The Final Ghouls Of Horror Podcast
Sep 30, 2026 · 1 hr 25 min · 13 segments
The Final Ghouls are back and going on a terrifying train ride as we take a look at 1972's Horror Express! Holly, Jeremy and L dig deep into Eugenio Martin's train-set horror film with Christopher Lee…
But before we get into talking about this film itself, Holly, tell us a little bit about this film's production history and have fun.
Oh, boy.
First, I would like to apologize.
I am about to butcher a lot of names.
I do not mean to insult anyone.
I am really bad at reading names.
Yeah, go ahead.
Horror Express, also known as Panic on the Trans-Siberian, is directed by Eugenio Martin and written by Arnaud de Sauve.
Sorry.
Sorry.
And Julian Zmet.
It stars Christopher Lee.
I know that name.
Julio Pena.
And Sylvia Tortosa.
The film came about in a weird way because of the Hollywood blacklist of the McCarthy era.
Bernard Gordon had moved to Spain after being blacklisted and had worked with Martine before on 1972's Pancho Villa, which also starred Savalas.
Gordon said in an interview that the train set had been built for Pancho Villa, while Martine said it was acquired by a producer from 1971's Nicholas and Alexandra and wanted to make a film around it.
Whichever the case, Dussault and Zimet, who were also blacklisted from Hollywood, were brought on to write the script.
Despite the obvious similarities to John W. Campbell's Who Goes There, which became the source material for The Thing, Campbell was not credited, and there is a debate on whether it served as a direct inspiration.
At this time, Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee were generally known as the faces of Hammer films in the U.K., known for their Dracula and Frankenstein franchises, as well as other films.
But before we get into talking about this film itself, Holly, tell us a little bit about this film's production history and have fun.
Oh, boy.
First, I would like to apologize.
I am about to butcher a lot of names.
I do not mean to insult anyone.
I am really bad at reading names.
Yeah, go ahead.
Horror Express, also known as Panic on the Trans-Siberian, is directed by Eugenio Martin and written by Arnaud de Sauve.
Sorry.
Sorry.
And Julian Zmet.
It stars Christopher Lee.
I know that name.
Julio Pena.
And Sylvia Tortosa.
The film came about in a weird way because of the Hollywood blacklist of the McCarthy era.
Bernard Gordon had moved to Spain after being blacklisted and had worked with Martine before on 1972's Pancho Villa, which also starred Savalas.
Gordon said in an interview that the train set had been built for Pancho Villa, while Martine said it was acquired by a producer from 1971's Nicholas and Alexandra and wanted to make a film around it.
Whichever the case, Dussault and Zimet, who were also blacklisted from Hollywood, were brought on to write the script.
Despite the obvious similarities to John W. Campbell's Who Goes There, which became the source material for The Thing, Campbell was not credited, and there is a debate on whether it served as a direct inspiration.
At this time, Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee were generally known as the faces of Hammer films in the U.K., known for their Dracula and Frankenstein franchises, as well as other films.
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