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IMDbPro

Escape from New York

  • 19811981
  • RR
  • 1h 39m
IMDb RATING
7.1/10
141K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
1,818
401
Adrienne Barbeau, Donald Pleasence, and Kurt Russell in Escape from New York (1981)
In 1997, when the U.S. president crashes into Manhattan, now a giant maximum security prison, a convicted bank robber is sent in to rescue him.
Play trailer1:20
5 Videos
99+ Photos
ActionAdventureSci-Fi
In 1997, when the U.S. president crashes into Manhattan, now a giant maximum security prison, a convicted bank robber is sent in to rescue him.In 1997, when the U.S. president crashes into Manhattan, now a giant maximum security prison, a convicted bank robber is sent in to rescue him.In 1997, when the U.S. president crashes into Manhattan, now a giant maximum security prison, a convicted bank robber is sent in to rescue him.
IMDb RATING
7.1/10
141K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
1,818
401
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Director
      • John Carpenter
    • Writers
      • John Carpenter
      • Nick Castle
    • Stars
      • Kurt Russell
      • Lee Van Cleef
      • Ernest Borgnine
    Top credits
    • Director
      • John Carpenter
    • Writers
      • John Carpenter
      • Nick Castle
    • Stars
      • Kurt Russell
      • Lee Van Cleef
      • Ernest Borgnine
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 393User reviews
    • 264Critic reviews
    • 76Metascore
    • Awards
      • 4 nominations

    Videos5

    Official Trailer
    Trailer 1:20
    Official Trailer
    Escape From New York
    Trailer 2:26
    Escape From New York
    Escape From New York
    Trailer 1:21
    Escape From New York
    Through the Lens: Defining Carpenteresque and Why It Belongs in the Dictionary
    Clip 4:54
    Through the Lens: Defining Carpenteresque and Why It Belongs in the Dictionary
    Sneak Previews Season 3 Episode 37
    Video 28:48
    Sneak Previews Season 3 Episode 37

    Photos222

    Kurt Russell in Escape from New York (1981)
    Adrienne Barbeau, Donald Pleasence, and Kurt Russell in Escape from New York (1981)
    Isaac Hayes in Escape from New York (1981)
    Kurt Russell and Harry Dean Stanton in Escape from New York (1981)
    Kurt Russell in Escape from New York (1981)
    Kurt Russell in Escape from New York (1981)
    Isaac Hayes in Escape from New York (1981)
    Kurt Russell in Escape from New York (1981)
    Escape from New York (1981)
    Escape from New York (1981)
    Escape from New York (1981)
    Escape from New York (1981)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Kurt Russell
    Kurt Russell
    • Snake Plissken
    Lee Van Cleef
    Lee Van Cleef
    • Hauk
    Ernest Borgnine
    Ernest Borgnine
    • Cabbie
    Donald Pleasence
    Donald Pleasence
    • President
    Isaac Hayes
    Isaac Hayes
    • The Duke
    Season Hubley
    Season Hubley
    • Girl in Chock Full O'Nuts
    Harry Dean Stanton
    Harry Dean Stanton
    • Harold 'Brain' Hellman
    Adrienne Barbeau
    Adrienne Barbeau
    • Maggie
    Tom Atkins
    Tom Atkins
    • Rehme
    Charles Cyphers
    Charles Cyphers
    • Secretary of State
    Joe Unger
    Joe Unger
    • Taylor
    • (scenes deleted)
    Frank Doubleday
    Frank Doubleday
    • Romero
    John Strobel
    John Strobel
    • Cronenberg
    John Cothran
    John Cothran
    • Gypsy #1
    • (as John Cothran Jr.)
    Garrett Bergfeld
    • Gypsy #2
    Richard Cosentino
    • Gypsy Guard
    Robert John Metcalf
    • Gypsy #3
    Joel Bennett
    Joel Bennett
    • Gypsy #4
    • Director
      • John Carpenter
    • Writers
      • John Carpenter
      • Nick Castle
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Kurt Russell has stated that this is his favorite of all his films, and Snake Plissken is his favorite of his characters.
    • Goofs
      During the sequence where Snake is being chased by the Crazies (and is about to shoot an oval pattern in a wall so he can break through), his eye patch shifts enough to reveal a perfectly good eye. This is commonly regarded as a mistake, but it is not; the novelization of the movie explains that Snake still has his left eye, but he wears the patch due to a paralyzed iris, making it extremely sensitive to light.
    • Quotes

      Bob Hauk: You going to kill me, Snake?

      Snake Plissken: Not now, I'm too tired.

      [pause]

      Snake Plissken: Maybe later.

    • Crazy credits
      The Avco Embassy logo does not appear in this movie.
    • Alternate versions
      Collector's edition laserdisc (during director commentary) shows cut scenes of high-tech bank robbery which led to Snake's conviction and eventual prison sentencing to New York.
    • Connections
      Edited into The Needle (1988)
    • Soundtracks
      Bandstand Boogie
      Music by Charles Albertine

      Courtesy of Cherio Corporation

    User reviews393

    Review
    Top review
    "The name's Plissken."
    First things first, Kurt Russel is just plain cool. That said, on to the review. Escape From New York is a classic action movie with a great horror cast, including Donald Pleasence, Tom Atkins, Charles Cyphers, and who could forget Buck Flower. Buck, who has one of the best scenes in the movie ("Sure, I'm the president!"), is hilarious. John Carpenter proves that he is a versatile director and can make a hell of a film outside the horror genre. In Carpenter's classic, Kurt Russell plays the immortal Snake Plissken, New York has become a prison state, and the president has just crash landed there. Enter Snake Plissken. Freshly captured and about to be incarcerated in New York, he must save the President (Pleasence, who isn't even American but pulls it off well) from the clutches of Isaac Hayes in order to regain his freedom. It's all great stuff and you can't stop watching as Snake fights his way from one famous landmark to another (he even has to wrestle Ox Baker). But it leaves me with one unanswered question: What did happen to Fresno Bob?

    Note: A couple of the Duke's cronies are credited as Romero and Cronenberg. Also, Jamie Lee Curtis does the opening computer dialogue.
    helpful•54
    16
    • Backlash007
    • Jan 14, 2002

    FAQ4

    • What is on the tape that the President keeps in his briefcase?
    • Is there going to be a third Snake Plissken-movie?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • July 10, 1981 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Official site
      • Official site
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Escape from New York City
    • Filming locations
      • Fox Theater - 527 N. Grand Boulevard, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
    • Production companies
      • AVCO Embassy Pictures
      • International Film Investors
      • Goldcrest Films International
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $6,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $25,244,626
    • Gross worldwide
      • $25,274,965
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 39 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Stereo
      • Dolby Digital
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.39 : 1

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