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Summary: Breaking Back Into New York (An Advance Copy Review)
Review: Director John Carpenter's Escape From New York, released in 1981, stands the test of time and features one of most memorable anti-hero characters ever created. After a disappointing "movie only" DVD release, the film finally gets a 2 disc upgraded special edition. And all I can say is, it's about time.What was then considered the future...1997, the crime rate is so high, that the entire island of Mahattan has been turned into a maximum security prision. Brutal criminals now rule the streets on which there is no escape. When the President Of The United States (Donald Pleasence) crash lands on the inside, the prison administrator (Lee Van Cleef) calls upon notorious outlaw Snake Plissken (Kurt Russell) to save him. If Snake succeeds, he gains his freedom, but first he must find him. As an added incentive, Plissken is injected with explosives, and will die within hours... unless he can do the job. This action packed film is a lot of fun. It boasts a great supporting cast, that includes Ernest Borgnine as Cabbie, Isaac Hayes as The Duke of New York, Adrienne Barbeau as the tough talking Maggie, and Harry Dean Stanton as Brain. Everyone is just perfect for the story. Russell takes the role and becomes Plissken. The character oozes cool. Carpenter has fun in this post apocalypse world he helped create The movie may not be your usual slicked out, big budget actioner, but that helps to make it work--It's a cult classic that is among the best of its kind. The DVD extras give a fairly comprehensive look at how the film came together and has gained its worldwide popularity. Disc one has two audio commentary tracks. For the first, John Carpenter and Kurt Russell come together, to discuss the film (and life in general) Although fun, I wish the pair talked about the production more. By contrast, the second commentary by producer Debra Hill and production designer Joe Alves, does just that...but in the end can be a bit dry at times. Both tracks, lifted from the laserdisc release, are worth a listen just the same. Disc two has the all new 24 minute retrospective "Return to Escape from New York". This is a fine featurette that I wished were a bit longer. You will also get to see the rare alternate opening sequence: a 10-minute bank robbery sequence, complete with optional commentary by Carpenter and Russell. This is a real treat if you are a fan of the movie. There's a look at how the film inspired the further adventures of Snake in comic book form (the packing includes a replica of issue #1---I must say that it's pretty cool too). Theatrical trailers and an extensive photo gallery top off disc two. Overall, the film has never looked or sounded better, thanks to a brand new high-definition film transfer and encoded with 5.1. surround sound-WOW! I am so glad the special edition is now a reality. The problems with some of the bonus material doesn't take away from the film itself. I highly recommend this set. Sitting somewhere behind Halloween and The Thing--this is a must have, as a high point of Carpenter's career.
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Summary: Escape From New York The ONE and ONLY
Review: It took two long agnoying years but its finally here.. There a DVD GOD.I am so looking forward to buying the Escape from New York Special Edition.But it seems now we have to wait to buy the Special Editions of our favorite movies... talk about being held DVD hostage by the companies who produce them..The one edition I will not be happy to see soon is the escape From LA that movie was god awful.. Anyways 2-Disc set should be entertaining for the right price...There is NO escaping the DVD Companies..
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Summary: Carpenter's seminal science fiction effort
Review: John Carpenter was an enormously successful director during the late 1970s and early 1980s. Unfortunately, his influence has dropped off to some extent in recent years, but once he was king of the hill with "Halloween," "The Thing," "The Fog," and this massively entertaining science fiction romp, "Escape From New York." If "Halloween" launched dozens of imitators in the years following its release, "Escape From New York" saw even more cheap knock offs hoping to capitalize on the success of the original. The Italians especially borrowed heavily from Carpenter's little gem in order to create such dreadfully low budget films as "2019: The Fall of New York," "Escape From the Bronx," and several others. I think the only other sci-fi films that rated an equivalent level of imitation were "Aliens" and "The Road Warrior." Yes, this low budget film was that successful in the early 1980s, and a recent viewing confirmed once again why a story about a future where the United States government turns New York into a prison is so much fun. "Escape From New York" boasts a stellar cast: Kurt Russell, Ernest Borgnine, Harry Dean Stanton, Isaac Hayes, Donald Pleasence, Adrienne Barbeau, and Lee Van Cleef all appear at various times throughout the film. This movie may not be the Mecca of science fiction films, but it sits securely near the top of the genre. Nearly anyone who likes these types of movies ought to know the plot line of this one by now. The president of the United States, played by a surprisingly low key Donald Pleasence, is on his way to an important conference that may ease tensions between our country and the Soviet Union. Our leader