Back in the days when actors did not ask the earth to make a film the words Star Studded were frequently used. And in the 70's more than any other decade the words star studded and disaster was frequently used together.
Made in 1976 the film stars Richard Harris, Sophia Loren, Martin Sheen, O.J. Simpson, Burt Lancaster and Ava Gardner to name but a few.
As the film opens, a group of animal rights terrorists break into a biological research station. While failing in their task they also manage to release a deadly plague. One of the trio escapes and heads for the train station.
The Transcontinental express (a train) is travelling from Geneva to Stockholm with more than 1000 passengers and crew onboard. Unknown to the trains passengers they have an additional visitor. The plague infected terrorist has boarded the train and is slowly infecting those aboard.
A renowned Doctor teams up with the military to try and contain the disease to the train. But as the train approaches Poland the military decide not to allow the train to reach its destination, if the train arrives there is a possibility that an infected passenger could make contact with the outside world. If the plague becomes airborne the whole of Europe could be wiped out within a few weeks. The decision is made to terminate the train, before it reaches its target, this will of course mean the eradication of all aboard.
My Thoughts ------------------
The Cassandra crossing was one of those films I remembered seeing as a child, It stuck in my mind for many years. It had not been given television air time in a quite considerable time, so I was thrilled when it came out on DVD. The acting is first rate even my pet hate Richard Harris pulls in a reasonable performance. The two beauties of the piece Gardner and Loren look stunning and both carry out quite significant roles, which believe it or not was not the done thing for a woman at the time. The one hold back for some younger viewers is that the film looks very early 70's and some of the supposed advanced technology is just comical.
As the film starts your made aware that it's a Lew Grade production, this if I had not previously seen the movie would have persuaded me of its worth. A Lew Grade production was always star filled, and usually all the films bearing his name were blockbusters, Cassandra Crossing is not an exception.
Another plus for this DVD is that it's on the Carlton Silver Collection, so it's a budget release, I have seen this available online for as little as £3, or £5 in the shops. Of course being a budget release you are placed into a no features DVD situation which is tragic as there is a major amount of behind the scenes footage in the ITC library.
Treat yourself to a family night in with a classic 70's disaster epic, it won't be a film you'll forget. Often imitated but never equalled the Cassandra Crossing was as good to watch a year ago as it was 20 years earlier.
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The Cassandra Crossing is an all-star disaster spectacular telling of the terrifying ... more
odyssey of 1000 doomed passengers trapped aboard a plague-infested train. A terrorist infected with a deadly virus boards the Stockholm to Geneva Express and exposes a...
![The Cassandra Crossing [DVD] [1977]](http://picnica.ciao.com/uk/78537692.jpg "The Cassandra Crossing [DVD] [1977]")
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