ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK (1981)

[Rev. Powell]

Just saw this for the first time.  It seems to be all over cable TV right now; it's on fearnet on demand and I caught a bit of it on AMC.

This was a movie I'd been meaning to see for a long time to complete my cult movie education, along with the similarly themed THE WARRIORS which I also recently scratched off my list.  I'd say the two had about the same effect on me.  Both were imaginative actioners with mild, near future sci-fi gimmicks.  Both were entertaining in a popcorn movie sort of way, and got bonus points for creating a unique world.  I'd give both 4/5 slimes, but neither really went that extra mile in my mind to attain classic status.

A few thoughts on ESCAPE (mostly negative, minimal spoilers):

*I thought the plot was confusing at several points.  Never did figure out what crime Snake committed (though I gather there's some bonus footage on the DVD that explains he robbed a bank).  Never figured out why half the people he met in Manhattan seemed to know him by sight.  Never figured out how Ernest Borgnine always knew to show up when he was needed.  Brain's schemes were always a mystery.  And I must have nodded off when they explained the significance of the tape recording.  I gather it had some information about nuclear bombs or a doomsday device on it or something, but I never really figured out why it was so crucial that the tape be recovered in 24 hours so it could be played at the conference.  Snake seemed to think it was important, though.

*I didn't really like Snake as a protagonist.  I never sensed he was an honorable outlaw, just a surly mercenary.

*Overall the cast was above average,  No one gave a great performance but the faces and personalities were all memorable.  Kurt Russel, Lee Van Cleef, Isaac Hayes, Harry Dean Stanton, Adrienne Barbeau... quite a collection of talent.

*The one bit of casting I didn't like was Donald Pleasance as the President.  Since when can Brits become President of the United States?  I know it's the future, but come on... weren't there any American actors available for the part?

*One last thing... someone should have told John Carpenter that noodling around on your Casio keyboard is not the same thing as creating a film score.  It worked for HALLOWEEN, but he should have quit while he was ahead.

[Allhallowsday]

You just saw this for the first time? 

...And I must have nodded off when they explained the significance of the tape recording.  I gather it had some information about nuclear bombs or a doomsday device on it or something, but I never really figured out why it was so crucial that the tape be recovered in 24 hours so it could be played at the conference.  Snake seemed to think it was important, though...

Is this a JOHN CARPENTER movie...?  And you expect it to make sense...??    

*The one bit of casting I didn't like was Donald Pleasance as the President.  Since when can Brits become President of the United States?  I know it's the future, but come on... weren't there any American actors available for the part?

Must be CARPENTER's affinity for re-casting.  I'm okay with it, because CARPENTER's America is a complete sellout...

[Torgo]

Great flick.  Kurt Russell, Isaac Hayes, and Donald Pleasance rock in this movie along with the rest of the superb cast.

[CheezeFlixz]

If you have Netflix you can stream it on view instantly, I watch it a few night go. Great flick IMO, one of the few I like with Kurt Russell in it ... his Disney youth stardom doomed him to always be the "The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes" and "The Strongest Man in the World" to me. Strangely enough he played a character named 'Dexter' in both. 

[Mr_Vindictive]

Escape From New York is a classic in every sense of the word.  It's unique, had a character that you could tell had a lot of backstory behind him without much of it being told, and was just fun as hell.  I first watched it when I was 8 or 9 or so, and it is still as enjoyable today as it ever was. 

Carpenter might not be doing a whole lot now, but the man has created some absolutely iconic films over the years.  Halloween, Escape From New York, The Thing, In The Mouth Of Madness.....the man was a damn genius.

[JJ80]

This is one of those films that I just cannot seem to warn to. It's directed by John Carpenter, it's reasonably atmospheric and well-designed and the cast is among the best for any 'bad-movie' that I've ever seen. However, the film seems mechanically paced and Snake is irritatingly sullen. I just can't take to Kurt Russell's Clint Eastwood impression at all.

[trekgeezer]

It kicks butt.  I always thought they swiped the "I thought you were dead" routine from the John Wayne movie "Big Jake".

This film ,Big Trouble in Little China, The Thing, and Starman were Carpenter's best 80's work.

[Psycho Circus]

It's an iconic film for the Plisskin character alone, I don't know, I just really like Kurt Russell whatever he does. It's also one of those films that just picks up where it is in that time period and leaves it all there for the viewer to ponder. It had a good cast, but nothing really stood out, nothing truly memorable. It was a bit like "Assault On Precinct 13", here's a time and a situation, some stuff happens and then...."oh is that it?", kinda like that. A good move, but by no means a great movie.

[CheezeFlixz]

It's an iconic film for the Plisskin character alone, I don't know, I just really like Kurt Russell whatever he does. It's also one of those films that just picks up where it is in that time period and leaves it all there for the viewer to ponder. It had a good cast, but nothing really stood out, nothing truly memorable. It was a bit like "Assault On Precinct 13", here's a time and a situation, some stuff happens and then...."oh is that it?", kinda like that. A good move, but by no means a great movie.

Nothing stood out except for the fact that the US President had a British accent.
It seems there was a sub story to explain that but it wasn't put in the film.

But that was one of many errors/goofs/oversights etc.