Escape from New York
Theatrical poster
Directed by	John Carpenter
Produced by	Larry J. Franco Debra Hill
Written by	John Carpenter Nick Castle
Starring	Kurt Russell Lee Van Cleef Ernest Borgnine Donald Pleasence Isaac Hayes Harry Dean Stanton Adrienne Barbeau Season Hubley Tom Atkins
Music by	John Carpenter Alan Howarth
Cinematography	Dean Cundey Jim Lucas
Editing by	Todd Ramsay
Distributed by	AVCO Embassy Pictures
Release date(s)	France June 24, 1981 USA July 10, 1981
Running time	99 minutes
Language	English
Budget	USD $7,000,000 (est.)[1]
Gross revenue	USD $25,244,626[2]
Followed by	Escape from L.A.
Official website
Allmovie profile
IMDb profile

Escape from New York is a 1981 science fiction/action film directed and scored by John Carpenter. He also co-wrote the screenplay with Nick Castle. The film is set in the near future of a United States so crime-ridden that Manhattan Island in New York City has become a maximum security prison. Ex-soldier and legendary fugitive "Snake" Plissken (Kurt Russell) is given 24 hours to find the President of the United States, who has been captured by inmates after Air Force One crashed on the island. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (485x738, 263 KB)Escape from New York film poster File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... For other persons named John Carpenter, see John Carpenter (disambiguation). ... Debra Hill (November 10, 1950–March 7, 2005) was an American screenwriter and film producer who co-wrote the horror movie Halloween. ... For other persons named John Carpenter, see John Carpenter (disambiguation). ... Nick Castle (born September 21, 1947) is an American actor,screenwriter and film director. ... Kurt Vogel Russell (born March 17, 1951) is an American actor. ... Lee Van Cleef (January 9, 1925 – December 16, 1989) was an American film actor, who appeared mostly in Western and action pictures. ... Ermes Effron Borgnino or better known as Ernest Borgnine (born January 24, 1917[1][2]) is a Golden Globe-, BAFTA- and Academy Award-winning American actor. ... Donald Henry Pleasence, OBE (October 5, 1919 – February 2, 1995) was an English stage and film actor. ... For the American arctic explorer, see Isaac Israel Hayes Isaac Lee Hayes, Jr. ... Harry Dean Stanton (born July 14, 1926 in West Irvine, Kentucky, USA) is an American actor. ... Adrienne Jo Barbeau (born June 11, 1945) is an American television, film, and musical theater actress. ... Ex-wife of actor Kurt Russell and mother of his son Boston Russell. ... Tom Atkins as Dr. Dan Challis in the last scene of Halloween III: Season of the Witch (1982). ... The Rt. ... Dean Cundey is a celebrated cinematographer born 12 March 1946 in Alhambra, California, USA. He has worked on some of the most influential special effects films in history and has collaborated extensively with directors John Carpenter and Robert Zemeckis. ... is the 175th day of the year (176th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... AUGUST 25 1981 US Marine Sean Vance is Born on the 25th of August {ear nav|1981}} Year 1981 (MCMLXXXI) was a common year starting on Thursday (link displays the 1981 Gregorian calendar). ... is the 191st day of the year (192nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... AUGUST 25 1981 US Marine Sean Vance is Born on the 25th of August {ear nav|1981}} Year 1981 (MCMLXXXI) was a common year starting on Thursday (link displays the 1981 Gregorian calendar). ... The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... USD redirects here. ... USD redirects here. ... Escape From L.A. (also known as John Carpenters Escape From L.A.) is a 1996 film directed by John Carpenter. ... // January 19 - Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer acquires beleaguered concurrent United Artists. ... Science fiction film is a film genre that uses speculative, science-based depictions of imaginary phenomena such as extra-terrestrial lifeforms, alien worlds, and time travel, often along with technological elements such as futuristic spacecraft, robots, or other technologies. ... Look up Action film in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Director Herbert Brenon with actress Alla Nazimova on the set of War Brides, 1916 A director is a person who directs the making of a film. ... A film score is a set of musical compositions written to accompany a film. ... For other persons named John Carpenter, see John Carpenter (disambiguation). ... Nick Castle (born September 21, 1947) is an American actor,screenwriter and film director. ... For other uses, see Manhattan (disambiguation). ... New York, New York and NYC redirect here. ... Supermax is the name used to describe control-unit prisons or units within prisons, representing the most secure and austere levels of custody in the prison systems of the United States and other countries. ... S.D. Robert (Bob) Snake Plissken is a fictional character in John Carpenters films Escape from New York and Escape from L.A., played by Kurt Russell. ... Kurt Vogel Russell (born March 17, 1951) is an American actor. ... For the current aircraft, see Boeing VC-25. ...

