Runaway Train has a story by a Japanese man, screenplay by a Serbian, produced by Israeli cousins, directed by a Russian, edited & shot by Englishmen, music by a South African, starring Americans.
Three ironic points... 1) In the Control Center scene when the guy says "why couldn't we stop it with all this technology?" while showing the Space Shuttle landing. Runaway Train was released in December, 1985... the next month the Challenger disaster occurred. 2) When Ranken first meets Manny in the movie, Manny is the prisoner. The next time they are face to face is on the train and Ranken is now becomes the prisoner. 3) When they show the faces of the inmates at the end they all look sad. They have lost their hero. But there's one who smiles... Jonah who understands that his friend has found his freedom. THERE'S SIGNIFICANT ARTISTRY THAT WENT INTO THE MAKING OF THIS ACTION FILM.
We showed this at a theater I worked at and many people came out pissed off because they didn't show the train wreck at the end!! I loved this.I think it is Jon Voight's best and stunning performance as was Eric Roberts' as Buck. Both of them, sadly, lost out on an Oscar that year.
Major props on reacting to this! This film is truly a masterpiece. It was produced by cannon films which did a lot of the best action films of the 80s, and so this one had all the great action but transcended into something deeper, a study of human nature and what it is to stand and die for something. The 2 characters that hate each other crash and die, and the 2 characters that love each other live. It’s a shame that this film doesn’t get the recognition it deserves, but unfortunately many films don’t. It is up to us to spread the word on art with substance and to help provoke thought or we’ll end up with a nation of brain dead zombies. Like manny would say “No Brains!!!”
Great comment. But hear me out. Ranken survived. He was inside the cab of the locomotive when it crashed with his helicopter following overhead. Assuming they can get to him in time, it's very likely that the crash didn't kill him.
Haven’t seen any 1 react 2 this classic yet! That speech he gives to Eric Roberts on the train about getting a menial job is MONUMENTAL! Thanks u! 💯🔥🤙🏽😎
3:19 - This was actually Trejo’s first movie role. He was initially working behind the scenes and was recognized by one of the filmmakers on set, who was a fellow inmate from San Quentin.
this is definitely in my top 10 all time movies. maybe top 5 if im centering on the atmosphere. i think the landscape and the train have their own personas.
This movie is 3rd on my list of best movies of times... the acting is just plain perfect, the story very well transposed on screen... soundtrack is awesomely timely fit with the movie action...
Yes!! Finally there is somebody watching and reacting on one of my all time favorite movies, and I'm glad it's you! Can't wait to see your reaction and review.
@@oldschoolrican Saw it first on a Swiss filmchannel, then I rented it on tape, later in the 90s I found an ex-rental vhs, dvd early 2000s and then the Arrow release on Blu-ray. Even got the limited edition soundtrack on cd (3000 units). It is still in my top 3 of favorite movies, 1. ''The Good, The Bad And The Ugly'', 2. ''The Thing'' & 3. ''Runaway Train''.
7:51 Engineer* I'm a train fanatic, have been for 10 years, the conductor doesn't drive the train, the engineer does, the conductor takes tickets, and couples the cars together, other than that conductors don't do shit.
Fun fact. Danny Trejo's first film. He was fresh out of San Quentin prison and working as off screen as a boxing coach for Eric Roberts. Director liked him so much gave him the boxing scene part for $320 a day.
Brilliant movie. There’s a great documentary, Electric Boogaloo: The Wild, Untold Story of Cannon Films, that talks about this film and how it was one of the few times Cannon producers Golan and Globus allowed the director full creative control (or close to it), and the critical success it turned out to be.
A good movie that has Eric Roberts is "The Pope Of Greenwich Village". A low level crime drama that stars Mickey Rourke and Burt Young ( Paulie ) from Rocky.
If this is your Jon Voight's most earliest movie, then you've gotta watch John Boorman's ''Deliverance'' (1972) also with Burt Reynolds, Ned Beatty and Ronny Cox.
I didn’t know I wanted you to react to this film. I’m so glad you are. WAY ahead of the curve on this one and I think other reactors will follow. Also - Eric Roberts performance… RIGHT?
