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STARS...
Kurt Russell,
Lee Van Cleef, Ernest Borgnine, Issac Hayes,
Adrienne Barbeau, and Donald Pleasence
PLOT SUMMARY...
In 1997, a freed prisoner has twenty-four hours to rescue the President
from the New York's Manhattan Island, which is now a maximum security
prison.
QUICK SCAN...
This film could be compared to "The Road Warrior". ESCAPE
FROM NEW YORK features action. Kurt Russell (Stargate) is great as freed
prisoner, Snake Pliskin, sounding quite a bit like Clint Eastwood. The
film's Music, courtesy of Director John Carpenter, provides a strong,
driving momentum to the on screen action.
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DIRECTOR: John Carpenter
YEAR & RATING: 1981 (R)
BEST BETS:
Deadlock
The Thing (1982)
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SYNOPSIS...
In the future, New York's Manhattan Island has been turned into a maximum
security prison. When the President's plane crashes there, Snake Pliskin,
a prisoner and soldier of fortune, is sent in after him.
Once inside, Snake must contend with roving bands of armed convicts, as
well as a 24 hour deadline, by which time he must rescue the President,
or else. Snake is aided in his quest by a crusty, old, New York cab driver.
When Snake does find the President, in the custody of the self styled
King of New York, Snake is also taken prisoner. With the help of a smart
guy named "Brain", and a tough gal named "Maggie",
Snake gets himself and the President out of the clutches of the King,
and over the wall to safety, with only moments to spare before the 24
hour deadline runs out. |
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The Review:
Director John Carpenter's ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK is a lean, mean Sci-Fi
adventure machine.
Carpenter, working from a Screenplay by himself and Nick Castle ("The
Last Starfighter") wastes no time getting things rolling. During
the opening credits we learn that it's 1997, and New York's Manhattan
Island has been encircled by walls and turned into a maximum security
prison. As the narrator informs us, "The rules are simple: once
you go in, you don't come out!"
When U.S. President Donald Pleasence's ("The Great Escape")
plane crashes on Manhattan Island, the prison warden, Lee Van Cleef
("For a Few Dollars More") coaxes prisoner Snake Pliskin,
Kurt Russell ("Stargate") into going in after him.
My favorite scene in the film is Pliskin/Russell's silent glider entrance
into Manhattan. This is a highly visual, well executed sequence, thanks
to good computer animation and sharp visuals by Director of Photography
Dean Cundey.
As Directed by Carpenter, Russell's Pliskin acts and sounds an AWFUL
lot like Clint Eastwood. Carpenter and Russell have done this kind of
thing before. Russell gave a great impersonation of Elvis in an acclaimed
TV movie Carpenter directed. And in Carpenter's fantasy feature, "Big
Trouble in Little China", Russell delivered his lines like John
Wayne. They've got this impersonation thing down pat by now, and Russell's
Eastwood imitation is one of the viewing bonuses of this movie.
The movie's Music is by John Carpenter, with Alan Howarth. Starting
with the opening credits, and continuing all throughout the movie,
the Music provides a strong, driving momentum to the proceedings.
ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK should be fairly watchable for most Sci-Fi viewers.
Fans of Carpenter, Russell, AND Eastwood will particularly enjoy this
film. Escape to your video store and capture this film. Tell them "Snake"
sent you!
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