Escape from New York (1981)

Director:

John Carpenter

Writers:

John Carpenter (written by) and
Nick Castle (written by)

Release Date:

10 July 1981 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Sci-Fi | Thriller

Tagline:

The world's greatest leader is a hostage in the most dangerous place on Earth. Now only the deadliest man alive can save him.

Plot:

In 1997, when the US President crashes into Manhattan, now a giant max. security prison, a convicted bank robber is sent in for a rescue.

Plot Keywords:

Electronic Music Score | Cult Favorite | Snake | Presumed Dead | City Name In Title

Awards:

4 nominations

Cast

Kurt Russell	...	Snake Plissken
Lee Van Cleef	...	Police Commissioner Bob Hauk
Ernest Borgnine	...	Cabbie
Donald Pleasence	...	President of the United States
Isaac Hayes	...	The Duke of New York
Season Hubley	...	Girl in Chock Full O'Nuts
Harry Dean Stanton	...	Harold 'Brain' Helman
Adrienne Barbeau	...	Maggie
Tom Atkins	...	Rehme
Charles Cyphers	...	Secretary of State
Joe Unger	...	Taylor (scenes deleted)
Frank Doubleday	...	Romero
John Strobel	...	Cronenberg
John Cothran Jr.	...	Gypsy #1
Garrett Bergfeld	...	Gypsy #2
Richard Cosentino	...	Gypsy Guard
Robert John Metcalf	...	Gypsy #3
Joel Bennett	...	Gypsy #4
Vic Bullock	...	First Indian
Clem Fox	...	Second Indian
Tobar Mayo	...	Third Indian
Nancy Stephens	...	Stewardess / Terrorist
Steven M. Gagnon	...	Secret Service #1
Steven Ford	...	Secret Service #2
Michael Taylor	...	Secret Service #3
Lonnie Wun	...	Red Bandana Gypsy
Dale E. House	...	Helicopter Pilot #1
David R. Patrick	...	Helicopter Pilot #2
Bob Minor	...	Duty Sergeant
Wally Taylor	...	Controller
James O'Hagen	...	Computer Operator
James Emery	...	Trooper
Tom Lillard	...	Police Sergeant
Borah Silver	...	Theater Manager
Tony Papenfuss	...	Theater Assistant
John Diehl	...	Punk
Carmen Filpi	...	Bum
George 'Buck' Flower	...	Drunk wearing tracking bracelet (as Buck Flower)
Clay Wright	...	Helicopter Pilot #3
Al Cerullo	...	Helicopter Pilot #4
Ox Baker	...	Slag
Lowmoan Spectacular	...	Dancer
Ronald E. House	...	Dancer
Alan Shearman	...	Dancer
Joseph A. Perrotti	...	Dancer
Rodger Bumpass	...	Dancer
Ron Vernan	...	Dancer
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Debra Hill	...	Computer (voice)
Carla Barnett	...	Gypsy (uncredited)
John Carpenter	...	Secret Service #2 / Helicopter Pilot / Violin Player (voice) (uncredited)
Jamie Lee Curtis	...	Narrator / Computer Voice (uncredited) (voice)
David E. Harshbarger	...	Soldier, Bum in Theater (uncredited)
Mark Stern	...	Guy in Chock Full O'Nuts (uncredited)
Ken Tipton	...	(uncredited)
Barron Winchester	...	Sewer Dweller (uncredited)

Directed by
John Carpenter

Writing credits
John Carpenter		(written by) and
Nick Castle		(written by)

Produced by
Barry Bernardi	....	associate producer
Larry J. Franco	....	producer
Debra Hill	....	producer

Original Music by
John Carpenter
Alan Howarth

Cinematography by
Dean Cundey
Jim Lucas

Film Editing by
Todd C. Ramsay		(as Todd Ramsay)

Production Design by
Joe Alves

Set Decoration by
Cloudia

Costume Design by
Stephen Loomis		(as Steven Loomis)

