Orient Express Movie

Kenneth Branagh was on Sunday Morning last week promoting the movie, looked good.

Movie was heavily promoted...that's a clue that it will be mediocre...and it was...just my opinion.

SD60M posted:

Movie was heavily promoted...that's a clue that it will be mediocre...and it was...just my opinion.

How often do we see a movie set almost entirely on a train?  Make more train movies.

Chris Sheldon 

All movies are heavily promoted. They only have 2 to 4 weeks in the theater to earn back their budget. 

Andrew

FireOne posted:

I would be curious to see if anyone has info on the train in the movie.  Where can I buy one in G Scale?

See it!

Chris Sheldon

This train (Orient Express) is not modelled in G (LGB made a train set they called Orient Express, but that had nothing but the color to do with it) ; there are models in1 gauge (and most other gauges) like this one I run in my garden:

See also my (free to download)  ebook on the Wagon-Lits:

http://sncf231e.nl/ciwl-carriages-by-fredsmall/

And lots of information on the Orient Express in this App: 

http://orientexpresshistory.net/

Regards

Fred

I hate to say it, but that French, I think, locomotive looks just right for the theme of this picture.

Fred, I want to thank you for sharing your ebook with the forum, I find it fascinating.

You must have one of the finest Orient Express collections in the world, truly impressive.  I think you may have cost me a lot of money though as I now must have a Gauge One set.

Any ideas on where I can find one that I won't need a second mortgage for?

Chris Sheldon

Chris,

Thank you.

The J&M models gauge 1 Orient Express cars that I have are not made anymore; every now and then they come available from a collection, so you would have to be on the look out (ebay etc..). The German company Wunder has recently made an even more detailed and more expensive set (https://wunder-modelle.jimdo.c...ciwl-orient-express/) but thas seems to be also sold out. 

In 0 gauge Elettren of Italy still makes Orient Express cars (http://www.elettren.it/CIWL_coaches.htm) in metal and of course MTH makes an 0 gauge Orient Express in plastic.

Regards

Fred

Fred, I see some J & M models on eBay now, they are pricey.  What do you pull them with?  Prefer electric, not live steam.

Chris Sheldon

"All movies are heavily promoted. They only have 2 to 4 weeks in the theater to earn back their budget. "

I got that...but, for only certain ones do their stars show up on all the talk shows and news magazines.  In my very limited experience, most of those turn out to be mediocre movies.  By the way, the locomotive used for this movie...maybe CGI for all I know...looks a lot like a US 4-8-4...or some such configuration.  It does not look European.  Again, this is maybe just my inexperience and humble opinion showing through.

SD60M, I was thinking the same thing, that that loco was not very European.  I never saw any ads or promotion before I saw the movie, but I watched the Trailer for it after, there is a very good image of the loco at the scene of the avalanche which shows much more detail.  If I can't find a suitable loco maybe I could bash together one from a Mikado I have, just for fun.

Chris Sheldon

The locomotive is a French 4-8-2 (or 2-4-1 in Euro parlance.)  Unfortunately, it's gone "Hollywood."

Rusty

FireOne posted:

Fred, I see some J & M models on eBay now, they are pricey.  What do you pull them with?  Prefer electric, not live steam.

Chris Sheldon

Chris,

I generally use live steam locomotives. Lematec has made an electric model in 1 gauge of the 241A French locomotive that is used for the movie (but not with the strange headlamp etc). Google "Lematec 241A" to find it (it is not available anymore from Lematec). The Orient Express used many different locomotives through the years since it went through many countries (all described in a book Orient Express by Werner Sölch, but this is only available in German language). For France, Germany,Switzerland  and Austria you might find suitable gauge 1 model locomotives, but not for the Eastern countries. For Switzerland, where steam locomotives were already gone early, you could use the Märklin gauge 1 electric Crocodile.

Regards

Fred

No thanks, I'll stick with the Albert Finney version.  It is much closer to the original novel than this new version.