needs peace because the United States suffers from a host of internal problems, the least of which is the need for a prison the size of New York. A terrorist group hijacks the president's plane and crashes it into the middle of New York, but not before the leader of the free world manages to eject in an escape pod. The authorities are at a loss about what they should do to retrieve the chief executive until they learn that the legendary Snake Plissken (Russell, of course) is in the process of being admitted to the prison. Snake, a sneering, laconic individual who has a problem with authority figures at first rebuffs the attempts of the prison administration to save the president. He changes his tune when he learns that the authorities are willing to kill him if he refuses. Moreover, the placing of small explosive charges in Snake's neck insures that he will make a serious effort to finish the mission or die in the attempt. Our hero has twenty-four hours to get in, find the president, and get him out before his the charges explode. Plissken flies into the prison on a glider, lands on top of one of the World Trade Center towers, and begins to explore the blasted landscapes of urban New York City. What follows is a madcap race against the clock to rescue the president. Along the way, Snake meets a polka loving cabbie (Borgnine), an old colleague who double-crossed him named Brain (Stanton), Brain's sexy moll (Barbeau), and an ominous figure called "The Duke of New York" (Hayes). Predictably, the Duke has the president and plans to use this advantage to escape from prison. Plissken has other ideas, and as the bullets fly and the bodies fall, he gets closer and closer to his objective. Twenty four hours elapse pretty darn fast when your life is on the line. I am not giving anything away when I tell you that Snake makes his deadline in the nick of time. The fun comes from watching how he does it. "Escape From New York" bristles with double crosses, over the top posturing, snappy dialogue, cool set pieces, and roller coaster pacing. Throw in a gladiatorial combat sequence between Snake and a hulking behemoth, complete with spike studded baseball bats and garbage can lid shields, and you just know you have a winner with this one. "Escape From New York" would not have been nearly as much fun as it is without the excellent cast. Donald Pleasence, except for one memorable scene near the end, plays the president with restraint. Russell is both hilarious and sinister as the ambiguous hero Snake Plissken, a former soldier turned criminal (nearly everyone is a criminal in this futuristic United States) who only wants the authorities to leave him alone but finds himself pulled into the middle of another mess. Seeing Ernest Borgnine here may surprise some viewers, but this actor made many lower budget films at this point in his career. His turn as the boisterous cabbie who knows the streets of New York like the back of his hand is enjoyable to watch. Barbeau, who also appeared in Carpenter's "The Fog," adds her own unique gifts to the picture. Carpenter pulls great performances out of his cast, making "Escape From New York" more of an ensemble picture than merely a vehicle for then rising star Kurt Russell. This disc belongs on the shelf of every science fiction fan. The DVD version I watched unfortunately did not have much in the way of extras, something this film desperately needs. Thankfully, a special edition release containing commentaries, deleted scenes, documentaries, and a few other goodies is on the way soon. If this new release is similar to the one they did for "The Fog," I think we will be in for a real treat. "Escape From New York" may not be as well known as Carpenter's early horror efforts, but it is a must see none the less.
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Summary: post-apocalyptic genius!!
Review: Kurt Russell's "anti-hero" image, which Carpenter adores, goes especially well with all the films sequences. If it wasn't for the amazing soundtrack, the movie would only be half of what it is. Well, okay, one-third. I am constantly revisiting this film for inspiration. Although, watching the hijacked plane go into one of the buildings is a bit eerie, now. It certainly makes the movie even more intense present day. I suggest purchasing the newly remastered soundtrack which includes the entire score (previously unreleased), as well as dialogue snipets to go with Carpenter's masterpiece keyboard sequences.
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Summary: good god its cartoon LUNACY,
Review: OH WHAT A WHAT A BLACKeye PATCHED MOSSES , ONE SNARLY EYED drivinKILLER roman GLADIATOR thinkin mansTUTURES spectacle baskin in EARLYbefore advent of matrix hipness reagen EIGHTY before implant ADRIAN baby barbie toony babooms thyre REAL, BEFOREVHS REPLACED x-rated PICTURE THEATers were replaced BY ARMCHAIRS IN drool come DONE IN, byCHEAP maybe tasteless AMATEAUR porno shot on videos, way before,,,computers hacked into our everyday concerns,FUN,DISSTRACTIONWATCHING THE CARNAGE UNRAVEELIN, FOR FUTURE ARMLESS but wired to their futures GRAINHOG SLACKSTERS TO PONDER inNEAR reverse perfect near ode odd premise homage to ten year earlier, omega man, trash the neighborhood, burn fires in garbage pail slummey dystopian our excess painted post clearly thanks KURT AKA SNAKE SPIT IN OUR EARS SNARLY THE BEST ANTI hero, any twenty some almostFORTY malconet, could hang his coat too,BACK THEN, UNTILL THEN KEEP WATCHING IT IN RERUNS ,SNAKE IS THE NEW JOHN wayne.
