Escape from New York

Rating:
Summary: WHERE'S THE BEEF?
Review: This was one of my favorite John Carpenter movies, but as a long-time laserdisc enthusiast, I was saddened by what was left out from this release. A few years ago, a LBX remastered LD of EFNY was released that had a wonderful commentary track hosted by Carpenter and Russell together. It was fun listening to them, among other anecodotes, ruefully chuckle about how both their ex-wives were in this film. Perhaps that commentary was left out since it was done a while back, but if either or both gentlemen were not available to do a new one, a.) MGM should have waited until they were or b.) MGM should have AT LEAST used the old commentary. This video transfer also shows a print wear line in the scene where Russell happens on Season Hubley in the Nuts shop. Why wasn't this fixed in the transfer? And why wasn't the great Carpenter/Howarth electronic soundtrack re-mixed for Dolby Digital? The LD also had a great featurette on the making of the film, which included footage from a deleted opening sequence of the robbery Plissken was eventually captured for. ALL of this is missing from the DVD! This film really put Russell on the map, and it, and it's fans, deserved better. I'm thankful I still have my EFNY LD; if you have yours, don't get rid of it! And, MGM?: YOU SHOULD BE ASHAMED!

Rating:
Summary: Wait for the 'collectors edition' to be released...
Review: Ok. So I'm a HUGE fan of Escape from New York. Obviously that's going to make me a little demanding of any treatment of the film. Just from examining the packaging, though, you can tell this DVD release doesn't do the film justice. Here's how:

1. The only 'extras' on this DVD are the theatrical trailer. Well, the recent VHS release of the movie has a complete documentary on it along with footage that was edited out of the original film. This footage does the setup for Snake Pliskin getting sent to prison. Why wasn't this on the DVD? Probably because it's being saved for a future 'collector's edition' DVD. Any fan who bought this will have to then buy a copy of the good one.

2. The cover illustration depicts Pliskin with a snake tattoo on his arm. He has a snake tattoo on his stomach, not on his arm. If you flip the box over, there's even a photo from the movie where you can see he doesn't have a tattoo on his right arm.

3. In the synopsis on the back, the text says "Kurt Russell (Stargate) plays ...." Whoah! If you're going to make a parenthetical reference describing Kurt Russell by a movie he's been in, THIS IS THE MOVIE to use. Not Stargate. I'm not bashing Stargate, but I bet Escape from New York is Kurt Russell's best-selling movie on DVD. Having seen it in the theater, I instantly became a Kurt Russell fan. When he came out with The Thing, Stargate, and Soldier, it was Snake Pliskin that made me want to see those movies.

Ok. So I've been ranting. The last comment I have to make is that if you're sick of buying DVD's that later get trumped by the 'collector's edition' being released, then don't buy this. Hold out for the inevitable 'Special Edition' of Escape from New York.

Rating:
Summary: Silly, but fun
Review: Most action/adventure films have plot holes. "Escape from New York" has huge, gaping craters in its logic. Why would New York City turn into the one prison for the entire country? Wouldn't you need more than one?

Part of the plot hinges on Brain (Harry Dean Stanton) having a map that shows where the mines are on the 69th street bridge. He got it from a guy who made it all the way across... before he was shot. So how did Brain get the map from him? (Never mind how the guy got mine-finding equipment in the first place.)

And that's just for starters.

Well, never mind about all that. This film has a certain nutty charm of its own which has maintained its status as a cult film after almost 20 years. While it lacks the slam-bang action sequences modern filmgoers have come to expect, and it never really explores the potential of the scenario it creates, Kurt Russell's star-making performance, the moody photography, and the delicious twist at the end, make this film worth watching. I'm still enjoying it, after seeing it at least 20 times, if not more.

The DVD is enhanced for widescreen TVs, and the video transfer is very good for a movie of this vintage. The audio is not Dolby 5.1 but is first-rate for a 2.0 soundtrack, with a very strong rear-channel presence.

Other than a theatrical trailer, there are no extras. This is a bit puzzling, since the last laserdisc and tape releases contained additional footage and a featurette with John Carpenter, including deleted scenes. Let's not be too shocked if this gets re-released down the pike in a Special Edition.

Hopefully, the sequel, Escape from L.A. (which is more a remake than a sequel) will be re-issued in the 16x9 format, but I won't hold my breath.

Rating:
Summary: A bit dated, but a decent film.
Review: Here's the film that made Kurt Russell an action star. He forever shed his "Computer Wore Tennis Shoes" Disney image in favor of the raspy voiced Snake Plisken. John Carpenter directed this, which in hind sight stands well on it's own. The sequel, "Escape from L.A.," is basically a retread which serves no real purpose.

