Hachijikan No Kyofu (aka 8 Hours Of Terror) (1957)

When all trains are canceled due to a typhoon, a group of disparate passengers decide to take a bus to their destination. Not only must the bus wend its way through treacherous mountain roads but there are two deadly bank robbers on the loose in the area. Directed by Seijun Suzuki, this is an uneven thriller that has a rocky start in the first half before redeeming itself with the second half. The film could just as easily have been called BUS OF FOOLS. The comedic elements are inane and the passengers are a selfish cowardly lot. Not ironically, only a convicted murderer (Kaneko Nubuo) and a prostitute (Harue Tone) turn out to be heroes. Tone is excellent and gives my favorite performance in the movie. This film could really use a remake, drop the comedy and up the tension quotient. I don't mean to sound too hard on it because I really enjoyed it. I just wish it were better. The film does feature one of the worst film scores I've ever heard (credited to Takio Niki). With Nitani Hideaki, Fukami Taizo, Minami Sumiko, Yamada Zenji, Keishichi Nakahara and Kazuki Minako.