Carpenter originally wrote the film in the mid-1970s as a reaction to the Watergate scandal, but no studio wanted to make it because it was deemed too dark and violent. After the success of Halloween, he had enough influence to get the film made and shot most of it in St. Louis, Missouri, where significant portions of the city were used in the place of New York City.^[3] Watergate redirects here. ... Halloween (film) redirects here. ... Nickname: Location in the state of Missouri Coordinates: , Country State County Independent City Government  - Mayor Francis G. Slay (D) Area  - City  66. ...

The film's total budget was estimated to be USD $7 million.^[1] It was a commercial hit, grossing over $50 million worldwide.^[2] It has since developed its own cult following, particularly around the anti-hero Plissken. A sequel, Escape from L.A., was released in 1996. On March 13, 2007, a remake of the original film was announced tentatively with actor Gerard Butler set to play Plissken^[4] with Len Wiseman to direct.^[5] Both have since dropped out of the project.^[6] USD redirects here. ... This article does not discuss cultist groups, personality cults, or cult in its original sense of religious practice. See cult (disambiguation) for more meanings of the term cult. A cult following is a group of fans devoted to a specific area of pop culture. ... In literature and film, an anti-hero is a central or supporting character that has some of the personality flaws and ultimate fortune traditionally assigned to villains but nonetheless also have enough heroic qualities or intentions to gain the sympathy of readers or viewers. ... S.D. Robert (Bob) Snake Plissken is a fictional character in John Carpenters films Escape from New York and Escape from L.A., played by Kurt Russell. ... Escape From L.A. (also known as John Carpenters Escape From L.A.) is a 1996 film directed by John Carpenter. ... is the 72nd day of the year (73rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... Gerard James Butler (born November 13, 1969) is a Scottish actor perhaps best known for his portrayal of King Leonidas in 300 and The Phantom in the 2004 film version of The Phantom of the Opera. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ...

Plot

In an alternate, dystopian 1997, the Soviet Union still exists, as does the threat of another World War. Manhattan was turned into a maximum security prison in 1988 due to a nationwide crime increase in the United States of 400%. Surrounded by a 50-foot containment wall, all inmates are sentenced to life imprisonment, and have formed gangs which control the crumbling, garbage-strewn city. Travelling to a three-way summit between the United States, Soviet Union and China, Air Force One, the plane of the President of the United States, is hijacked by terrorists opposed to the government. The militants crash the plane onto Manhattan island, but the President (Donald Pleasence) is safely sealed in an escape pod and survives. Unfortunately, the inmates quickly find him and take him hostage. This article is about the philosophical concept and literary form. ... A world war is a war affecting the majority of the worlds major nations. ... This article is about the borough of New York City. ... Supermax is the name used to describe control-unit prisons or units within prisons, representing the most secure and austere levels of custody in the prison systems of the United States and other countries. ... Life imprisonment is a sentence of imprisonment for a serious crime, nominally for the entire remaining life of the prisoner, but in fact for a period which varies between jurisdictions: many countries have a maximum possible period of time (usually 50 years) a prisoner may be incarcerated, or require the... For the current aircraft, see Boeing VC-25. ... Federal courts Supreme Court Circuit Courts of Appeal District Courts Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures (List) State Courts Local Government Other countries Atlas  US Government Portal      For other uses, see President of the United States (disambiguation). ... Terrorist redirects here. ... This article is about the borough of New York City. ... Donald Henry Pleasence, OBE (October 5, 1919 – February 2, 1995) was an English stage and film actor. ... An escape pod is a capsule or craft used to escape a vessel in an emergency, usually only big enough for one person. ...

