Friday Classic: Escape From New York (1981)
A 1981 Sci-fi/Action thriller, Escape from New York, is a film whose visual style holds up even today. Written, directed and scored by the legendary John Carpenter, Escape from New York, takes us to a futuristic, dystopia, Manhattan in the year 1997.
The movie revolves around the island, which is now fenced off and used as a Maximum Security Prison, housing some of the most ruthless criminals ever. It is like this because the US crime rate increased 400%. When the President of the United States and Air Force One is hi-jacked and crashed into the island, the President survives but not before he is taken by the inhabitants of the island prison.
The prison security forces are unable to obtain the President and are commanded to leave the island by the underground faction of criminals or they will kill him. Now the only hope for the forces is to enlist the help of legendary special forces operative and fugitive, Snake Plissken (Kurt Russell).
With the threat of WWIII and the Soviet Union still in existence, the President’s survival is imminent, being that he is carrying important information and documents on nuclear fusion.
The movie was originally written in the mid-70s by Carpenter as a result of the Watergate Scandal but due to his inability to articulate the reference, no studio wanted it. That was until, Carpenter finished Halloween. The film was also inspired by the movie, Death Wish. The movie, though it takes place in Manhattan, was not filmed there at all. It was actually filmed entirely in St. Louis, MO.
The film had a great box-office take, after only costing $7 million to make, the movie grabbed $50 million globally. [Source: BoxOffice Mojo]
The movie did get a sequel, Escape From L.A. that was considered a box-office bust, a complete turnaround from the original which has a good reception.
There has been news of a remake, with Gerard Butler being attached to the film and New Line acquiring the rights to the film. Since then Butler has bowed out of the remake and with no director announced not much is known about the remake if in fact it is a remake or prequel. However, we reported that Josh Brolin was rumored to play the new Snake Plissken.
Directed by: John Carpenter
Produced by: Larry J. Franco, Debra Hill
Written by: John Carpenter & Nick Castle
Starring: Kurt Russell, Lee Van Cleef, Ernest Borgnine, Donald Pleasence, Isaac Hayes, Harry Dean Stanton, Adrienne Barbeau, Season Hubley, Tom Atkins
Music by: John Carpenter & Alan Howarth
Distributed by: AVCO Embassy Pictures
Release date: July 10, 1981
Running Time: 99 minutes
Followed by: Escape from L.A. (1996)
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Categories: Fused Movies
