THE CASSANDRA CROSSING (1976)

Trains were the first major mode of mechanised transportation, but despite their practicality, they have a lot to contend with at the best of times. I base this on episodes of Thomas the Tank Engine I watched as a child. However, the titular blue locomotive never unwillingly carried a deadly airborne virus, risking the lives of all on the Island of Sodor. Disaster classic on rails, The Cassandra Crossing, poses one such scenario and has recently pulled into Australia on Blu-ray through Imprint Films.

When the pneumonic plague finds its way on board a high-speed train travelling across Europe, a US military Colonel stationed at the World Health Organisation decides the passengers’ fate.

With any disaster flick, especially one made during the 1970s, comes an ensemble cast. The Cassandra Crossing’s may not be as stacked as The Towering Inferno or Earthquake, but it’s impressive all the same for such a confined space, with A-listers such as Richard Harris, as the main protagonist, along with Ava Gardner, Sophia Lauren, and Burt Lancaster as the callous Colonel Mackenzie.

Trains have often served as a social microcosm for class structure and hierarchy, which came to fruition in recent years with the movie Snowpiercer, and its subsequent TV series that was also derailed, no pun intended. Although for the passengers onboard this European express, who range from the criminal, passive, elderly, and the well-educated, they are all ultimately united by the threat of infection. The Cassandra Crossing will likely be conjuring up some memories of COVID-19, like the drastic response from government and local authorities, which often flew in the face of logic and common sense. Having lived in one of the most locked-down regions during the pandemic, the isolation and frustration felt by the passengers, along with the abuse of power that’s depicted in the film, is accurate.

How quickly would the decision have been made to essentially write off a thousand or so people to prevent a virus spreading? That’s the question the viewer is left to ponder as Colonel Mackenzie quietly exits. What’s more alarming is how this morally rigid figure seems to have been given autonomy over the crisis.

SPECIAL FEATURES

1080p High-definition presentation on Blu-ray
NEW The Entertainer: The films of George P. Cosmatos – video essay by film historian and author Jeremy Smith
NEW Infectious Narratives – interview with University of Hull doctoral researcher and host of Pandemic Pages podcast Lucyl Harrison on pandemics in cinema
Theatrical Trailers
Archival behind-the-scenes featurette

Imprint have commissioned two all-new featurettes for this release of The Cassandra Crossing, which both offer something a little different for viewers. Jeremy Smith delivers a flashy, engaging, and affectionate video essay on the work of George P. Cosmatos, and particularly homes in on his pre-1980s career. While the supplement gives much-needed love to the director’s overlooked titles, those adverse to spoilers might want to give it a miss. The featurette, Infectious Narratives, provides the informative perspective of a pandemic narrative through the eyes of a researcher in the field, Lucyl Harrison. As a viewer, it was interesting to hear how a 50-year-old film held up regarding its portrayal of the spread of disease, and the subsequent bureaucratic response to it. – by Hannah Lynch

VIDEO AND AUDIO

The Cassandra Crossing has been available in HD since 2014 and has yet to undergo any significant restoration or a 4K scan of the “original film elements”, to quote the popular buzz phrase used by many labels. I wouldn’t say this is a bad transfer, but it’s one that’s unremarkable. What’s obvious is a lack of contrast, sharpness, and colour saturation to the 1.78:1 image, beneath a whitish hue. The single LCPM 2.0 Stereo Track has decent volume, but it does tend to dip slightly at odd times during key dialogue; as the action intensifies, it becomes less noticeable. Optional English HOH Subtitles are available.

The Cassandra Crossing is a bleak journey, but it travels at a steady pace as a light action film. Richard Harris is in heroic form as the self-appointed saviour and voice of reason while Martin Sheen, coupled with Ava Gardner, brings a lot of manic energy in their supporting roles as the situation worsens. Imprint’s release will likely stand as the most premium edition in HD for years to come.

THE CASSANDRA CROSSING
(1976: director: Various)