Ex-special forces soldier turned convict "Snake" Plissken (played by Kurt Russell) is escorted to the maximum security prison on Manhattan Island

Police Commissioner Bob Hauk (Lee Van Cleef) offers a deal to a newly arrived prisoner, a famous special forces soldier turned armed robber named "Snake" Plissken (Kurt Russell). If Snake rescues the President, and retrieves a cassette tape that contains important information on nuclear fusion, Hauk will give him a full pardon. However, Plissken must complete his mission before the international summit that the President was due to attend, which begins in 24 hours. After Plissken reluctantly agrees to attempt the rescue, Hauk secretly has him injected with microscopic explosives that will blow open his carotid arteries in 24 hours. The explosives can not be defused until within five minutes before they go off, as a way of ensuring that Snake does not abandon his mission and escape, nor find another way to remove them. If he returns with the President and the tape in time for the summit, Hauk will save him. Image File history File links Metadata No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links Metadata No higher resolution available. ... The United States Special Operations Forces is the official category which the United States Department of Defense lists the U.S. military units that have a training specialization in unconventional warfare and special operations. ... S.D. Robert (Bob) Snake Plissken is a fictional character in John Carpenters films Escape from New York and Escape from L.A., played by Kurt Russell. ... Kurt Vogel Russell (born March 17, 1951) is an American actor. ... Lee Van Cleef (January 9, 1925 – December 16, 1989) was an American film actor, who appeared mostly in Western and action pictures. ... The United States Special Operations Forces is the official category which the United States Department of Defense lists the U.S. military units that have a training specialization in unconventional warfare and special operations. ... S.D. Robert (Bob) Snake Plissken is a fictional character in John Carpenters films Escape from New York and Escape from L.A., played by Kurt Russell. ... Kurt Vogel Russell (born March 17, 1951) is an American actor. ... The deuterium-tritium (D-T) fusion reaction is considered the most promising for producing sustainable fusion power. ... The carotid artery is a major artery of the head and neck that supplies blood to the head and neck. ...

Snake covertly lands atop the World Trade Center in a glider and then locates the hijacked plane wreckage and the escape pod, but the President is gone. Snake tracks the President's life-monitor bracelet signal to the basement of an abandoned theater, only to find it on the wrist of an inebriated bum. He meets a friendly inmate nicknamed "Cabbie" (Ernest Borgnine), who offers to help. Cabbie takes Snake to see Brain (Harry Dean Stanton), a savvy and well-educated inmate who has made the New York Public Library his personal fortress. Brain, who knows Snake from some heists they did in the past, tells Snake that a powerful gang leader, the self-proclaimed "Duke of New York" (Isaac Hayes), has the President and plans to lead a mass escape across the mined and heavily guarded 69th Street (Queensboro) Bridge, using the President as a human shield and hostage. When the Duke unexpectedly arrives to get a diagram of the bridge's land mines, Snake forces Brain and his girlfriend Maggie (Adrienne Barbeau) to lead him back to The Duke's compound. Snake finds the President, but his rescue fails and he is captured. For other uses, see World Trade Center (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Glider (disambiguation). ... Ermes Effron Borgnino or better known as Ernest Borgnine (born January 24, 1917[1][2]) is a Golden Globe-, BAFTA- and Academy Award-winning American actor. ... Harry Dean Stanton (born July 14, 1926 in West Irvine, Kentucky, USA) is an American actor. ... The New York Public Library (NYPL) is one of the leading public libraries of the world and is one of Americas most significant research libraries. ... For the American arctic explorer, see Isaac Israel Hayes Isaac Lee Hayes, Jr. ... Adrienne Jo Barbeau (born June 11, 1945) is an American television, film, and musical theater actress. ...

