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Escape from New York (1981)
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Overview
User Rating:
Director:
Writers:
Release Date:
10 July 1981 (USA)
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Tagline:
The world's greatest leader is a hostage in the most dangerous place on Earth. Now only the deadliest man alive can save him. more
Plot:
In 1997, when the US President crashes into Manhattan, now a giant max. security prison, a convicted bank robber is sent in for a rescue. full summary | full synopsis
Awards:
4 nominations
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NewsDesk:
(43 articles)
It’s The 80’s Again: Romancing The Stone & Overboard Remakes
(From Screen Rant. 11 December 2009, 12:46 PM, PST)
Hollywood vs. New York: Four Decades of Destruction
(From Slash Film. 30 November 2009, 11:50 AM, PST)
(From Screen Rant. 11 December 2009, 12:46 PM, PST)
Hollywood vs. New York: Four Decades of Destruction
(From Slash Film. 30 November 2009, 11:50 AM, PST)
User Comments:
"Call me Snake..."
more (205 total)
Cast
(Cast overview, first billed only)| Kurt Russell | ... | Snake Plissken | |
| Lee Van Cleef | ... | Hauk | |
| Ernest Borgnine | ... | Cabbie | |
| Donald Pleasence | ... | President | |
| Isaac Hayes | ... | The Duke | |
| Season Hubley | ... | Girl in Chock Full O'Nuts | |
| Harry Dean Stanton | ... | Brain | |
| Adrienne Barbeau | ... | Maggie | |
| Tom Atkins | ... | Rehme | |
| Charles Cyphers | ... | Secretary of State | |
| Joe Unger | ... | Taylor (scenes deleted) | |
| Frank Doubleday | ... | Romero | |
| John Strobel | ... | Cronenberg | |
| John Cothran Jr. | ... | Gypsy #1 | |
| Garrett Bergfeld | ... | Gypsy #2 |
Additional Details
Also Known As:
John Carpenter's Escape from New York (USA) (complete title)
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Parents Guide:
Runtime:
99 min
Language:
Color:
Color (Metrocolor)
Aspect Ratio:
1.33 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Certification:
Canada:AA (Ontario) |
Canada:R (Nova Scotia) |
Canada:R (Manitoba) (director's cut) |
Canada:13+ (Quebec) |
Canada:PA (Manitoba) |
Iceland:16 |
UK:15 (video rating) |
UK:AA (original rating) |
Germany:16 |
Brazil:14 |
Finland:K-15 (DVD rating) |
Netherlands:16 |
New Zealand:R16 |
Australia:M |
Norway:15 |
Norway:16 (original rating) |
Sweden:15 |
USA:R |
West Germany:16 (w) |
Singapore:PG
Filming Locations:
Company:
Fun Stuff
Trivia:
The only scene actually filmed in New York was the opening dolly shot, which follows a character pass the Statue of Liberty.
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Goofs:
Continuity: When the bombs in Snake's arteries are deactivated, he raises his right hand to his left wrist to display the time on his countdown clock. When we see a closeup of the clock as time runs out, Snake's right hand is not there. But when we switch back to the previous view, his right hand is still pressed against the clock.
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Quotes:
Snake Plissken:
Where's the President?
Cabbie: The Duke got him. Everybody knows the Duke's got him. You don't have to put a gun to my head. I'll tell you.
Snake Plissken: Who's the Duke?
Cabbie: The Duke? The Duke of New York, A-Number-1, the Big Man, that's who!
Snake Plissken: I wanna meet this Duke.
Cabbie: You can't meet the Duke! Are you crazy? Nobody gets to meet the Duke. You meet him once and then you're dead!
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Cabbie: The Duke got him. Everybody knows the Duke's got him. You don't have to put a gun to my head. I'll tell you.
Snake Plissken: Who's the Duke?
Cabbie: The Duke? The Duke of New York, A-Number-1, the Big Man, that's who!
Snake Plissken: I wanna meet this Duke.
Cabbie: You can't meet the Duke! Are you crazy? Nobody gets to meet the Duke. You meet him once and then you're dead!
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Movie Connections:
Referenced in Planet Terror (2007)
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Soundtrack:
Bandstand Boogie
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FAQ
What is Plisskin's reasoning for the ending of the film?What is on the tape that the President keeps in his briefcase?
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more (205 total)
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"Escape From New York" is a solid action noir by John Carpenter, although it lacks the punch of Carpenter's other three previous features ("The Fog", "Halloween", "Assault on Precinct 13"). Kurt Russell became famous for his Snake Plissken, and rightfully so, although the character seems to be only a more gritty version of Napoeleon Wilson in "Assault". What makes this film the cult classic it is is Carpenter's very apocalyptic and brash story. This is a very dark film, and it holds up especially well today when shown against the countless fluff films that Hollywood seems to be churning out.
Carpenter made the most out of his meeger budget and created a very convincing New York City. Not only is the set design fantastic, but so are the typically strong performances. Russell, Hayes, Barbeau, Pleasence, Stanton, Atkins, Cyphers and Borgnine are all cult legends, and seeing them all work together makes Robert Altman's casts look feeble in comparison.
What limits this film from greatness is surprisingly lax direction by Carpenter. The film is not as tight as it should have been, and really fails to generate any sort of suspense during the action. Deaths just happen out of nowhere, with little to no build up, which is a shame. This movie could have really been amazing. The ending is perfect though, and easily makes up for the film's faults. See it for Kurt Russell and the great ending and you will come away a happy viewer. Watch "Escape From LA" though to see what this movie should have been.