It's an overlooked movie because it doesn't have anything stereotypically 80's in it so it doesn't activate nostalgia. The movie feels a lot like the grimy and gritty crime movies of the 70's.
I am so glad you chose to talk about the music from the film, the film is bloody amazing, and the music helps with that. Unfortunately I am among the few rail fans who actually enjoys this film more than other train movies. Most Railfans criticize that the train never stopped, and yet it's literally explained in the film that "some things just aren't meant to be explained". It's a beautiful film. The ending theme actually appears twice in the movie, it's an adaptation of a Vivaldi piece.
"Akira Kurosawa basically influenced every director you know." Someone said this in a lower comment and ...Yup, Steven Spielberg modeled his wipes in Jaws right from The Seven Samurai. Without that movie we wouldn't have The Magnificent Seven, Three Amigos, Bug's Life. George Lucas openly says he made Star Wars based on the plot of Kirosawa's Hidden Fortress. He is to film as Julia Child was to home cooking. The GOAT.
I feel like this film has got even better with age. One of those movies that was on a lot during the 80s cable tv heyday. I’ve seen it many times. It’s a phenomenal movie. The shots of the train rumbling through the Alaskan winter are downright beautiful and the Vivaldi score puts the perfect topping on it. I can’t say enough about it.
Fun fact movie debut of Danny Trejo. He was originally hired to train Eric Roberts to box, but when they saw all his prison tatts and his look they asked him to play the boxer Eric fights. He was like(they were paying him like $350 a day just for the training) "For that much cash, he can beat me up for real!"
Hello. Greetings from Argentina. This movie is really great, I had it on VHS with Spanish subtitles. I congratulate you, the truth is I'm glad you enjoyed this gem of old-school cinema
2 more points to consider: 1) Both Tiny Lister and Eric Roberts appeared in The Dark Knight. 2) "Jonah" is Eddie Bunker who played "Mr Blue" in Reservoir Dogs
Saw this masterpiece on opening night in my local theatre back in September of '85, and the two things I remember the most are 1. That haunting ending where Voight's character sacrifices himself while Vivaldi's 'Gloria' is playing on the soundtrack and 2. The quote, "That's your momma 's fart hole Ranken. The bitch is loud. " Yes, I know. I've got issues.
Unstoppable is a pretty good train flick as well, and it was based on an actual event called the crazy 8s incident. Csx 8888. Of course artistic liberties were taken, but the gist of it is taken care of
Great to see you reacting to this! It's very underseen gem of a movie and best legit "good" movie Cannon group ever produced. Powerful stuff and already living in such cold enviroments most of the year myself, i get extra immersed into the movie's setting. Well done. The score also gives me chills each time. I also highly recommend you William Friedkin's (from director of "The Exorcist") masterpiece:"To live and die in L.A" from the same year 1985!
12:38 That’s the emergency fuel cutoff switch. If the brakes aren’t working (or in this case, they burned off), pressing the button and holding it for several seconds will starve the engine of fuel and force it to shut down.
Akira Kurosawa basically influenced every director you know. My favorite movie of his is DERSU UZALA. I always forget it's his though because it's not in Japanese. Jon Voight and Eric Roberts are both the best actors in their families. I'll recommend COMING HOME and THE POPE OF GREENWICH VILLAGE respectively.
Ppl refuse to accept the fact that Hollywood has played PsyOp games against audiences for decades. I just rewatched this film for the first time since the 90s. After learning how many films prewarned us all for 9/11, it took me a minute to notice that the space shuttle segment in this film was Intended. Considering , the shuttle Challenger disaster occured the very next year 1986
Have this 💎 on DVD, excellent movie with a grea cast, masterful performances part from Voight and Roberts an underated classic Auckland New Zealand 2023
Dude, there's still so many great 80s movies you need to watch.... "Over the Top" an arm wrestling movie with Sylvester Stallone, "Lost Boys" great 80s vampire movie, "Goonies" a great kids comedy/adventure movie. I swear, the 80s is the best, and the best soundtrack.