While Snake is forced to fight with a giant power-house brute (played by professional wrestler Ox Baker), Brain and Maggie trick the Duke's men into letting them have access to the President. After killing the guards, they free the President and flee to Snake's glider. Meanwhile, Snake defeats his huge opponent, impressing the crowd. When the Duke learns the President has escaped with Brain, he is furious, and he rounds up his gang to chase them down. In the confusion, Snake slips away and manages to catch up with Brain, Maggie and the President at the glider, but during their attempted getaway, a gang of inmates push it off the building. Snake and the others soon find Cabbie, and Snake takes the wheel of his cab, heading for the bridge. When Cabbie reveals that he has the nuclear fusion tape (traded to him from an inmate who guarded the President and stole it), the President demands it, but Snake takes it. Douglas A. Baker (April 19, 1934-)better known professionally as Ox Baker, was an American professional wrestler, best known for a finishing hold called the Heart Punch. ...

With the Duke chasing in another car, Snake and the others drive over the mine-strewn bridge. After the cab hits a land mine, the cab is destroyed and Cabbie is killed. As the others flee on foot, Brain is killed by a mine and Maggie refuses to leave him. She attempts to hold off the Duke's car by firing at him with a handgun, but he crashes into her, killing her, and continues his pursuit on foot. Snake and the President reach the containment wall, and the guards raise the President on a rope. The Duke then attacks Snake, but the President shoots the Duke with a submachine gun. Snake is then lifted to safety, and the mini-explosives implanted in his body are deactivated with seconds to spare.

As the President prepares for a televised speech, he half-heartedly thanks Snake for saving him, but shows little sympathy for those who died helping him. The President's speech commences and he offers the content of the cassette to the summit. To the President's embarrassment, the tape has been switched for a cassette of the swing song "Bandstand Boogie" (the theme from American Bandstand), Cabbie's favorite song. After Snake is pardoned, he leaves the prison, and he tears apart the all-important nuclear fusion tape. Dick Clark, host of American Bandstand American Bandstand was a long-running dance music television show that aired in various versions from 1952 to 1989. ...

Production

Carpenter originally wrote the screenplay for Escape from New York in 1976, in the aftermath of the Watergate scandal. Carpenter said, "The whole feeling of the nation was one of real cynicism about the President. I wrote the screenplay and no studio wanted to make it" because, according to Carpenter, "it was too violent, too scary, too weird."^[7] He has also been inspired by the film Death Wish which was very popular at the time. He did not agree with the film's philosophy but liked how it conveyed "the sense of New York as a kind of jungle, and I wanted to make an SF film along these lines."^[8] Watergate redirects here. ... Death Wish is a 1974 film based on the 1972 novel by Brian Garfield. ...

Casting

Avco-Embassy Pictures, the film's financial backer, preferred either Charles Bronson or Tommy Lee Jones to play the role of "Snake" Plissken to Carpenter's choice of Kurt Russell, who was trying to overcome his "lightweight" screen image which arose from his roles in several Disney comedies. Carpenter refused to cast Bronson on the grounds that he was too old, and because he worried that with an experienced actor such as Bronson, he could lose directorial control over the picture. At the time, Russell described his character as "a mercenary, and his style of fighting is a combination of Bruce Lee, the Exterminator and Darth Vader, with Eastwood’s vocal-ness."^[9] All that matters to Snake, according to the actor, is "the next 60 seconds. Living for exactly that next minute is all there is."^[10] For other persons named Charles Bronson, see Charles Bronson (disambiguation). ... Tommy Lee Jones (born September 15, 1946) is an Academy Award-winning American actor and director. ... Old logo from 1985-2006 Walt Disney Pictures refers to several different entities associated with The Walt Disney Company: Walt Disney Pictures, the film banner, was established as a designation in 1983, prior to which Disney films since the death of Walt Disney were released under the name of the... Bruce Lee (traditional Chinese: ; simplified Chinese: ; Pinyin: Lǐ XiÇŽolóng; Cantonese Yale: Léih Síulùhng; November 27, 1940 – July 20, 1973) was a Chinese-American martial artist, philosopher, instructor, and martial arts actor widely regarded as the most influential martial artist of the 20th century and a... The Exterminator is a 1980 action movie directed by James Glickenhaus and starring Robert Ginty as the leading role. ... For information on this characters appearance in the Star Wars prequel trilogy, see Anakin Skywalker. ... For other uses, see Clint Eastwood (disambiguation). ...

Pre-production

Carpenter had just made Dark Star but no one wanted to hire him as a director, so he assumed that he would make it in Hollywood as a screenwriter. The filmmaker went on to do other films with the intention of making Escape later. After the success of Halloween, Avco-Embassy signed him and producer Debra Hill to a two-picture deal. The first film from this contract was The Fog. Initially, the second film that he was going to make to finish the contract out was The Philadelphia Experiment, but because of script-writing problems, Carpenter rejected it in favor of this project. However, Carpenter felt that something was missing and remembers, "This was basically a straight action film. And at one point, I realized it really doesn't have this kind of crazy humor that people from New York would expect to see."^[11] He brought in Nick Castle, a friend from his film school days at University of Southern California who also played 'The Shape' in Halloween. Castle invented the Cabbie character and came up with the film's ending. This article or section contains a plot summary that is overly long. ... Halloween (film) redirects here. ... The Fog is a 1980 horror movie directed by John Carpenter, who also wrote the screenplay and composed the music of the film. ... The Philadelphia Experiment is a 1984 science fiction film. ... Nick Castle (born September 21, 1947) is an American actor,screenwriter and film director. ... The Trojan Shrine, better known as Tommy Trojan located in the center of University of Southern California campus. ... This article is about the holiday. ...

The film's setting proved to be a potential problem for Carpenter, who was overwhelmed with having to create a decaying, semi-destroyed version of New York City on only a shoe-string budget. He and the film's production designer, Joe Alves rejected shooting on location in New York City because it would be too hard to make it look like a destroyed city. Carpenter suggested shooting on a movie back lot but Alves nixed that idea, "because the texture of a real street is not like a back lot."^[12] They sent Barry Bernardi, their location manager (and also associate producer), "on a sort of all-expense-paid trip across the country looking for the worst city in America," producer Debra Hill remembers.^[12] Joe Alves (born 21 May 1936, San Leandro, California) is an American film production designer, perhaps best known for his work on the Jaws films. ...

Bernardi suggested East St. Louis, Illinois, because it was filled with old buildings "that exist in New York now, and [that] have that seedy, run-down quality" that the team was looking for.^[13] East St. Louis, sitting across the Mississippi River from the more prosperous St. Louis, Missouri, had entire neighborhoods burned out in 1976 during a massive urban fire. Hill said in an interview, "block after block was burnt-out rubble. In some places there was absolutely nothing, so that you could see three and four blocks away."^[12] As well, Alves found an old bridge to double for the "69th St. Bridge". The filmmaker purchased the Old Chain of Rocks Bridge for one dollar from the government and then gave it back to them for a dollar, "so that they wouldn't have any liability," Hill remembers.^[12] East St. ... Nickname: Location in the state of Missouri Coordinates: , Country State County Independent City Government  - Mayor Francis G. Slay (D) Area  - City  66. ... The Chain of Rocks Bridge is a 5,350 feet long bridge spanning the Mississippi River on the north edge of St. ...

