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:

Race | President | Plane Crash | Hit And Run | Electronic Music Score

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 | Argentina:84 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Brazilian Sign Language | Spanish

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono | Stereo | Dolby | Dolby Digital | DTS

Certification:

Iceland:12 | Australia:M (TV rating) | Netherlands:18 (original rating) | Argentina:18 (re-rating) | Argentina:X (original rating) | Netherlands:16 (re-rating) | France:-16 | 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 racetrack used for the opening track and grandstand scenes is the Ontario Motor Speedway near Los Angeles.

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: Cameraman and camera visible in reflection of trumpet in opening shot.

Quotes:

Junior: All right, all right, and yes-sirree! A clean hit! A perfect hit! And no pain for the target. Too bad the guy was only thirty-eight; just two years older, he'd have been worth three times the points.

Movie Connections:

Spoofed in Satan's Little Helper (2004)

Cult at gazillion miles per hour

Death Race 2000 is the finest example to show how easy it actually was back in the seventies to come up with a timeless cult film. Honestly, anyone could have invented an outrageously exaggerated premise like this but the fact that it was actually Roger Corman who dealt with it just proves how eminently he ruled the B-movie circuit back then. Death Race 2000 is one of the most entertaining films ever made and I, for one, can't imagine someone not loving the severely ridicule story of a coast-to-coast car race where the contesters score points by wiping pedestrians off the road. Silly, yes…but even more ingenious, flamboyant and offensive. Pure cult, in other words, and fundamental viewing for every soul who ever showed interest in extravagant film-making! The script is stuffed with imaginative findings (euthanasia day at the hospital!) and downright UNsubtle protest towards the American way of life (a factor that determines Death Race 2000 as cult even more). Considering it's a Corman production, the film also contains explicit violence, provoking messages and a truckload of sleaze! All the elements that guarantee untamed cult success! Of course it has to be said that it could have been an even better film if Corman and director Paul Bartel focused on a more proper elaboration of the versatile idea. The rivalry between Carradine and Stallone, for example, should have resulted in a more intriguing sub plot and even though DR 2000 already contains much absurdity as it is, the premise surely had potential enough to add even more sick jokes and cynical situations. David Carradine acts deliciously as always and Stallone is excellent as well. Death Race 2000 is cinema that separates the men from the boys, people! Stop exploring the cult genre in case you didn't had the time of your life watching this film.