Train-departed Shot from Murder on the Orient Express

[cbdebill4]

I always loved this film and the score (I bought the soundtrack LP after seeing the movie when it first opened). Although the train departing scene appears effortless (I didn't know until now how difficult it was), it was one of the scenes that stayed with me long after I left the theatre. The scene has an indefineable quality that is so satisfying.

[1prostitutie]

Why everyone say this is the best scene . Maybe i`m a N00b but ... this is just a train . Damn !

[runawayfreak]

@1prostitutie wel, most people who say that are (like me) rail fans, but apart from that it is the best scene as it is the hardest scene to do. it requires good timing as the camera must follow the logo on the sleeping car, one second to late, he will mis it, to early will look awkward, and the fact that a camera in the 70's is easily out of focus if it follows something in different viewpoints or distances. so therefor I say this is the best shot: because it is the hardest on to do

[mgxp]

Excellent! 

[danwarren97]

this was a brilliant shot from a brilliant film, but I think that David Suchet was a better Poirot than Albert Finney.

[TheRobertTaggart]

@danwarren97 Finney methinks fine.

[runawayfreak]

@danwarren97 david suchet is better as poirot, but that is the only better part of the 2010 version IMO :p

[TheRobertTaggart]

The Orient Express - for the more avaricious anorak !

Moi ? - a mere anorak !!

[btomimatsucunard]

Great movie! Love the music! Just wish that they used the trains sound for the train departing.

[remmidemmi01]

Its my favourite scene too, but also I like the end of the film when the snow plough comes through the snow!

Is there someone who can put it in?

[ty5117]

This scene is Oscar worthy!

[runawayfreak]

Even though suchet is mostly considered being better in the role of poirot, this still is the best murder on the orient express movie IMO!

[VeritySeeker]

One of the best scenes in any movie.

[Bluequotations]

this has to be the best film ever made! it scares the crap out of me every time, but i still have watched it so many times and know the music and the script by heart.and wow what an incredible cast!

[Cool2BCeltic]

The most exciting stories start with a train journey, Murder on the Orient Express, The Thirty Nine Steps and of course The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe and Harry Potter!

[matt484991]

This film was ROBBED of the Best Cinematography Academy Award.

[luckyowl249]

I love this GREAT opening scene with its PERFECT music. So many thanks for sharing!

[JohnnyNW]

has to be one of the all-time great shots of any film!

[gilgamess]

My mother was a great fan of soundtracks and when my father took me to see this, I was so proud of myself for "discovering" the music of Richard Rodney Bennett in this movie. This was MY discovery, not Mom's!

Yeah, so, you were hip when YOU were ten?

[furrowin]

great supporting cast great score great plot wrong poriot albert finney is a very talented actor one of the greats but there is but one hercule poriot and his name is DAVID SUCHET

[klausthemusician]

@AgentXnine I totally disagee. Every time I see the scene I would like to hear the sound of the locomotive. And it's just the music ...

[dcg12b]

it is 100% a french engine...british engines dont let of steam out of the top of their cylinders, french engines do tho. I agree it could have been filmed in a british location but at the time their was a french engine in britain that ran on the main line at Carnforth so that could be it but im not sure...but its deffo french.

[apollosaturn5]

@dcg12b You're absolutely right. If you ever watch the making of the movie the director, Sidney Lumet, says it was shot at about five in the morning in Paris, France at a "gigantic" railway repair shed where "the whole train could pull into". He also said that the track gages of England and Europe are different so they had to shot it in France.

[b3a5t1e]

@apollosaturn5

The gauge is the same in England & France; 4ft 8 inches. That's the international standard

[dhlawrence1985]

@b3a5t1e The gauge is the same but the 'loading gauge' is different. While 4 ft 8 1/2 inches is the standard in both countries, continental trains are a little wider and taller than in the UK.

[b3a5t1e]

@dhlawrence1985 Yes, I did know about the difference in the loading gauge, but appollosaturn5 clearly refers to the track gauge being different

[runawayfreak]

what kind of engine is that anyway?

[gaycowboy31]

@runawayfreak I understand it to be a British 4-6-0 so i was told but i could be wrong

[runawayfreak]

I don't think british It looks more like a french engine to me

[gaycowboy31]

@runawayfreak I agree with you it looks like a SNCF steamer but I was told while on the Real Orient Express this year it is in fact British and filmed in a shed in London as a mater of fact if you look in the movie close there is one of the British Pullmans in that train consist when this movie was made I understand there was only about 2 or three Wagon Lits(Orient Express) cars left most of it was a movie stage

[noblinkingnamesleft]

How a genius (Richard Rodney Bennett) writes a film score to complement rather than imitate the scene.

[sealforvr]

there's a making of section on the DVD. The station scenes were shot at night in the old repair barns of SNCF at night. SNCF happened to have an old steam engine still being used as a switcher, and the production crew dug around the junkyards till they found some old Wagons Lits cars in restorable shape. They had to have duplicates of each, one for the departures and exteriors, one they could cut in half and film in. Paline Kael of the NY Times called it a paen to a lifestyle gone forever.

[gaycowboy31]

this is cool even though its hollwood I will be on the real Orient Express next week from paris to Istanbull on thr nestalga route it would be so cool if they put steam on it but I am not counting on it

[maxcadyuk]

Lovely feem toon.

[AgentXnine]

Beautiful! Beautiful!

I have seen a lot of train departures on film, but this is the best one! The solemn music, the cinematography and the setting. Train departure of all times!

[tallyho2008]

I was born in the wrong century!!! I want to go back in time and be a decadent fop in the 1920s and 30s!!!!! *sigh*

[runawayfreak]

I love this song and the train!

[dhlawrence1985]

This is by far my favourite scene in the movie. Thanks for putting it up!

[andyrobbo2k]

Does anyone know the title or composer of this song? it's great!!

[MaebySurelyBarely]

Sir Richard Rodney Bennett wrote it, you can get it with the whole album of itunes of amazon. It's called The Orient Express, it'll be the longest song there.

[barnabinobarnabone]

I love this movie and I thought I knew everything about it...but I don't know what's the story behind this scene.

Could you write it here after my comment?

[georgeseurat]

Story part 1: This scene was shot at a train station in Leon. They only booked the train station for one day. Nearly every actor in the movie had a show running back in London, and they had to be back there the next day. It was nearly the end of the day (5:00am in the morning) and this shot was still not yet done.

[georgeseurat]

Story part 2: Time was running out and they needed to take this difficult shot in a short period. What is difficult about this shot is that the camera is zooming in while the train is moving towards the camera. If the cameraman is not steady, the shot will be easily out of focus. This shot is done in one take without any rehearsal before.

[barnabinobarnabone]

I didn't know this...thank you very much!

P.S.: by any chance do you have the Making Of of this wonderful movie? I'd love to see it!