Makeup Department
Frankie Bergman	....	hair stylist
Ken Chase	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Alan Levine	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Jeffrey Chernov	....	second assistant director
Larry J. Franco	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Serge Genitempo	....	stand-by painter

Sound Department
Thomas Causey	....	sound
Carl Fischer	....	boom operator
Nicholas James	....	foley editor
Gregg Landaker	....	sound re-recording mixer
Steve Maslow	....	sound re-recording mixer
Steve Rice	....	dialogue editor

Special Effects by
Roy Arbogast	....	special effects
Kevin Pike	....	special effects
Gary Zink	....	special effects

Visual Effects by
Stephen Barncard	....	motion control design
James Cameron	....	matte artist (as Jim Cameron)
James Cameron	....	special effects director of photography (as Jim Cameron)
R.J. Kizer	....	special visual effects supervisor
Dennis Skotak	....	special effects director of photography
Robert Skotak	....	matte artwork
Charles Skouras III	....	visual effects production manager
Mark Stetson	....	model maker
Gary Wagner	....	visual effects gaffer
William L. Arance	....	visual effects (uncredited)
Whitney Scott Bain	....	visual effects production assistant (uncredited)

Stunts
Buff Brady	....	stunts
Tony Brubaker	....	stunts
Roydon Clark	....	stunts
Glory Fioramonti	....	stunts
Sandra Lee Gimpel	....	stunts (as Sandy Gimpel)
Bill Hart	....	stunts
Kent Hays	....	stunts
Eddie Hice	....	stunts
Loren Janes	....	stunts
Mike Johnson	....	stunts
Mags Kavanaugh	....	stunts
William T. Lane	....	stunts (as Bill Lane)
Fred Lerner	....	stunts
Mike H. McGaughy	....	stunts (as Mike McGaughy)
Bob Minor	....	stunts
John Moio	....	stunts (as John A. Moio)
Harvey Parry	....	stunts
George Sawaya	....	stunts
Jacky Tyree	....	stunts
Jack Verbois	....	stunts
Dick Warlock	....	stunt coordinator
Dick Warlock	....	stunts
Jesse Wayne	....	stunts
Ted White	....	stunts
George P. Wilbur	....	stunts (as George Wilbur)
James Winburn	....	stunts (as Jim Winburn)
Dick Warlock	....	stunt double: Kurt Russell (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Clyde E. Bryan	....	first assistant camera
Jim Coe	....	still photographer
Curtis Foster	....	electrician
Kim Gottlieb	....	still photographer
Douglas Olivares	....	assistant camera
Frank Palmer	....	key grip
Raymond Stella	....	camera operator
Mark Walthour	....	gaffer

Animation Department
John C. Wash	....	computer animator

Transportation Department
Tom Briggs	....	set driver
Dick Lee	....	driver

Other crew
Donald P. Borchers	....	production associate
Frank Capra III	....	assistant location manager
Kelli Cole	....	unit publicist (as Kelli Garris)
John L. Hammontree	....	militia coordinator
Louise Jaffe	....	script supervisor
Tony Randel	....	laboratory liaison
Geoffrey Ryan	....	key set production assistant
David DeCoteau	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Barron Winchester	....	stand-in: Mr. Pleasance (uncredited)

Production Companies

• AVCO Embassy Pictures
• City Film
• Goldcrest Films International
• International Film Investors

Distributors

• AVCO Embassy Pictures (1981) (USA) (theatrical)
• Parafrance Films (1981) (France) (theatrical)
• Astro Distribution (1994) (Germany) (video) (laserdisc)
• CEL Home Video (1980s) (Australia) (VHS)
• DEG Sale Company B.V.
• Embassy Home Entertainment (USA) (VHS)
• Flashstar Home Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)
• Hoyts Distribution (1981) (Australia) (theatrical)
• MGM Home Entertainment (USA) (DVD)
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (video)
• Neue Constantin Film (1981) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• New Line Home Video (USA) (VHS)
• New World-Mutual (Canada)
• Studio Canal
• UFA Video (2002) (Germany) (DVD)
• Universal Pictures (Spain) (2006) (Spain) (DVD)

