Escape from New York (1981) UK
Escape from New York Image Cover
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Director:John Carpenter
Studio:MGM (Video & DVD)
Producer:Debra Hill, Larry J. Franco
Writer:John Carpenter, Nick Castle
Rating:7.0 (18,907 votes)
Rated:R
Date Added:2006-06-21
ASIN:B00004Y87O
UPC:0027616854773
Price:$14.94
Awards:4 nominations
Genre:Sci-Fi Action
Release:2003-12-15
IMDb:0082340
Duration:99
Picture Format:Widescreen
Aspect Ratio:2.35:1
Sound:Dolby Digital 5.1
Languages:English, Dolby Digital 5.1, French, Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono, Commentary by director John Carpenter and Kurt Russell, Commentary by producer Debra Hill and production designer Joe Alves, Unknown
Subtitles:English, Spanish, French
Features:Anamorphic
Full Screen
John Carpenter  ...  (Director)
John Carpenter, Nick Castle  ...  (Writer)
 
Kurt Russell  ...  Snake Plissken
Lee Van Cleef  ...  Police Commissioner Bob Hauk
Ernest Borgnine  ...  Cabbie
Donald Pleasence  ...  President of the United States
Isaac Hayes  ...  The Duke of New York
Season Hubley  ...  Girl in Chock Full O'Nuts
Harry Dean Stanton  ...  Harold 'Brain' Helman
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
John Cothran  ...  Gypsy #1 (as John Cothran Jr.)
Comments: The world's greatest leader is a hostage in the most dangerous place on Earth. Now only the deadliest man alive can save him.

Summary: In the future, crime is out of control and New York City is a maximum security prison. Grabbing a bargaining chip right out of the air, convicts bring down the President's plane in bad old Gotham. Gruff Snake Plissken, a one-eyed warrior new to prison life, is coerced into bringing the President, and his cargo, out of this land of undesirables. Kurt Russell put his Disney days behind him as the nicest bad guy in the picture. All comic-book sensibilities and macho posturing, this is one of writer-director John Carpenter's better brainless escapes. There are snappy one-liners and explosive action scenes. However, the film lacks tension and some believability even within the realm of SF fantasy. Even when it fails to gel, though, it always manages to amuse, thanks in great part to a varied and unusual supporting cast (watch for Ernest Borgnine as a cabdriver). Followed in 1996 by Carpenter's overdone and campy Escape from L.A.--Rochelle O'Gorman