Death Race 2000 (1975)

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 kill's brutality.

Director:

Paul Bartel

Writers:

Robert Thom (screenplay), Charles B. Griffith (screenplay) (as Charles Griffith)

Stars:

David Carradine, Sylvester Stallone, Simone Griffeth

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
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

Storyline

In the year 2000--against the backdrop of social turmoil, political unrest, and rampant anarchy--a now-totalitarian United States of America supports a brutal annual event to pacify the masses: the infamous Transcontinental Road Race. Scoring points simply by running over unsuspecting pedestrians, the national champion driver, Frankenstein, has to race against fast contestants such as the beautiful cowgirl killer, Calamity Jane; the neo-Nazi, Matilda the Hun; the Roman gladiator, Nero the Hero, and, first and foremost, the Chicago thug and ambitious challenger, Machine Gun Joe. Who will score the most points in the violent Death Race 2000?

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Plot Keywords:

tyranny | drive in classic | dystopia | road racing | car racing | 

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Taglines:

Across the town the traffic is MURDER

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Genres:

Action | Comedy | Sci-Fi | Sport

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English Brazilian Sign Language Spanish

Release Date:

28 November 1975 (West Germany)

Also Known As:

Death Race 2000

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles Center Studios - 450 S. Bixel Street, Downtown, Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$300,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Columbia Associates, New World Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

80 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Was theatrically re-released in France in the mid-1980s with its title changed from the literal translation "La Course a la Mort de l'an 2000" to a more evasive "Les Seigneurs de la Route" (meaning "Lords of the Road"). This time, David Carradine and Sylvester Stallone shared the top billing on the posters.

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Goofs

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

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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...
[...]

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Alternate Versions

The original UK cinema version was cut by the BBFC to remove a head crushing scene and to edit shots of blood spurts from the car killings and a man's groin being stabbed with Joe's bayonet. All later releases were uncut.

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Connections

Referenced in At the Movies: A.I.: Artificial Intelligence/The Fast and the Furious/Dr. Dolittle 2/The Princess and the Warrior (2001)

User Reviews

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.