Terminus

1961 0h 35m EN

👍

7.3

SOLID

⭐

7.1

IMDB

★7.3TMDB · 17★7.1IMDB · 397

Documentary

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

This fly on the wall-style documentary from 1961 won an Oscar for best documentary, and shows the changing patterns of human emotions during 24 hours in the life of Waterloo Station.

“Some stories are better left unspoiled.”

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Where to watch · US

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Cast

Peggy Ashcroft
Mother (uncredited)
Gertrude Dickin
Woman Asking About Train (uncredited)
Margaret Lacey
Elderly Lady at Lost Property Office (uncredited)
Matthew Perry
Little Lost Boy (uncredited)
John Schlesinger
Passenger (uncredited)

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: John Schlesinger
Writers: John Schlesinger
Languages: English
Countries: United Kingdom

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

RUNTIME

Did you know

Tight 35-minute runtime — shorter than most television pilots.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

ERA

Did you know

65 years old — a genuine piece of film history.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

RUNTIME

Did you know

Lean credit list — fewer than 30 people officially credited.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by John Schlesinger, shot by Kenneth Higgins. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Ron Grainer. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Hugh Raggett shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Peggy Ashcroft and Gertrude Dickin and Margaret Lacey carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt0055514 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

John Schlesinger directs. Kenneth Higgins behind the camera. Ron Grainer scores. Hugh Raggett cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Produced in United Kingdom. Dialogue in English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Tight 35-minute runtime — shorter than most television pilots.
265 years old — a genuine piece of film history.
3Lean credit list — fewer than 30 people officially credited.
4Directed by John Schlesinger, shot by Kenneth Higgins. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
5Original score by Ron Grainer. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
6Editor Hugh Raggett shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
7Peggy Ashcroft and Gertrude Dickin and Margaret Lacey carry the top of the cast.
8IMDB entry: tt0055514 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
9Only 17 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.

The technical file

Cinematography: Kenneth Higgins
Original score: Ron Grainer
Editing: Hugh Raggett
Runtime: 35 min · 0h 35m
Status: Released
Original language: EN
IMDB: Terminus (1961)
IMDB rating: 7.1/10 · 397 votes

Awards

Won 1 BAFTA Award1 win total

Also by

John Schlesinger

Trailers & featurettes

Watch the pieces

Community reviews

What people are saying

CinemaSerf2024-02-07
★ 7/10
Well it's a very brave beekeeper who opens this documentary about an hectic twenty-four hours at London's Waterloo station, to the south of the Thames. These bees, however, are quite symbolic of what we see for the next half hour as the station manager checks in at the start of the morning rush hour. What's curious to note here is just how diverse those travelling passengers are. From the successful businessman buying his buttonhole upon arrival to those coming from further afield or destined for outward journeys - including the boat train to connect with the Queen Elizabeth in Southampton. There's even a few detained during Her Majesty's Pleasure! It's buzzing. Constant movement, chatter, a fellow with a seriously annoying laugh, rushing about - the general sense of all kinds of humanity in one place is well captured in this engaging fly-on-various-walls presentation. The logistics of keeping these steam trains running, of the manual signal operations, a constantly busy enquiry and lost property office and the meticulous planning of a staff who can keep trains moving to a schedule that would be nigh-on impossible to re-set should the momentum is lost is also well featured in this narration-free real life drama. Hats! Maybe it's a generational thing, but almost everyone wears an hat. If only onboard catering was this good nowadays, and I wonder if there is still a train to Clapham Junction every four minutes! Anyone need a brolly?

Production companies