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Summary: Look for to the SE
Review: I'm a fan of all Carpenter's film, my favorite without a doubt is Escape From New York, I didn't really care much for LA, but it was still ok. Anyway, the Special Features for the new Escape From New York DVD look good. Escape from New York was way ahead of its time when it first came out & Snake Plissken is probably one of the most dynamic character is modern fiction. It's a great film and I'm sure this new DVD is gonna make the film even better to watch.
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Summary: Wickedly Good Carpenter.
Review: In "Escape from New York", it is the future, 1998 (it was made in 1981) and 'Snake' Plisskin (a young, mean, and darkly funny Kurt Russell) is sentenced to New York Prison (New York Island has been cut off and converted into maximum security prison for the very worst of society). Then he is givin a chance for a pardon, he has to go inside New York and retrieve the president of the U.S. Along the way he encounters a veriety of colorful charactors, Brain (Harry Dean Stanton), Cabbie (Ernest Borgnine), and who could forget the cheif warlord, The Duke (a creepy Isaac Hayes). His allie on the outside is the wardon, a clever ex-militery man named Hawk (Lee Van Cleef). It's tone is very dark. It dose not predict a very sunny future with gang warfare on the rise. But at the same time, it is also not heavy, not a lot to think about, and that's fine. It's an unusal combination of dark comedy and cruel violence (got to love all those heads on pikes lineing Park Avenue).
Rating: 
Summary: Disapointing
Review: I bought this movie because everyone said it was good and better than the second Part (Escape from L.A.). Well all I can say is that its just stupid... The story may be ok but the acting and atmospehre (if it even exists) is just like soem schoolplay of Hamlet.
On top of that it does hardly have any action. There is only 1 scene of "action": (spoilers) Snake gets chased by some crazy people (?) ,runs into a building and covers up the window he jumped in, than he takes out his Mac11 (with scope on the
supresor -_-) and shoots one guys Hand of wich leaves a bloody mess.
Im sorry to say but if you have seen Escape from LA first than dont watch this...
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Summary: It's Official!!!
Review: Finally one of the greatest movies of all time is getting the treatment it deserves. It's official. MGM has just announced the DVD release of John Carpenter's Escape from New York: Special Edition. The 2-disc set, due to street on 12/16... will include the film in anamorphic widescreen video, with Dolby Digital 5.1 audio and 2 feature-length audio commentaries, the 10-minute "bank robbery" opening scene (with commentary by John Carpenter and Kurt Russell), the Return to Escape from New York documentary (featuring new interviews), a featurette on the making of the John Carpenter's Snake Plissken Chronicles comic (along with a special edition issue of the comic itself), trailers, photo galleries and more. The packaging will be Digipak, enclosed in an embossed outer sleeve, with liner notes by Carpenter Come on Dec.16th
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Summary: ANOTHER KURT RUSSELL CLASSIC
Review: IN THIS 1981 CLASSIC, A MAN NAMED SNAKE PLISSKEN [KURT RUSSELL]IS SENT TO MAXIMUM SECURITY PRISON OF NEW YORK TO RESCUE THE PRESIDENT [DONALD PLESANCE] WHO'S BEEN KIDNAPPED BY A GANG OF CRIMINALS. GREAT ACTION, EVEN THOUGH THE FILM CAN BE SLOW MOVING AT TIMES. KURT RUSSELL DOES A VERY GOOD JOB OF PLAYING THE ONE-EYED SNAKE PLISSKEN, ISSAC HAYES DOES FAIRLY WELL PLAYING THE VILLAIN OF THIS FILM, AND DONALD PLEASANCE DOES A GOOD JOB PLAYING THE KIDNAPPED PRESIDENT. GOOD ACTION FROM BEGINNING TO END. FOLLOWED 15 YEARS LATER BY ESCAPE FROM LA.
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