Guillermo del Toro Loves This “character-driven action movie”

Do you love unearthing a forgotten relic from the ‘80s as much as I do? Discovering an overlooked offering from a bygone era is one of my favorite pastimes. Hell, I even write a column for Dread Central that champions quality efforts that flew under the radar. As it turns out, I’m in good company when it comes to my appreciation for forgotten films. Auteur filmmaker Guillermo del Toro is an equally outspoken advocate of buried cinematic gems. In fact, he’s turned me on to plenty of titles I would never have otherwise seen.

Some time ago, del Toro took to Twitter (not X) to share his appreciation for a forgotten Andrei Konchalovsky picture that needs more love. His post reads: “Movie: Runaway Train by Andrey Konchalovskiy, based on a script / idea by Akira Kurosawa. A meditative, character-driven action movie.”

Seeing as del Toro has impeccable taste, it’s no surprise that his recommendation has a stellar reputation with critics. The picture holds an 83% critical approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes with 35 reviews tallied. The PopcornMeter (formerly the user rating) is an equally impressive 76%.

Djordje Milicevic, Paul Zindel, and Edward Bunker penned the script for this thrilling effort. Their screenplay is based on a script by legendary filmmaker Akira Kurosawa. Kurosawa tried to get the project off the ground in the ‘60s to no avail.

Where can I stream this Guillermo del Toro-approved thriller?

So, what do you think? Does Runaway Train sound like your cup of tea? If the Kurosawa connection and del Toro’s affinity for the flick have you itching to experience it, you can find Runaway Train streaming for free (with ads) on Tubi as of the publication of this post.

Philosophical action thriller about two escaped prisoners who hide on board a train speeding through Alaska. The driver suffers a fatal heart attack and the train races out of control through the icy wilderness. With the railroad signalmen unable to stop it and a vindictive prison warden desperately pursuing them by helicopter, the train’s passengers look set to face disaster. Based on a screenplay by Akira Kurosawa.

There you have it. That is absolutely everything that we have for you at present. Make sure to keep an eye out for more exciting recommendations from your favorite cinematic luminaries as we uncover them. If you’re keen to keep up with my comings and goings on social media, you can find me on Threads @FunWithHorror.

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