I haven't seen this one yet, but, I'd highly recommend checking out a movie called 'Star 80.' Tough subject matter; true life story of a beautiful girl from Canada that was sucked into the California Playboy scene by her grifting, pimping, boyfriend played by Eric Robert's. Robert's performance in that movie is the best piece of acting I've ever seen; bar none. Very dark film, dark humor; very good performances by all of the cast. I love true crime movies, and though tough to watch; one that stays with you.
Eric Roberts is also great in this. If you haven’t already seen it, watch Best of the Best. He plays one of the two main characters. It’s a martial arts film, but more than just that.
Jon Voight is a fantastic actor, who's made some unforgettable movies! If you get a chance, I recommend a a couple of his movies. The first one, "Midnight Cowboy", also starring Dustin Hoffman, and "Conrack" a movie where he's a school teacher in South Carolina teaching a group of illiterate children about the outside world, a world beyond their little island. Two awesome movies you will enjoy! Thank you, and keep up your great reactions. 👍👍
Major League - fantastic 1989 sports comedy, you don’t have to be a sports fan to dig this one! 9 to 5 - Classic 1980 film, they don’t make them like this anymore Killer Klowns from Outer Space Count of Monte Cristo (2002) revenge period piece…beautiful film, well done across the board… you might recognize Dumbledore and a very young Superman
I'll never forget seeing the poster for this film in the theater when I went to watch another movie...it was misleading. Kids wanted action, this movie was more. Years later, I would learn and understand the prisoner mentality better
This movie is an UNDERRATED MASTERPIECE, Both Voight and Roberts are BRILLIANT
Finally!!!! Someone who actually watched this forgotten master piece!!
Fax
Runaway Train has a story by a Japanese man, screenplay by a Serbian, produced by Israeli cousins, directed by a Russian, edited & shot by Englishmen, music by a South African, starring Americans.
I also love the shots of the train itself. So brutal and majestic at the same time.
Three ironic points...
1) In the Control Center scene when the guy says "why couldn't we stop it with all this technology?" while showing the Space Shuttle landing. Runaway Train was released in December, 1985... the next month the Challenger disaster occurred.
2) When Ranken first meets Manny in the movie, Manny is the prisoner. The next time they are face to face is on the train and Ranken is now becomes the prisoner.
3) When they show the faces of the inmates at the end they all look sad. They have lost their hero. But there's one who smiles... Jonah who understands that his friend has found his freedom.
THERE'S SIGNIFICANT ARTISTRY THAT WENT INTO THE MAKING OF THIS ACTION FILM.
Jonah is Mannys brother
Very underrated movie, I also agree it should be more popular
I really wish more reactors would watch this powerful masterpiece. Voight and Roberts should have gotten the Oscar.
We showed this at a theater I worked at and many people came out pissed off because they didn't show the train wreck at the end!! I loved this.I think it is Jon Voight's best and stunning performance as was Eric Roberts' as Buck. Both of them, sadly, lost out on an Oscar that year.
I thought the fact that they didn't show it made it more impactful (no pun intended).
@@Chris-vk2zw Indeed - the ending was more powerful because of that choice. It's so much more than just an "action movie".
Major props on reacting to this! This film is truly a masterpiece. It was produced by cannon films which did a lot of the best action films of the 80s, and so this one had all the great action but transcended into something deeper, a study of human nature and what it is to stand and die for something. The 2 characters that hate each other crash and die, and the 2 characters that love each other live. It’s a shame that this film doesn’t get the recognition it deserves, but unfortunately many films don’t. It is up to us to spread the word on art with substance and to help provoke thought or we’ll end up with a nation of brain dead zombies. Like manny would say “No Brains!!!”
Great comment. But hear me out. Ranken survived. He was inside the cab of the locomotive when it crashed with his helicopter following overhead. Assuming they can get to him in time, it's very likely that the crash didn't kill him.
Haven’t seen any 1 react 2 this classic yet! That speech he gives to Eric Roberts on the train about getting a menial job is MONUMENTAL! Thanks u! 💯🔥🤙🏽😎
Bingo….AMEN!!!
