‘The most terrifying ride you’ll ever take’
The Midnight Meat Train is a 2008 American horror film directed by Japanese director Ryuhei Kitamura. It is based on Clive Barker’s 1984 short story of the same name, from Volume One of his collection Books of Blood. The film follows a photographer who attempts to track down a serial killer dubbed the “Subway Butcher” and discovers more than he bargained for under the city streets.
The movie stars Bradley Cooper, Leslie Bibb, Brooke Shields, Roger Bart, Ted Raimi and Vinnie Jones. Its script was adapted by Jeff Buhler, the producer was Tom Rosenberg of Lakeshore Entertainment, and it was released on August 1, 2008.
Plot:
Leon is a photographer who heads into the city’s subway system at night to take photographs. He begins to investigate newsreels about midnight disappearances, which leads him to a butcher named Mahogany, whom he suspects has been killing subway passengers for over 100 years.
Leon goes to the subway at midnight, where he witnesses the butcher killing passengers and hanging them on meat hooks. He passes out after being attacked by the butcher, who then strings him up as well. He awakens the next morning in an abandoned subway platform with strange markings carved into his chest…
Reviews:
“Jones, in a near-wordless performance, is effectively frightening as the butchering golem, and the film’s action in the subway and its slaughterhouse set-piece are striking. However, the script by Jeff Buhler does little to fill out the characters or explain the butcher’s backstory, and the quick explanation at the end really doesn’t suffice. The Midnight Meat Train may not be grade-A prime, but it ain’t chopped liver either.” The Austin Chronicle
Buy Blu-ray: Amazon.com
Cast and characters:
Bradley Cooper … Leon
Leslie Bibb … Maya
Brooke Shields … Susan Hoff
Vinnie Jones … Mahogany
Roger Bart … Jurgis
Tony Curran … Driver
Barbara Eve Harris … Detective Lynn Hadley
Peter Jacobson … Otto
Stephanie Mace … Leigh Cooper
Ted Raimi … Randle Cooper
Nori Satô … Erika Sakaki
Quinton ‘Rampage’ Jackson … Guardian Angel
Dan Callahan … Troy Taleveski
Donnie Smith … Station Cop
Earl Carroll … Jack Franks
Trailer:
