreamlike, as if the party itself becomes a nightmare that you can’t quite wake up from.

Jamie Lee Curtis anchors the movie, of course, carrying her final girl energy that we all know so well. But what makes Terror Train stick isn’t just her, it’s the way the movie leans into its setting. The train itself is a character: the cramped cars, the constant motion, the way there’s literally no escape except to jump into the frozen night outside.

By the time the last mask drops, the party’s long over, and the only thing left is cold steel and the echo of screams rattling down the tracks. Terror Train isn’t flashy, but it doesn’t need to be. It’s a slow, rolling descent into paranoia, reminding us that sometimes the scariest thing isn’t the monster outside, it’s the one sitting across from you, waiting for the right moment to gut you!