Watch Trans-Europ-Express

Trans-Europ-Express is a French crime thriller that was released in 1966, directed by Alain Robbe-Grillet. The film follows a successful film director named Elias (played by Jean-Louis Trintignant) who travels by train from France to Belgium. Elias is accompanied by his beautiful and enigmatic script supervisor named Julie (played by Marie-France Pisier), who is also his lover. What begins as a seemingly romantic train journey, quickly spirals into a complex and suspenseful tale of deception, murder and the boundaries between fantasy and reality.

The train journey is depicted in a stylized and surrealistic manner, as if the characters are travelling through a dreamlike landscape. Elias and Julie are surrounded by a cast of characters who all have their own secrets and hidden motives. One such character is a strange man named Leduc (played by Christian Barbier), who keeps appearing mysteriously throughout the train journey, and who may or may not be a member of a criminal gang. Elias becomes increasingly paranoid about Leduc's presence and plots to use him as the subject for his new film, which he is planning to shoot in Brussels.

As Elias and Julie's journey progresses, they engage in various games and role play, with Julie taking on different identities and Elias trying to make sense of her behavior. There are hints that their relationship may not be entirely healthy, and that Elias may be using Julie as a muse for his own creative purposes. The film blurs the boundaries between reality and fantasy, and it becomes increasingly difficult to distinguish what is actually happening from what may be a figment of Elias' imagination.

As the train approaches its destination in Brussels, the tension mounts, and the film takes on the atmosphere of a classic film noir. There are twists and turns, and the final scenes of the film are both shocking and unexpected. Throughout Trans-Europ-Express, Robbe-Grillet explores themes of power, desire, and the nature of filmmaking itself. The film uses imaginative camera work, such as split screens and bold color schemes, to create a sense of disorientation, and to take the viewer on a journey through Elias' mind, as he tries to make sense of his own desires and the complex web of relationships around him.

Trans-Europ-Express is a visually stunning and innovative film, which combines elements of surrealism and film noir, with a clever and complex plot that keeps the viewer on their toes throughout. The performances by the three main actors are subtle and nuanced, adding to the atmosphere of tension and mystery. The film remains an important work in the history of French cinema, and continues to be a favorite of those interested in the avant-garde and experimental side of film-making. It is an intriguing and thought-provoking film that is sure to keep the viewer engaged from start to finish.

Trans-Europ-Express is a 1967 mystery with a runtime of 1 hour and 45 minutes. It has received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 7.0.