Stuart

Fred, you have given me something to dream about, but at the prices I am seeing, they will remain dreams for a long time.  Wait, do I really need two kidneys?

Chris Sheldon

There is a 20-3383 available on Ebay right now. A bit pricey, though.

Okay, now I've got the kidney out, now what?

Chris Sheldon

Chris 

Stuart posted:

No thanks, I'll stick with the Albert Finney version.  It is much closer to the original novel than this new version.

Stuart

 

Perhaps, but you have to realize that when a movie is "remade", it almost has to be different than the original.....for how can it be any better if it is essentially the same movie?

Making the movie "differently" is also another excuse to see the new one.

Just my two cents....

It features a train and the wife wants to see it - good enough in my book!  

I saw it the weekend it was released, and I really enjoyed it!  Visually it was nicely done, and the ending wasn't changed in its tone from the book or 1974 movie (the David Suchet one altered that a bit).

The 1974 movie is still my favorite, but this one is just under it, followed by the David Suchet one from a few years ago, and I've erased the horrible TV movie with Alfred Molina from my memory forever.

Part of why I like this movie is the care the Branagh put into it, having a train built, trying to keep true to a Christie style, etc.

My technical nit was the smoke deflectors being reversed on the locomotive!  But the visuals with the train (expecially travelling through the snowy landscape) were beautiful to me.

Would like to see MTH reproduce this locomotive again..

My wife is the reason I went to see the movie at all as I figured the train would be lame anyway as Hollywood doesn't pay much attention to details on centuries old technology.  As Eddie stated above, the visuals of the train moving through the Alps was incredible, made me want to go there.  See it.  Now I can blame my Orient Express jones on my wife, I already told her "you had to take me to the movie".  Now she informs me she wants to take the real Orient Express.  I thought train models were expensive!  I wasn't really using that other kidney much anyway.

Chris Sheldon

FireOne posted:

 Now she informs me she wants to take the real Orient Express. 

Chris Sheldon

It is too late for that; there is not such a thing as the real Orient Express anymore. There is of course a very expensive tourist trap which is called the Orient Express.  

Regards

Fred

The train and station were built for the movie. They used the biggest studio in Europe to build the station. It's a 360 set so they could shoot from all angles. The steam engine was moved by a small diesel loco. It's one of the few films shot on film and 70mm at that. It's doing well at the box office and they are planning another Agatha Christie film. "Death on the Nile". More info on the production. http://www.in70mm.com/news/201...press_info/index.htm

Don

FireOne posted:

Fred, I want to thank you for sharing your ebook with the forum, I find it fascinating.

You must have one of the finest Orient Express collections in the world, truly impressive.  I think you may have cost me a lot of money though as I now must have a Gauge One set.

Any ideas on where I can find one that I won't need a second mortgage for?

Chris Sheldon

Chris,

 I have a never been run 5 car Orient Express passenger car set in one gauge from Exclusive Models (the successor to J & M Models).  The cars are brass with a gray synthetic roof and are about 29" long, although the baggage car may be a bit shorter.   If you are seriously interested, I will assemble full details and figure out an asking price.  I bought these cars about seven years ago.  Please understand these cars are very expensive and very hard to find.  They have ball bearing axles and interior LED lighting.

If you are interested, my email address is in my profile.

Bob

Saw it last night and it was okay but I would suggest waiting until it comes out on video.

Saw it last night. Liked it.

Lematec SNCF 241A 65 :

You know when your hearts starts racing when you see a gorgeous locomotive?  That just happened.

Stuart posted:

No thanks, I'll stick with the Albert Finney version.  It is much closer to the original novel than this new version.

I'm with you.  I've seen the trailers and there can be no comparison with the cast of main characters in the "original".  I'm familiar with those cast in the lead roles and Branagh is no Poirot, he's a caricature, that mustache is beyond ridiculous - Finney simply became the Poirot that Agatha Christie wrote.  Michelle Pfeiffer is a lovely lady and an accomplished actress but cannot possibly compete with the sultry, iron willed Lauren Bacall as the hardened ringleader of a complex murder conspiracy.

