Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
Audience Rating: Unrated
Binding: DVD
Brand: ALLUMINATION FILM WORKS LLC
EAN: 0783722735824
Format: Closed-captioned, Color, DVD-Video, NTSC
Label: Allumination
Manufacturer: Allumination
Number Of Items: 1
Publisher: Allumination
Region Code: 1
Release Date: December 20, 2005
Running Time: 100 minutes
Sales Rank: 52335
Studio: Allumination
Theatrical Release Date: April 22, 2001
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Editorial Review:
Product Description:
This made-for-television mystery is a contemporary version of the Agatha Christie book that was made into the classic 1974 all-star version starring Albert Finney Lauren Bacall and Ingrid Bergman. This time around Hercule Poirot (Alfred Molina) uses modern technology to help solve the murder of a corrupt and devious Antiques dealer named Ratchett (Peter Strauss). Agatha Christie originally based MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS on the infamous Charles Lindbergh kidnapping case. This adaptation is given a current twist by making the despised Ratchett the abductor and murderer of the little girl of a wealthy software tycoon named Armstrong instead of a famed aviatrix. When Ratchett is found stabbed to death in his compartment and the train comes to a halt as a result of a rock slide that is blocking the tracks Poirot interrogates all of the passengers on the train. As the questioning proceeds Poirot realizes that virtually everyone has some kind of connection to Armstrong. But who is responsible for the grisly murder? Only Poirot can solve the mystery with the help of his 'little gray cells of the brain' (and a few technological gadgets like a laptop computer palm pilot and VCR).System Requirements:Running Time 100 Mins.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: MYSTERY/SUSPENSE Rating: NR UPC: 783722735824 Manufacturer No: ARD27358
Customer Reviews
Average Rating: 
Rating:  - Why did they bother?
The back of the DVD case claims that "Agatha Christie's ultimate whodunit speeds into the twentieth century," and that's a pretty good indication of this production's incompetence. Yes, for the record, they probably meant "twenty-first" century, since Christie's book was written in the twentieth century. Actually, bringing this mystery into the twenty-first century is part of the problem - does anyone really need to see Hercule Poirot performing internet searches? Much of the novel's atmosphere came from the fact that everyone was trapped, snowbound, in the train, and Poirot had no way to solve the murder except to reflect. In this movie, Poirot has access to search engines and online video, which means that he's about as isolated as I am now, writing this review.
Due to time constraints, a lot of characters have been cut from this movie entirely. Generally I don't mind that sort of thing, but MotOE is the one novel that really can't accommodate that kind of editing. Maybe the writers would have had room for more suspects if they hadn't wasted time on a completely pointless love interest for Poirot? And in the "pointless changes" category, I don't really care if the producers decided to change a Russian princess into an Eva Peron-style dictator's wife. Actually, I do care, because it's dumb, but I understand that there aren't a lot of Russian aristocrats in the twenty-first century. Still, having changed the character, the writers then leave in a clue about the South American dictator ... Read More
Rating: - This Orient Express never makes it to the main yard.
It is Alfred Molina's great misfortune that, in portraying Hercule Poirot, he has been preceded by Peter Ustinov, Albert Finney, and David Suchet. Had this not been true, we might have been tempted to give his performance a higher rating than it is now possible to do.
The original novel by Agatha Christie (same title) is one of the greatest whodunits ever penned. For unknown reasons, Ustinov never did it. My guess is that, although his Poirot films were made after the timely death of the pernicious and much-despised Code, the prospect of a murderer getting away with the crime was still too daunting for Hollywood. Suchet has yet to make Orient, but then it was only last year ('07) that he finally did "Mrs. McGinty's Dead" (with, we hope, Ariadne Oliver). Suchet's voice is used for Poirot in the 2006 Orient Express video game.
So finally, in 2001 a TV version of Orient is made with Alfred Molina in the key role. Alas. Molina is a talented actor. His portrayal of Poirot, while not definitive nor even close, is passable - even pretty good in some ways. However, once we compare him with his predecessors (not to mention the literary original), the problems show up like fat, pendulous, juicy pimples (the kind we all loved to pop back in the day). We all know, for instance, that Poirot was fastidious to the point of school-marmish fussiness. Molina's Poirot is neat and that's about it. Molina's accent is a sort of generalized European, not the pointedly confrontational ... Read More
Rating:  - Enjoyable
I purchased this specifically to see Leslie Caron. I was not disappointed. I enjoyed having the classic set in modern times.
Rating: - Where's the A Team when you need them?
Even with Alfred Molina and Peter Strauss, this production leaves a lot to be desired. Poirot and computers and PDAs? Please! And removing 3 characters from the panel of 12 who decide the fate of and execute the offender is more than Agatha Christie herself would stand for!
Rating: - Murder On Orient Express TV Movie
A poor updated attempt to remake a classic film. While any remake of a classic is difficult, this tv movie was extremely poorly done with an unremarkable cast. Alfred Molina sleepwalked his way through the film as Poirot. He had absolutely no chrisma nor humor. Not much more can be said of the remainder of the cast. The attempt to update by giving Poirot a love interest really missed the mark.
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