From a 17 yr ex con, that monologue was titanic
yeah bang on mate.
3:19 - This was actually Trejo’s first movie role. He was initially working behind the scenes and was recognized by one of the filmmakers on set, who was a fellow inmate from San Quentin.
this is definitely in my top 10 all time movies. maybe top 5 if im centering on the atmosphere. i think the landscape and the train have their own personas.
100% they do, everything about this movie is brilliant
This movie is 3rd on my list of best movies of times... the acting is just plain perfect, the story very well transposed on screen... soundtrack is awesomely timely fit with the movie action...
The score is HAUNTING and BRILLIANT
Great analysis of the film. This is an underrated flick. A real gem.
Great movie. Caught it on TV one night years ago and couldn't look away. It stuck with me all this time and I keep coming back to it. So awesome.
Everyone spread the word about this amazing movie. Been a favourite of mine since the early 90s!
Man this is one of my childhood movies. I'm 45 & I still enjoy this movie. I used to have it on VHS. Now I got the DVD.
Yes!! Finally there is somebody watching and reacting on one of my all time favorite movies, and I'm glad it's you! Can't wait to see your reaction and review.
Man I agree. I've watched this movie 100 times since 1985.
@@oldschoolrican Saw it first on a Swiss filmchannel, then I rented it on tape, later in the 90s I found an ex-rental vhs, dvd early 2000s and then the Arrow release on Blu-ray. Even got the limited edition soundtrack on cd (3000 units). It is still in my top 3 of favorite movies, 1. ''The Good, The Bad And The Ugly'', 2. ''The Thing'' & 3. ''Runaway Train''.
DAMN GOOD FILM THAT NO ONE EVER SPEAKS OF ANYMORE.
BRAVO SIR
7:51 Engineer* I'm a train fanatic, have been for 10 years, the conductor doesn't drive the train, the engineer does, the conductor takes tickets, and couples the cars together, other than that conductors don't do shit.
So glad that you're reacting to this amazing film.
One of the best endings in movie history.
Without a doubt
This film is one of my best!
This movie is SO underseen! Thanks for reacting to it! 😊😊😊
They dont make em like this anymore!
Great movie 🔥💯
Believe it or not, Eric roberts has over 600 acting credits. He's the 3rd most prolific actor in the world.
Fun fact. Danny Trejo's first film. He was fresh out of San Quentin prison and working as off screen as a boxing coach for Eric Roberts. Director liked him so much gave him the boxing scene part for $320 a day.
Brilliant movie. There’s a great documentary, Electric Boogaloo: The Wild, Untold Story of Cannon Films, that talks about this film and how it was one of the few times Cannon producers Golan and Globus allowed the director full creative control (or close to it), and the critical success it turned out to be.
A good movie that has Eric Roberts is "The Pope Of Greenwich Village". A low level crime drama that stars Mickey Rourke and Burt Young ( Paulie ) from Rocky.
Goddamn I love this movie…”Manny, take me wit ya, Manny”
If this is your Jon Voight's most earliest movie, then you've gotta watch John Boorman's ''Deliverance'' (1972) also with Burt Reynolds, Ned Beatty and Ronny Cox.
I believe Jon Voight won a Golden Globe and was nominated for an Oscar for this. There was a raw humanity all the way.
Such a great film. Jon Voight absolutely knocked it out of the ballpark in this.
Manny envied the freedoms we so take for granted, and you could sense that it was eating away at him.
I didn’t know I wanted you to react to this film. I’m so glad you are. WAY ahead of the curve on this one and I think other reactors will follow. Also - Eric Roberts performance… RIGHT?
It's an overlooked movie because it doesn't have anything stereotypically 80's in it so it doesn't activate nostalgia. The movie feels a lot like the grimy and gritty crime movies of the 70's.
Agree!!!
@@ryanjacobson2508 yes
I am so glad you chose to talk about the music from the film, the film is bloody amazing, and the music helps with that. Unfortunately I am among the few rail fans who actually enjoys this film more than other train movies. Most Railfans criticize that the train never stopped, and yet it's literally explained in the film that "some things just aren't meant to be explained". It's a beautiful film. The ending theme actually appears twice in the movie, it's an adaptation of a Vivaldi piece.