While the original is dated, the story is set in the bleak future of 1997, the digital transfer for the DVD is top notch. Not a lot of extras here, but the trailer is so poorly edited that it's good for a laugh. The performances are of questionable quality, Carpenter seems to have told his actors to act like wood, but the overall effect is one of the better B-movies of the early '80s.

Rating:
Summary: "The Name's Plisskin!"
Review: This film is the main reason I bought a DVD player in the first place. It ranks up in my huge collection of movies as one of my favourites because of It's timeless appeal, pulse pounding action, beautiful cinematoraphy (courtesy of Dean Cundey), toe clasping suspense, and that Snake is just so fuckin cool. I heard MGM is goin light on the supplements, so all I gotta say is that in my book, that's a crime and you guys need a blunt object bashed into the side of your head by a eyepatch wearing snake tatooed avenger, because no one wrongs Snake and lives a happy life. So as for the movie, I respect it with every fiber of my being, and Carpenter has ended up consuming at least half of my all time favourite films top ten list. So go do yourself a favor and watch this movie, show it too your children, show it to your friends 'cause this is where it's at when you love badass gun totin anti heroes that bleed fools for a living!

Rating:
Summary: Art
Review: As stated elsewhere this is a cult classic, yet without getting into a description of the film which has been done elsewhere, (and sure it has some problems) what is pulled off is something that can be a nice film to set down and watch with the lights out and the sound up. Though Escape From LA was one big stink cheese of a story, there is some real art in EFNY. Perhaps EFNY has this quality of art because much of the shooting for the film took place in a real city that had experienced a fire and was shut down and used as the set for a while, perhaps it is also due to the acting (hey, FAR worse exists in some of todays pathetic action flicks). There is action in the film, yet also some deep mood setting moments. It is a blunt story about survival (even too much so at times), not about how many people can get killed by some bozo hero on a revenge trip. There is a sense of realism in the movie that is worth seeing, and perhaps learning from. Though it may have a somewhat fanciful story line (not overly so), the condition of society and life shown is something not to ignore. It already exists in some places and is getting worse. EFNY is a far more telling movie then some may think. And no, Snake is not some sicko killer of millions with a low I.Q. glorying in death. Snake is simply out to survive, not realy caring to appeal, and that is the way Kurt Russell said he played the part (rather well I would add). In a sense, people are missing the point if they make Snake out to even be hero. There are the people who just watch and the people who go do.

Rating:
Summary: There is only one SNAKE
Review: Finally this hit hits DVD :-) I hope they include some nice extras e.g. commentary track - we will see. If you saw only Escape From L.A. you miss the real thing. This film is a STRONG BUY! Rating is for the film only 'cause the DVD is only announced.

Rating:
Summary: Carpenter's Classic Returns To Video (But What About DVD?)
Review: This is my 2nd favorite John Carpenter movie (Starman is my 1st). One thing you should know is that at the time, Kurt Russell was not a bankable star. In fact he wasn't even an action hero yet, having still come off the cheesy Disney movies he did earlier in his career. Carpenter, who previously had cast Russell in the made for TV movie, Elvis, found Kurt such a delight to work with that he wanted him for this film (and then, right after that, The Thing) but studio executives weren't so sure. Finally, thankfully, they gave in and he got the part. They say that certain actors have their one director that's their own and vice versa. Kurt Russell and John Carpenter have this type of working relationship, collaborating 5 times (Elvis, Escape From New York, The Thing, Big Trouble In Little China, Escape From L.A.) and in my opinion, this film is the best of that collaboration. Set in the distant future (even though actually we've already come to and passed the specific dates (1988-1997) so just think of it as an alternate reality or a "What If?", if you will), 'Escape begins with the crash landing of Air Force One into New York City, which is now a prison ("Once you go in you don't come out.") following the introduction of Snake Plissken, who we would have met earlier in a scene that was later deleted of him and his partner robbing a bank and attempting to escape in a subway car, resulting in Snake's partner being killed and himself being captured. Enter Lee Van Cleef, the man in charge of rescuing the President Of The United States (played by Donald Pleasence). What's nice about Lee and Kurt is that you almost feel like you're watching the classic spaghetti western, For A Few Dollars More, since Kurt is emulating Clint Eastwood in this character, something that even Mr. Carpenter himself has admitted to saying. The basic story is Snake must go into New York and save the President as well as recover a cassette tape that has vital information on it (today it would have been on a small CD which does make this film feel dated, but who cares) because if he doesn't, the poisonous capsules that were injected into his neck will soon desolve and kill him instantly. You can't make Snake do anything he doesn't want to do. You have to force him. The character, Snake Plissken has been said to be a person who doesn't really care about anyone or anything except himself. I would have to disagree with that statement because Snake does, in his own way, admire courage, probably because he sees so very little of it around him. Along the way he meets up with some very bizarre characters, including Cabbie (Ernest Borgnine), the easy going NYC cab driver, The Brain (Harry Dean Stanton), a man from Snake's past who deserted him years before during a job that went sour, Maggie (Adrienne Barbeau), Brain's attractive and loyal companion, and Isaac Hayes as The Duke Of New York ("You're A#1") who is out to use the President as a bargaining chip to win his freedom. I will admit that some viewers might be a little bored if they grew up watching 90's action films and like the pace quicker. This film takes its time but only to set the mood and bring you into it. That's a plus for me. The music (see my review for the newly remastered edition) adds another dimension to the film, with Carpenter composing and conducting it himself (in association with Alan Howarth), setting the mood with lovely synthesizer sounds and compositions. This film works because unlike it's sequel (see my review for Escape From L.A.) this film has depth to it that makes you care about the characters, whereas in the 2nd film, you really could care less what happens to them. Donald Pleasence's machine gun frenzy at the very end should also not be missed. Let's just hope MGM releases the Widescreen (2:35'1) DVD soon and include the extras that were on the New Line Home Video Laserdisc (Featurette, Theatrical Trailer, Audio Commentary with Kurt Russell and John Carpenter) and anything else they can come up with (the complete Deleted Scene of the Atlanta Bank Robbery and Isolated Score would sure be nice). Escape From New York: a film not to be missed. ("Call me Snake.")