Principal photography

Carpenter and his crew convinced the city to shut off the electricity to ten blocks at a time at night and shot most of the movie in the summer of 1979 and 1980. They even found an exact replica of New York's Grand Central Terminal that was deserted and unused. It was a tough, demanding shoot for the filmmaker as he recalls, "We'd finish shooting at about 6 am and I'd just be going to sleep at 7 when the Sun would be coming up. I'd wake up around 5 or 6 pm, depending on whether or not we had dailies, and by the time I got going, the Sun would be setting. So for about two and a half months I never saw daylight, which was really strange."^[11] In addition to shooting on location in St. Louis, Carpenter also shot parts of the film in Los Angeles (shooting interior scenes on a soundstage and the final scenes at the Sepulveda Dam, in Sherman Oaks, Los Angeles, California.), New York and Atlanta (to utilize their futuristic-looking rapid transit system). The main concourse Grand Central Terminal (GCT, often unofficially called Grand Central Station) is a terminal rail station at 15 Vanderbilt Avenue (42nd Street and Park Avenue) in Midtown Manhattan in New York City. ... Flag Seal Nickname: City of Angels Location Location within Los Angeles County in the state of California Coordinates , Government State County California Los Angeles County Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa (D) Geographical characteristics Area     City 1,290. ... The Sepulveda Dam is a project of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, built in 1941 for flood control. ... Sherman Oaks is an 8. ... This article is about the state capital of Georgia. ...

When it came to shooting in New York City, Carpenter managed to convince the city officials to gain access to Liberty Island. He said, "We were the first film company in history allowed to shoot on Liberty Island, at the Statue of Liberty, at night. They let us have the whole island to ourselves. We were lucky. It wasn’t easy to get that initial permission. They'd had a bombing three months earlier, and were worried about trouble."^[14] Liberty Island Liberty Island, formerly called Bedloes Island, is a small uninhabited island in Upper New York Bay in the United States, best known as the location of the Statue of Liberty. ... For other monuments to freedom, see Monument of Liberty. ...

Carpenter was interested in creating two distinct looks for the movie: "One is the police state, high tech, lots of neon, a United States dominated by underground computers; that was easy to shoot compared to the Manhattan Island prison sequences, which had few lights, mainly torch lights, like feudal England."^[14]

The simulated wire-frame effect.

Certain matte paintings were rendered by James Cameron, who was at that time a special effects artist with Roger Corman's New World Pictures. When Snake is piloting the glider into the city, there are three screens on the control panel displaying wireframe animations of the landing target on the WTC and surrounding buildings. What appears on those screens was not done on computer. Carpenter wanted "high-tech" looking computer graphics, which were very expensive at the time (even for such a simple animation). To get the animation he wanted, the effects crew filmed the miniature model set of New York City they used for other scenes under blacklight with reflective tape placed along every edge of the model buildings. Only the tape shows up and appears to be a 3D wireframe animation. Image File history File links Escape_From_New_York_Wireframe. ... Image File history File links Escape_From_New_York_Wireframe. ... Mattes are used in photography and filmmaking to insert part of a foreground image onto a background image, which is often a matte painting, a background filmed by the second unit, or computer generated imagery. ... For other persons named James Cameron, see James Cameron (disambiguation). ... Roger William Corman (born April 5, 1926), sometimes nicknamed King of the Bs for his output of B-movies (though he himself rejects this appellation as inaccurate), is a prolific American producer and director of low-budget exploitation movies, many of which are some of the most influential movies made. ... New World Pictures logo from the late 1980s; New Worlds other divisions used similar logos New World Communications was a major television production company and television station owner in the United States from the late 1980s to the mid-1990s. ...

Reception

Escape from New York grossed $25.2 million in American theaters in the summer of 1981, with a similar amount grossed in foreign markets. This resulted in a $50+ million box-office hit, a revenue-to-production ratio of almost 10:1.^[2]

