Death Race 2000 (1975)

Director:

Paul Bartel

Writers:

Robert Thom (screenplay) and
Charles B. Griffith (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

27 April 1975 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Sci-Fi | Sport

Tagline:

In The Year 2000 Hit And Run Driving Is No Longer A Felony. It's The National Sport!

Plot:

In a dystopian future, a cross country automobile race requires contestants to run down innocent pedestrians to gain points that are tallied based on each kills brutality.

Plot Keywords:

Race | Future | Automobile | Navigator | Dystopian

Cast

David Carradine	...	Frankenstein
Simone Griffeth	...	Annie Smith
Sylvester Stallone	...	Machine Gun Joe Viterbo
Mary Woronov	...	Calamity Jane
Roberta Collins	...	Matilda the Hun
Martin Kove	...	Nero the Hero
Louisa Moritz	...	Myra
Don Steele	...	Junior Bruce (as The Real Don Steele)
Joyce Jameson	...	Grace Pander
Carle Bensen	...	Harold
Sandy McCallum	...	Mr. President
Paul L. Ehrmann	...	Special Agent (as Paul Laurence)
Harriet Medin	...	Thomasina Paine
Vince Trankina	...	Lt. Fury
Bill Morey	...	Deacon
Fred Grandy	...	Herman the German
William Shephard	...	Pete
Leslie McRay	...	Cleopatra
Wendy Bartel	...	Laurie
Jack Favorite	...	Henry
Sandy Ignon	...	FBI Agent
John Landis	...	Mechanic
Darla McDonnell	...	Rhonda Bainbridge
Roger Rook	...	Radio Operator
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Paul Bartel	...	Frankenstein's Doctor (uncredited)
David Boyle	...	Little Boy at picnic (uncredited)
Peter Cornberg	...	Resistance Army Member (uncredited)
Charles B. Griffith	...	Resistance Army Member (uncredited)
Lewis Teague	...	Toreador (uncredited)

Directed by
Paul Bartel

Writing credits
Robert Thom		(screenplay) and
Charles B. Griffith		(screenplay) (as Charles Griffith)
Ib Melchior		(story The Racer)

Produced by
Roger Corman	....	producer
Jim Weatherill	....	associate producer

Original Music by
Paul Chihara

Cinematography by
Tak Fujimoto		(photographed by)

Film Editing by
Tina Hirsch

Art Direction by
Beala Neel		(as B.B. Neel)
Robin Royce		(as Robinson Royce)

Makeup Department
Patricia Hutchence	....	makeup artist (as Pat Hutchence)

Production Management
Peter Cornberg	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Charles B. Griffith	....	second unit director (as Charles Griffith)
Dennis E. Jones	....	assistant director (as Dennis Jones)
Lewis Teague	....	second unit director

Art Department
Keith Michl	....	propmaster

Sound Department
Lee Alexander	....	sound mixer
Ben Burtt	....	sound designer (uncredited)
Richard Bryce Goodman	....	boom operator (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Richard MacLean	....	special effects

Stunts
Ronald C. Ross	....	stunt coordinator (as Ronald Ross)
Paula Dell	....	stunts (uncredited)
Bob Herron	....	stunts (uncredited)
Alan Hubbard	....	stunts (uncredited)
Kim Kahana Jr.	....	stunts (uncredited)
Conrad E. Palmisano	....	stunts (uncredited)
Greg Walker	....	stunts (uncredited)
Harry Wowchuk	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Michael Barrere	....	key grip (as Michael Bryar)
Eric Saarinen	....	camera operator: second unit
Henning Schellerup	....	camera operator: second unit
Brian Swain	....	gaffer
Paul Hunt	....	additional cinematographer (uncredited)
Kit Kalionzes	....	assistant camera: second unit (uncredited)
Douglas Olivares	....	assistant camera (uncredited)
Leslie Otis	....	first assistant camera (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Jane Ruhm	....	costumer (as Jane Rum)

Editorial Department
Michal Goldman	....	associate editor
Lewis Teague	....	associate editor

