Checking in on the ghost train: A weird night at the station

Is this thing worth your time?

Honestly, only if you have a soft spot for dusty, black-and-white theatrical mysteries. If you need pacing that moves faster than a crawl, stay far away. It’s for the folks who like old radio dramas and don’t mind when a movie feels like it’s barely left the stage.

The whole setup is classic: stormy night, stranded passengers, and a stationmaster who looks like he’s hiding a secret. It’s got that specific vibe you find in films like The Unpardonable Sin where the atmosphere does all the heavy lifting. You can tell they didn't have a huge budget, but they tried to make the shadows count.

The station feels like a character

There’s this one shot of the waiting room that lingers for an eternity. The clock is ticking, the wind is howling, and I swear the wallpaper starts looking like it’s peeling in real-time. It’s probably just the film print, but it adds to the eerie feeling.

Stroe Atanasiu plays the stationmaster with such a heavy hand. Every time he delivers a line about the ghost train, he looks like he’s trying to swallow his own mustache. It’s kind of funny, honestly. 🚂

I found myself wondering if they ever actually left that room. The framing is so tight you feel the claustrophobia. It reminded me a bit of the frantic energy in Boudu Saved from Drowning, though obviously in a completely different genre. This is much more about the 'what if' than the 'what's happening.'

Wait, was that a ghost?

The scares are quaint. No jump cuts here, just someone looking out a window and gasping. It’s charming in a way that modern movies just can’t replicate because they’re too busy trying to be loud.

• The sound of the wind is clearly just someone blowing into a microphone.
• The stationmaster’s jacket is way too big for him.
• The dialogue feels like it was written for a stage play, which makes sense given the source.

Is it a masterpiece? No. Is it a fun way to kill an hour if you like old, gloomy things? Sure. Just don't go in expecting a high-octane thriller. It’s a stage play trapped in celluloid, for better or for worse. ⛈️