The film received generally positive reviews. It has a rating of 83% on Rotten Tomatoes. Newsweek magazine praised Carpenter's "deeply ingrained B-movie sensibility – which is both his strength and limitation. He does clean work, but settles for too little. He uses Russell well, however".^[15] In Time magazine, Richard Corliss wrote, "John Carpenter is offering this summer's moviegoers a rare opportunity: to escape from the air-conditioned torpor of ordinary entertainment into the hothouse humidity of their own paranoia. It's a trip worth taking".^[16] Vincent Canby, in his review for the New York Times, wrote that the film "is not to be analyzed too solemnly, though. It's a toughly told, very tall tale, one of the best escape (and escapist) movies of the season".^[17] However, in his review for the Chicago Reader, Dave Kehr, wrote "it fails to satisfy–it gives us too little of too much".^[18] This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... The Newsweek logo Newsweek is a weekly news magazine published in New York City and distributed throughout the United States and internationally. ... TIME redirects here. ... Richard Corliss is a writer for Time magazine who focuses on movies, with the occasional article on music or sports, and has distinguished himself for his clever way with words. ... Vincent Canby (July 27, 1924 – September 15, 2000) was an American film critic. ... The New York Times is an internationally known daily newspaper published in New York City and distributed in the United States and many other nations worldwide. ... The Chicago Reader is an alternative newsweekly in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was founded in 1971[2] by a group of friends who attended Carleton College. ...

Cyberpunk pioneer William Gibson referred to the film as an influence on his cyberpunk novel, Neuromancer: "I was intrigued by the exchange in one of the opening scenes where the Warden says to Snake: "You flew the wing-five over Leningrad, didn't you?" It turns out to be just a throwaway line, but for a moment it worked like the best SF, where a casual reference can imply a lot".^[19] Popular videogame director Hideo Kojima has referred to the movie frequently as an influence on his work, in particular the Metal Gear series. The character Solid Snake is strongly based on Snake Plissken. In Metal Gear Soild 2: Sons of Liberty Snake actually uses the alias "Plissken" to hide his real identity during the game.^{[citation needed]} For other persons named William Gibson, see William Gibson (disambiguation). ... Berlins Sony Center reflects the global reach of a Japanese corporation. ... For the 1988 video game, see Neuromancer (video game). ... Hideo Kojima Hideo Kojima , born August 24, 1963) is a Japanese video game designer originally employed at Konami. ...

Soundtrack

A soundtrack album, produced by Carpenter, was released in 1981 on Milan Records and was re-released in 1991 by Varese Sarabande. It featured 13 tracks and ran just over 37 minutes in length. In 2000, an expanded and remastered edition was released by Silva Records.^[20] Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... In film formats, the soundtrack is the physical area of the film which records the synchronized sound. ... For other persons named John Carpenter, see John Carpenter (disambiguation). ... The Rt. ... is the 115th day of the year (116th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2000 (MM) was a leap year starting on Saturday. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... In the music industry, a record label can be a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. ... In the music industry, a record producer (or music producer) has many roles, among them controlling the recording sessions, coaching and guiding the musicians, organizing and scheduling production budget and resources, and supervising the recording, mixing and mastering processes. ... The All Music Guide (AMG) is a metadata database about music, owned by All Media Guide. ... Image File history File links 4. ... SoundtrackNet is a website dedicated to film and television music. ... Image File history File links Stars440. ... Varèse Sarabande is a record label, which specialises in soundtrack record releases, and reissues of hard-to-find (sometimes long- or previously-unavailable) albums, and singles collections. ...

Track listing

All songs written by John Carpenter. For other persons named John Carpenter, see John Carpenter (disambiguation). ...

1. "Main Title" – 3:53
2. "Bank Robbery" – 3:30
3. "Prison Introduction" – 0:20
4. "Over the Wall/Airforce One" – 2:22
5. "He's Still Alive/Romero" – 2:12
6. "'Snake' Plissken" – 1:41
7. "Orientation" – 1:47
8. "Tell Him" – 1:46
9. "Engulfed Cathedral [Debussy]" – 3:31
10. "Across the Roof" – 1:14
11. "Descent into New York" – 3:37
12. "Back to the Pod [Version #1]" – 1:34
13. "Everyone's Coming to New York" – 2:24
14. "Don't Go Down There!" – 0:19
15. "Back to the Pod /The Crazies Come Out [Version #2]" – 2:09
16. "I Heard You Were Dead!" – 0:09
17. "Arrival at the Library" – 1:06
18. "You Are the Duke of New York" – 0:16
19. "Duke Arrives/Barricade" – 3:35
20. "President at the Train" – 2:28
21. "Who Are You?" – 0:27
22. "Police Action" – 2:27
23. "Romero and the President" – 1:43
24. "President Is Gone" – 1:53
25. "69th Street Bridge" – 2:43
26. "Over the Wall" – 3:42
27. "The Name Is Plissken" – 0:25
28. "Snake Shake - End Credits" – 3:58