"Akira Kurosawa basically influenced every director you know." Someone said this in a lower comment and ...Yup, Steven Spielberg modeled his wipes in Jaws right from The Seven Samurai. Without that movie we wouldn't have The Magnificent Seven, Three Amigos, Bug's Life. George Lucas openly says he made Star Wars based on the plot of Kirosawa's Hidden Fortress. He is to film as Julia Child was to home cooking. The GOAT.
Finally! One of my favorites. Been suggesting this to lots of people. Frickin badass
The classical music piece at the end is Et in Terra Pax by Vivaldi - one of my favourites! Great film!
The actress on the train is Rebecca De Mornay. Check her out in The Hand That Rocks the Cradle.
Eric Roberts is Julia Roberts' brother
I feel like this film has got even better with age. One of those movies that was on a lot during the 80s cable tv heyday. I’ve seen it many times. It’s a phenomenal movie. The shots of the train rumbling through the Alaskan winter are downright beautiful and the Vivaldi score puts the perfect topping on it. I can’t say enough about it.
Thank you for reacting to this!!!
So glad you reacted to this. A classic movie with powerhouse performances.
Greatest Alaskan movie ever its a undeniable classic so good 👍 must watch for movie lovers 👌
Fun fact movie debut of Danny Trejo. He was originally hired to train Eric Roberts to box, but when they saw all his prison tatts and his look they asked him to play the boxer Eric fights. He was like(they were paying him like $350 a day just for the training) "For that much cash, he can beat me up for real!"
A much earlier Jon Voight you should react to is "Midnight Cowboy" 1969. The first X certificate film to win the best picture oscar . Brilliant film.
Hello. Greetings from Argentina. This movie is really great, I had it on VHS with Spanish subtitles. I congratulate you, the truth is I'm glad you enjoyed this gem of old-school cinema
This is a movie more people need to watch these days!
2 more points to consider:
1) Both Tiny Lister and Eric Roberts appeared in The Dark Knight.
2) "Jonah" is Eddie Bunker who played "Mr Blue" in Reservoir Dogs
Jon Voight is so great hopefully if you haven’t seen “Deliverance “ you’ll check it out, thanks again
Saw this masterpiece on opening night in my local theatre back in September of '85, and the two things I remember the most are 1. That haunting ending where Voight's character sacrifices himself while Vivaldi's 'Gloria' is playing on the soundtrack and 2. The quote, "That's your momma 's fart hole Ranken. The bitch is loud. "
Yes, I know. I've got issues.
The only movie I ever bestowed the title "The Mighty" upon. Because it just is.
This film is so underrated that it was nominated for multiple Oscars!
You do know that Eric Roberts is JULIA Roberts brother. They actual made a movie together called King of the Gypsies many years ago.
Unstoppable is a pretty good train flick as well, and it was based on an actual event called the crazy 8s incident. Csx 8888. Of course artistic liberties were taken, but the gist of it is taken care of
Great to see you reacting to this! It's very underseen gem of a movie and best legit "good" movie Cannon group ever produced. Powerful stuff and already living in such cold enviroments most of the year myself, i get extra immersed into the movie's setting. Well done. The score also gives me chills each time.
I also highly recommend you William Friedkin's (from director of "The Exorcist") masterpiece:"To live and die in L.A" from the same year 1985!
Man that car chase scene is so stressful to watch till this very day.
If you get a chance.... Check out Convoy (1978) with Kris Kristofferson.
Y'ever met a duck that couldn't swim?🦆🦆
Thanks for doing this one. Very underrated.
12:38 That’s the emergency fuel cutoff switch. If the brakes aren’t working (or in this case, they burned off), pressing the button and holding it for several seconds will starve the engine of fuel and force it to shut down.
I saw this in the theaters. No one even knows this movie exists. Great to see it on here.
I LOVE THIS MOVIE!!! I LOVE ERIC ROBERTS such a great and talented actor.
Akira Kurosawa basically influenced every director you know. My favorite movie of his is DERSU UZALA. I always forget it's his though because it's not in Japanese.
