{{other uses|Death train (disambiguation)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=July 2015}} {{Use Australian English|date=July 2015}} {{missing information|the film's production and broadcast history|date=October 2019}} {{Infobox television | image = | caption = | director = Igor Auzins | producer = Robert Bruning | writer = Luis Bayonas | starring = Hugh Keays-Byrne<br>Max Meldrum | music = Suzi Pointon | cinematography = Richard Wallace | editor = Ron Williams | company = Grundy Productions<br>Gemini Productions | released = {{Start date|1978|11|01|df=y}} | runtime = 96 minutes | country = Australia | language = English | budget = }}
'''''The Death Train''''' (alternately titled '''''Death Train''''') is a 1978 Australian made-for-television horror thriller film<ref name="scott">Ed. Scott Murray, ''Australia on the Small Screen 1970-1995'', Oxford Uni Press, 1996 p42</ref> directed by Igor Auzins, and starring Hugh Keays-Byrne and Max Meldrum.
It was produced by Robert Bruning's Gemini Productions.<ref>{{cite magazine|first1=Peter|last1= Beilby|first2=Scott|last2= Murray|title= Robert Bruning|magazine=Cinema Papers|date=September–October 1979|pages=517–519|url=https://issuu.com/libuow/docs/cinemapaper1979sepno023}}</ref>
==Plot== {{more plot|date=October 2019}} A dead man is discovered at the bottom of his garden. It appears he has been hit by a train even though no train has run along those tracks for years.
==Cast== * Hugh Keays-Byrne as Ted Morrow * Ingrid Mason as Vera * Max Meldrum as Johnny Loomis * Ken Goodlet as Sergeant McMasters * Brian Wenzel as Peter Murdoch * Colin Taylor as Herbert Cook * Terry Camilleri as Taxi Driver (uncredited)
==Production== The film was shot in Sydney.<ref name="smh"/> Shooting started September 1977.<ref>{{cite news|title=Rugged - so he's a villain|page=100|newspaper=Sydney Morning Herald |date=September 11, 1977}}</ref>
==Reception== Don Groves of the ''Sydney Morning Herald'' said "Bruning has made some terrific thrillers, but this isn't one of them. After an intriguing opening, ''The Death Train'' simply runs off the rails... the script is given such tongue-in-cheek treatment, it's little more than a farce."<ref name="smh">{{cite news|first=Don|last=Groves|newspaper=Sydney Morning Herald|title=A Movie That's Off the Rails|page=55|date= July 9, 1978}}</ref>
Charles Tatum from ''eFilmCritic'' rated the film a negative two out of five stars, criticizing the film's script, and editing.<ref name="efilmcriticrev">{{cite web |last1=Tatum |first1=Charles |title=Movie Review - Death Train, The - eFilmCritic |url=https://www.efilmcritic.com/review.php?movie=6443 |website=eFilmCritic.com |publisher=eFilmCritic |accessdate=19 October 2019}}</ref>
Dave Sindelar from ''Fantastic Movie Musings and Ramblings'' gave the film a positive review, stating that the film's overall quirkiness (from its bizarre mystery, offbeat characters, and surreal humor) worked in its favor.<ref name="sindelar09">{{cite web |last1=Sindelar |first1=Dave |title=The Death Train (1978) |url=https://fantasticmoviemusings.com/2018/11/05/the-death-train-1978/ |website=FantasticMovieMusings.com |date=6 November 2018 |publisher=Fantastic Movie Musings and Ramblings |accessdate=19 October 2019}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * {{IMDb title|0275293|Death Train}} * {{Letterboxd title|the-death-train|The Death Train}} * [https://web.archive.org/web/20191020054820/https://www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b709ca257 ''The Death Train''] at the British Film Institute{{better source needed|reason=Help request: a live link can be searched for at https://collections-search.bfi.org.uk/web/search/expert - if available, replace the archive URL with the live link. Or if none found, remove this 'better source needed' template. | date=October 2023}} * [https://www.screenaustralia.gov.au/the-screen-guide/t/death-train-1978/6649/ ''The Death Train''] at Screen Australia * [https://www-austlit-edu-au/austlit/page/C809285 ''Death Train''] at AustLit (subscription required)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Death Train}} Category:1978 horror films Category:1978 television films Category:1978 films Category:1970s horror thriller films Category:Australian horror thriller films Category:Australian television films Category:Horror television films Category:Films directed by Igor Auzins Category:1978 English-language films Category:English-language horror thriller films
{{Australia-tv-film-stub}} {{1970s-thriller-film-stub}}