Special Effects

• New World/Venice

Also Known As:

John Carpenter's Escape from New York (USA) (complete title)

Runtime:

99 min

Country:

UK | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Iceland:16 | Canada:AA (Ontario) | Germany:16 | Canada:PA (Manitoba) | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Brazil:14 | UK:AA (original rating) | Finland:K-15 (DVD rating) | UK:15 (video rating) | Canada:R (Nova Scotia) | Canada:R (Manitoba) (director's cut) | Australia:M | Norway:15 | Norway:16 (original rating) | Sweden:15 | USA:R | West Germany:16 (w) | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

Chain of Rocks Bridge, St. Louis, Missouri, USA

Company:

AVCO Embassy Pictures

Trivia:

The wire-frame computer graphics on the display screens in the glider were not actually computer graphics. (Computers capable of 3D wire-frame imaging were way too expensive when this was made.) To generate the "wire-frame" images, they built a model of the city, painted it black, attached bright white tape to the model buildings in an orderly grid, and moved a camera through the model city!

Goofs:

Factual errors: When Snake lands on top of the World Trade Center tower, his altimeter indicates less than 200. The tower was over 1300 feet.

Quotes:

[Snake runs into Cabbie's taxi cab while being chased by the Crazies]
Cabbie: Bad neighborhood, Snake! You don't want to be walking from the Bowery to 42nd Street at night. I've been driving a cab here for 30 years and I'm telling you: you don't walk around here at night! Yes, sir! Those Crazies'll kill you and strip you in ten seconds flat! Usually I'm not down around here myself, but I wanted to catch that show. That stuff is like gold around here, you know.
[Cabbie casually lights a Molotov cocktail and throws it at approaching Crazies, which explodes in front of them, stopping them... and Cabbie speeds away with Snake in his taxi]

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Banlieue 13 (2004)

Soundtrack:

Everyone's Going to New York

A rough and enjoyable film built on a great character in Snake and a great performance from Russell

On his way to an important conference that will determine the fate of America, Air Force One is crashed into Manhattan island - leaving the President and vital information trapped within the single largest prison in the world. With very little time and no way to mount a full on attack, Chief Hauk forces the newly captured ex-war hero Snake Plisskin to launch a covert rescue mission - adding the extra incentive of timed bombs implanted in his body. Snake, with little other choice, accepts the mission to save his own neck (literally). If the remake had any value, hopefully it's value was in bringing a new audience to the original film and watching it for the first time. The film opens with that very distinctive electronic theme music that gives it such a cool feel from the very getgo. This is followed up by a great rough energy as we are introduced to this future (which is now the past!). This story continues quite well but, once all the main players have been introduced, the film falls back on the expected series of 'running away' and fighting. This is not to say that it still isn't quite fun and cool because it is. The effects, music and even the use of tapes make this film feel very old and dated but it actually goes hand in hand with the very rough feel that Carpenter gave to several of his films at the time (whether deliberately or budget influenced I don't know). The plot is full of silly moments and sheer gaps in logic but, if you buy into the mood of the film, you can get by these and enjoy it - though I define you to call this a 'great' film, maybe good. The casting of Kurt Russell is a major thing. He is iconicly cool and his performance and his character are the two main things that have kept this film well known down the years. He looks tough and talks tough and is a great homage to the Clint Eastwood character from the old westerns (a fact made clearer in the sequel). Cleef is a good foil for him as he is tough too but lacks screen time for the majority. It is very clear what Barbeau brings to the party - and the costume selected for her makes no secret of it! I am a man and I'm not proud of it, but she is very easy on the eye here - just a shame that that's all I remember about her performance. Borgnine and Stanton are both good and, along with Hayes, all serve to increase the cult appeal of the film to this day. Overall this is a cult film that looks cheap, has dated effects and a plot that starts to crumble after the first half. However it is cool fun with some great tough dialogue. However, beyond all this it is the iconic character of Snake and the great performance from Russell that will mean that this film continues to get cool points with new audiences.