Other crew
Dean Jeffries	....	car constructor (as Dean Jefferies)
James Powers	....	car designer
Arrahwanna Thomsen	....	script supervisor (as Arrah Robinson)
Gil Valle	....	location manager
Joanie Blum	....	script supervisor (uncredited)
Jane Ruhm	....	title designer (uncredited)

Production Companies

• New World Pictures
• Columbia Associates

Distributors

• New World Pictures (1975) (USA) (theatrical)
• International Film Distributors (1975) (Canada) (theatrical)
• Concorde Film (1976) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Delta (1976) (Italy) (theatrical)
• IVC (197?) (Greece) (theatrical)
• Umbrella Entertainment (2008) (Australia) (theatrical)
• A-Film Home Entertainment (2002) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Astro Distribution (2002) (Germany) (DVD)
• Atlantic Film (2003) (Sweden) (DVD)
• Buena Vista Home Entertainment (BVHE) (2005) (USA) (DVD) (special edition)
• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1978) (USA) (TV)
• Digital Multimedia Limited (DML) (1998) (USA) (DVD)
• New Horizons Home Video (1996) (USA) (VHS)
• New Horizons Home Video (1999) (USA) (DVD)
• Shout! Factory (2010) (USA) (DVD)
• Umbrella Entertainment (2008) (Australia) (DVD)
• Umbrella Entertainment (2008) (Australia) (TV)
• Universal Home Entertainment (2000) (UK) (DVD)
• Universal Home Entertainment (2004) (UK) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (19??) (Netherlands) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video

Special Effects

• Jack Rabin & Associates (special optical effects) (as Jack Rabin and Associates)

Other Companies

• Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management  thanks: for their kind cooperation (as U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management, Bakersfield District Office)
• Electrofilm Inc.  thanks: for their kind cooperation (as Electro Helmets Division of Electrofilm, Inc.)
• NovaStar Digital  post-production sound services (uncredited)
• Rutan Aircraft Factory  supplier: VariViggen aircraft
• Synanon  thanks: for their kind cooperation (as Synanon Foundation)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

80 min | Argentina:84 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Brazilian Sign Language | Spanish

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono | Stereo | Dolby | Dolby Digital | DTS

Certification:

Australia:R | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:AA (Ontario) | Finland:K-18 | Germany:16 (2002) | Sweden:15 | UK:18 | USA:R | West Germany:18 (original rating) | Canada:R (Manitoba) | UK:X (original rating) | Norway:18 (DVD release) (2003) (uncut version) | Norway:16 (video) (1988) (heavily cut) | Norway:(Banned) (1976-2003) (cinema release) | Canada:A (Nova Scotia) (original rating) | Canada:14 (Nova Scotia) (re-rating) (2002) | Iceland:12 | Australia:M (TV rating) | Netherlands:18 (original rating) | Argentina:18 (re-rating) | Argentina:X (original rating) | Netherlands:16 (re-rating) | France:-16 | South Korea:18 | Italy:VM18

Filming Locations:

Chet Holifield Federal Building - 24000 Avila Road, Laguna Niguel, California, USA

Company:

New World Pictures

Trivia:

The role of Frankenstein was originally offered to Peter Fonda, who considered the movie too ridiculous for words.

Goofs:

Errors in geography: The shot of the racers in Manhattan en route to the Lincoln Tunnel was clearly filmed in downtown Los Angeles.

Quotes:

[Opening; The United Provinces version of "The Star-Spangled Banner" is played at the fictional New York Memorial Raceway]
[first lines]
Deacon:O, great American multitude and sports fans everywhere, today we inaugurate the 20th Annual Trans-Continental Road Race. Today, the five bravest young men and women in this greatest of nations will risk their lives in the greatest sporting event since the day the Sparticus! Three days hence, a new American champion will be crowned for all the world to behold, in awe, in respect, in fear!
[...]

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Ready to Wear (2010) (V)

A Parody of a Parody...

Death Race parodies so many things it's hard to know where to begin. America-centrism (the government blame the French for everything), professional sports, pro wrestling (the drivers are badly acted "theme" types), Big Brother, and just about everything else you could name. At the same time it panders to the blood lust of the audience with cartoon violence. Sylvester Stallone is hilarious as a driver with the mannerisms of a 30's gangster, practicing on his accent for the Rocky movies. A must -see.