Death Race 2000 (1975)

Director:

Paul Bartel

Writers:

Ib Melchior (story)
Robert Thom (writer) ...

Release Date:

27 April 1975 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Sci-Fi | Sport

Tagline:

In The Year 2000 Hit And Run Driving Is No Longer A Felony. It's The National Sport!

Plot:

A champion of a brutal cross-country car race of the future where pedestrians are run down for points...

Plot Keywords:

Game Of Death | Female Nudity | Dancing | Post Apocalyptic | Absurd Violence

Cast

David Carradine	...	Frankenstein
Simone Griffeth	...	Annie Smith
Sylvester Stallone	...	Machine Gun Joe Viterbo
Mary Woronov	...	Calamity Jane
Roberta Collins	...	Matilda the Hun
Martin Kove	...	Nero the Hero
Louisa Moritz	...	Myra
Don Steele	...	Junior Bruce (as The Real Don Steele)
Joyce Jameson	...	Grace Pander
Carle Bensen	...	Harold
Sandy McCallum	...	Mr. President
Paul Laurence	...	Special agent
Harriet Medin	...	Thomasina Paine
Vince Trankina	...	Lt. Fury
Bill Morey	...	Deacon

Runtime:

USA:84 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Australia:M | Netherlands:18 | Iceland:12 | Australia:R | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:AA (Ontario) | Finland:K-18 | Germany:16 (2002) | Sweden:15 | UK:18 | USA:R | West Germany:18 (original rating) | Canada:R (Manitoba) | UK:X (original rating) | Norway:18 (DVD release) (2003) (uncut version) | Norway:16 (video) (1988) (heavily cut) | Norway:(Banned) (1976-2003) (cinema release) | Canada:A (Nova Scotia) (original rating) | Canada:14 (Nova Scotia) (re-rating) (2002)

Filming Locations:

Chet Holifield Federal Building - 24000 Avila Road, Laguna Niguel, California, USA

Company:

New World Pictures

Trivia:

The film retains only the basic premises of the original short story by Ib Melchior; the characters and incidents are all different. The story focuses on just one mechanic and driver, and one anti-racer. In particular, it does not include the President or the special driver Frankenstein.

Goofs:

Errors in geography: The opening sequence occurs at "New York Memorial Raceway" yet mountains can be seen reflected in the glass on the grandstands. (Scene was filmed at Ontario Motor Speedway in California.)

Quotes:

Junior: Frankenstein scores! Frankenstein scores at last! But what kind of a score, boys and girls? Just 80 points out a possible big 700. What do you think, Gracie?
Grace Pander: Well, those doctors - dear friends of mine - have been pretty smug all these years setting up the old folks. Frankenstein must have decided it was their turn.
Harold: Which only goes to show that even the fearsome Frankenstein has a one-hundred-percent, red-blooded American sense of humor, heh heh.

Movie Connections:

Spoofed in Dead End (1985)

Race to Grab this Corman Cult Classic!! :

Every once in a while, Roger Corman, "a dear friend of mine" ;=8), comes out with a little gem among the tons of coal he produces every year, and "DR2K" is one of them. Kind of a poor-man's "Roller Ball", "DR2K" is about the ultimate in New America's blood sport in a fascist "near-future", with David Carradine("Kung Fu")as the anti-hero Frankenstein. Produced by Corman, and directed by Paul Bartell("Eating Raoul"), the film is fast-paced, blackly humorous, and well-made. Unlike many Corman cheapies, the stark, spartan setting of "DR2K" only adds to the bleak atmosphere, where Mr. President rules from overseas, and old folks are routinely euthanized as part of the game. The game, in this case, being the Transcontinental Road Race where anything goes, and where pedestrians are run over and assigned kill points. Carradine plays a darkly foreboding Frankenstein, so-called because of the many limbs he has lost as a result of running the Death Race. A pre-"Rocky" Sylvester Stallone is grand as Machine-Gun Joe Viterbo, Frankenstein's arch-rival. Also stars Mary Woronov("Eating Raoul", "Rock & Roll High School")as Calamity Jane, Roberta Collins("Eaten Alive", "Hardbodies")delightful as Matilda the Hun, and 60's DJ Don Steele as a mincing little announcer. One of Corman's many little social cowmentaries, this one about the all-too American obsession for violence and sports; thankfully he allows Bartell to deftly and briskly direct. Still, it's a fairly low-budget affair; pedetrians get crushed, and things git blowed up real good, but it only makes you wonder what the film cud have been with a larger budget. Oh well, at least there isn't a giant evil pickle from Venus in this one... The MooCow says this Guilty Pleasure is definitely rentable, so just yell "Blitzkrieg!" and fire up that vcr!! :