Jon Voight and Eric Roberts are both the best actors in their families. I'll recommend COMING HOME and THE POPE OF GREENWICH VILLAGE respectively.
First time I see somebody react to this excellent movie hopefully other reactors follow your lead. 🙏🏽✌🏽🌎🌍🌏♥️
The actress is Rebecca Demornay …. famous for her role with Tom Cruise in “Risky Business”.
This train is like a steel DEATHTRAP...like a space shuttle
Please consider THE SERPENT AND THE RAINBOW (1988). Bases on actual events about Voodoo priests turning people into living zombies
First reaction in TH-cam about this movie.
Thanks for showing this. Jon Voight and Eric Roberts were sensational.
The best, most genuinely decent “movie” Cannon ever made.
Seen all of the above, and Runaway Train has them all beat. No 80’s corn, just a genuinely decent movie.
This is a great movie. Another great movie from 1985 to check out is The Emerald Forest.
Ppl refuse to accept the fact that Hollywood has played PsyOp games against audiences for decades.
I just rewatched this film for the first time since the 90s.
After learning how many films prewarned us all for 9/11, it took me a minute to notice that the space shuttle segment in this film was Intended.
Considering , the shuttle Challenger disaster occured the very next year 1986
Have this 💎 on DVD, excellent movie with a grea cast, masterful performances part from Voight and Roberts an underated classic Auckland New Zealand 2023
Dude, there's still so many great 80s movies you need to watch....
"Over the Top" an arm wrestling movie with Sylvester Stallone, "Lost Boys" great 80s vampire movie, "Goonies" a great kids comedy/adventure movie.
I swear, the 80s is the best, and the best soundtrack.
I haven't seen this one yet, but, I'd highly recommend checking out a movie called 'Star 80.' Tough subject matter; true life story of a beautiful girl from Canada that was sucked into the California Playboy scene by her grifting, pimping, boyfriend played by Eric Robert's. Robert's performance in that movie is the best piece of acting I've ever seen; bar none. Very dark film, dark humor; very good performances by all of the cast. I love true crime movies, and though tough to watch; one that stays with you.
Eric Roberts is also great in this. If you haven’t already seen it, watch Best of the Best. He plays one of the two main characters. It’s a martial arts film, but more than just that.
I made a music video (years ago) using scenes from this movie and the song "Locomotive Breath" by Jethro Tull, turned out very cool.
We saw this in the theater when it first came out. You should also react to White Boyz.
great movie
JON VOIGHT, ERIC ROBERTS, REBECCA DeMORNAY, KYLE T. HEFFNER, JOHN P. RYAN!!
MANNNY!! MANNNNY!!! MANNNNNNY!!!!
Just realized that I keep mixing this up with switchback in my mind.
Jon Voight is a fantastic actor, who's made some unforgettable movies! If you get a chance, I recommend a a couple of his movies. The first one, "Midnight Cowboy", also starring Dustin Hoffman, and "Conrack" a movie where he's a school teacher in South Carolina teaching a group of illiterate children about the outside world, a world beyond their little island. Two awesome movies you will enjoy! Thank you, and keep up your great reactions. 👍👍
Check out True Romance if you can. Epic movie that not many first timers watch. Written by Tarantino (his first script)
Nice request!
Major League - fantastic 1989 sports comedy, you don’t have to be a sports fan to dig this one!
9 to 5 - Classic 1980 film, they don’t make them like this anymore
Killer Klowns from Outer Space
Count of Monte Cristo (2002) revenge period piece…beautiful film, well done across the board… you might recognize Dumbledore and a very young Superman
I'll never forget seeing the poster for this film in the theater when I went to watch another movie...it was misleading.
Kids wanted action, this movie was more.
Years later, I would learn and understand the prisoner mentality better
Great Reaction brother
I remember this movie
Also check out The Edge starring Alec Baldwin & Anthony Hopkins
Also, Emperor of the North Pole
Manny himself was the runaway train
Yes Eric and Julia Roberts are siblings
Aye, never seen this one🙏✌️💖