Death Race 2000

[Chris]

Simply put, the greatest drinking movie of all time.

[Gary Frazier]

I wouldn't call this classic, I wouldn't call it a great film, but it's definitely worth seeing at least once.

It's clearly a satire (Paul Bartel was an excellent choice as director, his black humor pervades the scenes with characters; he also has an uncredited cameo as Frankenstein's doctor) on the excesses of American Media from the 70's on.   In 1975 it was over the top; by now, 2001, the sort of media nonsense depicted in the movie is so routine that many don't get the jokes.  It seems normal.

Stallone nearly steals the film; this was made just prior to his breakout in "Rocky", and he is great as Machinegun Joe Viturbo.  This thing even has Fred "Gopher" Grandy as Matilda the Hun's navigator.

Watch for the explanation of the scoring system...it's hilarious with graphics for each category of targets...like something that CNN on Faux News would run to explain who was winning during the bombing of Afghanistan, and delivered with exactly the same straight face.

There's also plenty of 70's style gratuitous nudity in this film, something that you just don't see anymore...it reflects, in many ways, a more innocent and less cynical time.

I wish the DVD had running commentary by Bartel or Corman; the interview of Corman by Maltin is pretty lightweight and doesn't get nearly as detailed as I'd like, although the discussion of low-budget vs. high-budget films is very interesting and provides some insight into Corman's moviemaking approach.  Unfortunately, this film wouldn't stand a chance of being a hit nowadays due to distribution politics.  We are poorer for that.

[bessie]

This film is dreadful and should be banned. I cannot see the humour in running over children. Stallone should be beheaded. Chap rubbish.

[Swamprat]

Terrific movie! Another example of making crap the right way! Funny, fast, clever, and violent. David Caradine is one of the best Deadpan Delivery Camp actors there has ever been. This guy's also a geniune "good" actor. Catch him in "Bound For Glory" sometime. But like Karloff and Price and several other well known B stars he just seems to be swimming in his element in these tongue-and-cheek cheeseball films. The "Hand Grenade" scene is priceless! Herman the German went into politics by way of the Love Boat! Mary Woronov, a true B queen if ever there was one, is as campy and sexy as ever in this one...and she's a mean death car pedaling b***h! And Sly Stallone belongs here, his "A" features gag me. Paul Bartel made one of the best Roger Corman films of all time with this little beauty and I'm amazed that it hasn't picked up a much bigger cult following than it has over the years. Rent it, buy it, watch it with friends and-or car buffs. Throw popcorn at the screen and have a blast. I even remember the arcade video game that came out when the movies did. It was one of the first video games of its kind. Most pinball machines still had spin counters instead of digital readouts back then...that should tell you haw long ago this was. Movies like this one were still considered dirty by most standards and seldom played anywhere but at the drive-ins.  I saw it with a carload of idiots for $1.75...bumber sticker night...as many people has you could stuff in a car for one admission price! Now that was the way to see these kind of movies! Inside the concession stand was the infamous video game machine, there for the week run of the film, 25 cents a play...couldn't get anywhere near it...more people played the game that night than actually stayed in thier cars and actually saw the movie. God...I hate getting old.

[Anonymous]

Death Race 2000 was actually made in the year of 1975. Roger Corman used a low budget in this movie, but I like it anyway because David Carradine and Sylvester Stallone were the main actors.

[Canadaphile]

DR2000 is awesome, plain and simple.  Complete gory violent mindless fun.  It's amazing how many people have seen this movie and remember it (although many times the name of the movie eludes them).  To this day, whenever pedestrians cross my car's path I mentally tally their point totals.

Oh, and to Bessie--maybe you don't see the "humour" in running over children, but I sure do ...  

[Beef Slapjaw]

This movie gives me goofbumps!  Word!  I especially enjoy the reprter at the end of the movie screaming "violence!  Violence!!  VIOLENCE!!!" right before he becomes street pizza!  Woo!  Hoo!

[Josh W.]

I remember watching "Death Race 2000" when i was just a boy, (I think I was about 10 years old.) and I liked it ALOT!! My dad watched it with me and then we went out in the backyard and raced my R/C cars around and ran over "G.I. JOE" and "HE-MAN" toys. But, then my mom came home for the store and saw us 'killing' my toys and grounded me from the T.V. for two weeks. After that my dad got me a "Hot Wheels" (I think) Frankenstein's CAR!!! and was playing with that in the livingroom floor. Problem is I left it in floor when i was called to the dinningroom table. After dinner, my mom was walking to her bedroom barefoot and stepped on it, and the top is pointed and it cut her. SO she pick it up and throw it in the TRASH!!!!
"I WANT MY "Frankenstein's CAR" BACK!!!!!

[Bluebird]

This movie is so bad it's good. Everyone should see this movie at least once. It's just way too funny. Hearing about the great pile up of '99 makes me laugh every time.
A must see all the way.
If you've ever heard anyone shout "old man 100 points!" or shouted it yourself while driving, Deathrace is where it all began.

[dave]

Awesome movie....That and Rollerball (the original) make a great double feature.

BTW - I believe its Grace Pander, not Parker (joke there somewhere)

And I believe if you listen to the dialog, Frankenstein has no replaced limbs - its a new frankenstein every time.  Am I wrong?  He says to annie that he was raised to be the winner "this year."  Its all part of the act.  Also - I dont believe that after 15 (??) races he suddenly decides this year to kill Mr. P.

Theres a lot more political satire here than first meets the eye - I believe the story on which it was based was less of a comedy than the movie turns out to be.  But I wouldnt change a thing in the movie - its perfect in its cheesiness and 70s flavor.

[Brad]

It was good, the music was laughable and the gore was kinda LOW!! lol, junior deserved a better death, and more PED's (pedestrian for short) could of been ran over, but its just fine the way it is now, there should be a REMAKE for 2002 or somethin' the movie was cool, specialy the cars. If you didn't play CARMAGEDDON yet, buy it or i'll turn you into a road sandwich.

[Brad]

Hey one more thought! the blood is extremely bright in this movie too lol, its like ULTRA-RED like on Bitmap when you choose Bright Red, like that kind of red, and when machine gun joe spits blood, pathetic paint i tell ya! >_<

[Paul Westbrook]

This movie rocks. Definately a cult favorite loved by many. Forget the inferior sequel DEATHSPORT. Stallone's over the top acting is worth the viewing time in itself.The guy who played the announcer was also equally over the top, but delightful, and made the film good. Why subject yourself to nonsense like FAST AND THE FURIOUS? These guys pioneered the road racing craze. Eat your heart out Vin Diesel.

[Dave]

One of my favorite B-flicks ever, and inspiration for a Drinking Game that is guaranteed to explode your liver...

- one drink for everyone that dies in some car-related fashion

- drink every time Grace calls someone a "dear, personal friend"

- drink every time the howard cosell sounding guy does that heh-heh-heh laugh.

- drink every time Mr. President loves everybody, or everybody loves him.

- drink for RANDOM GRATUITOUS nudity.

All in good fun :)

[Writer]

This is kind of like a video game movie, except that the video game came out *after* the movie instead of before. (Also, if this movie had been based on the video game instead of the other way around, it would definitely count more as a success than any of the crap based on video games that you get these days.) The reviewer ought to do a page for "B" video games just as he does for "B" movies, complete with clips.