There is a fine supporting cast, nearly the equal of the original, including the likes of Judi Dench, Johnny Depp and Willem Defoe.  I'm sure Derek Jacobi makes a fine Beddoes but what could compare to John Gielgud's drippingly unctuous delivery of the line, "Mr. Ratchet.  Your amber moon."?

This smacks of the 1970's spate of "young" movie redoes so beautifully parodied by Mel Brooks and Gene Wilder with "Young Frankenstein".   There seems to be a general lack of imagination in "Hollywood" ever since its population decided to playact as political pundits and world leaders.  Perhaps they should go back to filling scripted roles and leave the fate of the nation to grownups.

I plan to see the movie, once it comes out on Netflix, just for comparison and, of course, the train. 

Rapid Transit Holmes posted:

Stuart posted:

No thanks, I'll stick with the Albert Finney version.  It is much closer to the original novel than this new version.

I'm with you.  I've seen the trailers and there can be no comparison with the cast of main characters in the "original".  I'm familiar with those cast in the lead roles and Branagh is no Poirot, he's a caricature, that mustache is beyond ridiculous - Finney simply became the Poirot that Agatha Christie wrote.  Michelle Pfeiffer is a lovely lady and an accomplished actress but cannot possibly compete with the sultry, iron willed Lauren Bacall as the hardened ringleader of a complex murder conspiracy.

There is a fine supporting cast, nearly the equal of the original, including the likes of Judi Dench, Johnny Depp and Willem Defoe.  I'm sure Derek Jacobi makes a fine Beddoes but what could compare to John Gielgud's drippingly unctuous delivery of the line, "Mr. Ratchet.  Your amber moon."?

This smacks of the 1970's spate of "young" movie redoes so beautifully parodied by Mel Brooks and Gene Wilder with "Young Frankenstein".   There seems to be a general lack of imagination in "Hollywood" ever since its population decided to playact as political pundits and world leaders.  Perhaps they should go back to filling scripted roles and leave the fate of the nation to grownups.

I plan to see the movie, once it comes out on Netflix, just for comparison and, of course, the train. 

Trust me.  Don't slam the movie out of hand unless you've seen it.  The cast really is good, the changes done with the characters are not for the sake of current audiences (they're done and fit in with the period), and Branagh is good as Poirot.  He doesn't play it as a caricature at all, but plays it with the eccentricity Poirot should have.

It's a good movie, much better than the horrible TV version in 2001 (which was a horrible update) and keeps the ending's feel of ambiguity with what to do in the resolution of the case (which was not done in the Suchet version).

I think this is a fantastic movie, watch the Play on words, and the Music, the Sound Effects, and the amazing Detective! Yes, it’s a must see, Great Mystery, Fun for All, but, Pay$$ Atention, it’s a powerful and fast moving, nothing Stops a Train...Great thread....

Oh My Lord!

Chris Sheldon

That Lematec model is one EXQUISITE piece of machinery! Swiss made? Must be worth $$$$$! 

As far as the Orient Express movies go, I prefer the Albert Finney version.

Tinplate Art posted:

That Lematec model is one EXQUISITE piece of machinery! Swiss made? Must be worth $$$$$! 

As far as the Orient Express movies go, I prefer the Albert Finney version.

One of the things I geta kick out of in the Albert Finney version is the rescue locomotive pushing the snow plow.  If you look carefully in one shot you will see a Baldwin pentagonal builder's plate on the smoke lifter.  I believe that it is a French "Liberation" Mikado.

Stuart

We recently saw the Kenneth Branagh version and enjoyed it. I happened to have the DVD's of the Albert Finney version and the David Suchet version which my wife and I thought was the best. We actually saw all three versions in a week's time. By the way, on one of the David Suchet DVD's there is a documentary with David Suchet taking a trip on the actual Orient Express as it exists today.