Runaway Train (1985)

Director:

Andrei Konchalovsky

Writers:

Djordje Milicevic (screenplay) &
Paul Zindel (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

6 December 1985 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Drama | Thriller

Tagline:

Once it starts, nothing can stop it!

Plot:

Two escaped convicts and a female railway worker find themselves trapped on a train with no brakes and nobody driving.

Plot Keywords:

Train | Prison | Prisoner | Escape | Heart Attack

Awards:

Nominated for 3 Oscars. Another 2 wins & 4 nominations

Cast

Jon Voight	...	Manny
Eric Roberts	...	Buck
Rebecca De Mornay	...	Sara
Kyle T. Heffner	...	Frank Barstow
John P. Ryan	...	Ranken
T.K. Carter	...	Dave Prince
Kenneth McMillan	...	Eddie MacDonald
Stacey Pickren	...	Ruby
Walter Wyatt	...	Conlan
Edward Bunker	...	Jonah
Reid Cruickshanks	...	Al Turner (as Reid Cruikshanks)
Dan Wray	...	Fat Con
Michael Lee Gogin	...	Short Con
John Bloom	...	Tall Con
Hank Worden	...	Old Con (as Norton E. 'Hank' Warden)

Runtime:

111 min

Country:

USA | Israel

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Rankcolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Canada:18A (Ontario) | Iceland:16 | Singapore:NC-16 | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Chile:14 | Finland:K-18 | Norway:16 (cut) | Norway:18 | South Korea:18 | Sweden:15 | UK:18 | USA:R | West Germany:16

Filming Locations:

Montana, USA

Company:

Golan-Globus Productions

Trivia:

Kurosawa's original screenplay was inspired by an actual incident in the Northeast, when a locomotive left sitting unattended apparently throttled themselves up and ran away down the main line.

Goofs:

Incorrectly regarded as goofs: Some have pointed out that the dead-man switch, a device intended for this exact situation, should have put on the brakes and stopped the train. Indeed, it should have - however, it is explained in the film that the dead-man switch malfunctioned.

Quotes:

Rankin: You're as afraid to die as anybody else, and I never let you free. You hear me?
Manny: I am free, Rankin. I am free.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Tsukuru to iu koto wa subarashii! Kurosawa Akira: Shikisai wo te ni ireta Kurosawa Akira (2003) (V)

Soundtrack:

'Gloria' in D Major by Vivaldi

15 years later - one of the greatest movie you've never heard of

I remember being wowed by "Runaway Train" back in 1985 when it first came out. Seeing it again on DVD in 1999 reminded me of just how excellent a movie this really was. I recommend "Runaway Train" to anyone who wants a large portion of philosophical meat and meaning mixed in with gripping action and a solid story. In the 15 years since "Runaway Train" was first released, I can't think of a movie other than "The Matrix" that has combined so much action, tension, and a strong philosophy so successfully.

Chances are you've never heard of "Runaway Train." Amazing too. The movie was even based on a Akira Kurosawa screenplay and it shows. Jon Voight and Eric Roberts were at the top of their craft. In fact, both received well deserved Oscar nominations for very powerful performances.

It makes me sad to think that so few have had a chance to actually see this movie due to the sloppy studio backing and licensing turmoil born out of the collapse of the former Golon-Globus production studio. Surprise! Golon-Globus actually made at least one excellent movie outside of the their usual roster of shlock. But their poor reputation might have become so tarnished by that time that audiences didn't get a chance to know what they were missing. As a result, the movie rarely if ever gets airplay or any notice. Since the DVD was one of the very first DVD's to be released when the universe of DVD owners was measured in thousands not millions, it has once again fallen below the radar. Does a tree make a noise if it falls in a forest when there is no one around to hear it happen?

Maybe that was how "Runaway Train" became all but forgotten. If the title were to be reissued today in an SE package, I believe that a whole new generation of DVD viewers would be delighted to have this title in their collection. In the meantime it is worth seeking out for rental or purchase, you won't be disappointed.