Rating:
Summary: Very dull and bleak
Review: Escape From New York is a film that, for some reason, has gained a cult following. Perhaps it's Kurt Russell's performance and his creation of the character Snake Plissken, or maybe it's the film's dark look, but I can tell you that this is a very dull film that moves at a pace so lethargic even people in the year 1981 would have still found it boring.

There is a reason why I bring up the year this film was released. 1981 was a year that brought up some very well-known action films starting with the masterpiece Raiders of the Lost Ark, the raw and exhilarating The Road Warrior, and the critically acclaimed Das Boot. Compared to these films in terms of generating tension or excitement of any sort Escape From New York would make a person fall asleep.

Granted, Carpenter's idea is intriguing but the premise never explored to its full extent. What should have been one of the most original films of the decade ends up being one of those "good idea, bad execution" movies. It's the kind of film that disappoints me a whole lot more than one that's bad from the beginning because after such an interesting opening it just falls downhill from there.

As a science fiction tale Escape is even worse than its attempts at action. Once Plissken is inside the prison of New York there's very little good stabs of satire or a good fashioned sense of adventure. Everything in the film feels so small despite its desires to be an epic.

Each of those three films I mentioned above are worth much more watching than this film. If you want to check out an exciting Carpenter action film I suggest you watch Assault on Precinct 13, but forget his film.

Rating:
Summary: I tried but just didn't like it
Review: Escape From New York just didn't connect with me. I'm not even sure why the film is a cult classic in the first place. It does have an interesting plot but it's mostly wasted by director John Carpenter. If only the film had been directed by James Cameron (or, hey, even Michael Bay) it might have come off as a fun or exciting action/adventure. With Carpenter's vision it's bleak, dark, and just too slow paced.

In the year 1997, New York has become a prison. A wall has been built around Manhattan that prevents escape. Unfortunately, Air Force One crashes and the President (Donald Pleasance) becomes a hostage to the gangs of New York. Snake Plissken (Kurt Russell) is a criminal who has just been offered a deal. If he gets the president out, he will be free and dismissed of any crimes he committed. As incentive, his head will explode in 24 hours and he'll only get the antidote if the president is saved. As he ventures into New York, he mets several people and all end up trying to help his mission.

As I stated before I'm really not sure why Escape From New York is a cult classic. It's not particularly fast-paced or exciting and it's not any more intelligent than any other Jerry Bruckheimer productions. As for the dialogue, it might just be me, but I honestly did not find it funny.

Actionwise, it's not very involving. There's a brief shootout here or there but it's very short and not entertaining. The car chase at the end lacks any sort of tension. I know the film had a 6 million dollar budget but that's no excuse. George Miller worked with less on The Road Warrior and his car chases were examples of blistering excitement.

The acting leaves a bit to be desired. Kurt Russell is perfect as Snake Plissken and he's the film's only saving grace. Everybody else is just there as an addition to the body count, with the exception of Donald Pleasance.

John Carpenter's direction is way too heavy-handed. He should have lightened the tone and quickened the pace. There's no sense of tension in the entire movie's running time. This was a movie wasting my time