The "Bank Robbery" track also appears on the now out-of-print Big Trouble in Little China soundtrack that was released in 1996. Big Trouble in Little China (also known as John Carpenters Big Trouble in Little China) is a 1986 comedy/action film, directed by John Carpenter and starring Kurt Russell and Kim Cattrall, set in San Franciscos Chinatown. ...

DVD releases

Escape from New York was released on DVD twice by MGM, and once by Momentum Pictures. One MGM release is a bare bones edition containing just the theatrical trailer. Another version is the Collector's Edition, a two-disc set featuring a remastered transfer with a 5.1 audio track, two commentaries (one by John Carpenter and Kurt Russell, another by producer Debra Hill and Joe Alves), a making-of featurette, the first issue of a comic book series entitled John Carpenter's Snake Plissken Chronicles, and a ten-minute deleted opening sequence.^[21] MGM logo Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer or MGM, is a large media company, involved primarily in the production and distribution of cinema and television programs. ... Debra Hill (November 10, 1950–March 7, 2005) was an American screenwriter and film producer who co-wrote the horror movie Halloween. ...

MGM's special edition of the 1981 film wasn't released until 2003 because the original negative had disappeared. The work print containing deleted scenes finally turned up in a Midwestern storage facility, formerly used as a salt mine. The excised scenes feature Snake Plissken robbing a bank, introducing the character of Plissken and establishing backstory. Director John Carpenter decided to add the original scenes into the special edition release as an extra only: "After we screened the rough cut, we realized that the movie didn't really start until Snake got to New York. It wasn't necessary to show what sent him there." ^[22] In narratology, a back-story (also back story or backstory) is the history behind the situation extant at the start of the main story. ...

The cover art on the DVD special edition MGM release features Snake Plissken in front of New York City engulfed in flames. Snake is holding a gun in his right hand, and his left biceps are exposed. On his arm is a snake tattoo, but in the film, a different snake tattoo only appears on his stomach while his left arm is conspicuously blank. He also holds a different gun; an M-16-type flat-top scoped automatic rifle as opposed to a silenced and scoped Ingram MAC-10.^{[citation needed]} The Military Armament Corporation Model 10 or MAC-10 is a blowback-operated select-fire submachine gun (more specifically a machine pistol) developed by Gordon B. Ingram in 1964. ...

Novelization

Cover of movie tie-in novel.

In 1981, Bantam Books published a movie tie-in novel written by Mike McQuay that adopts a lean, humorous style reminiscent of the film. The novel is significant in that it includes scenes that were cut out of the film, like the Federal Reserve Despository robbery that results in Snake's incarceration.^[23] The novel also provides motivation and backstory to both Snake and Hauk — both disillusioned war veterans — deepening their relationship that was only hinted at it in the final film.^[23] The novel explains how Snake lost his eye during the Battle for Leningrad in World War III and how Hauk became warden of New York and of his quest to find his crazy son who lives somewhere in the prison.^[23] The novel also fleshes out the world that these characters exist in, at times presenting a future even bleaker than the one depicted in the movie.^[23] The west coast is a no-man's land and the country's population is gradually being driven crazy by nerve gas as a result of World War III.^[23] Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Bantam Books is a major U.S. publishing house owned by Random House and is part of the Bantam Dell Publishing Group. ... Michael Dennis McQuay(1949 - 1995) is an American science fiction writer. ... Leningrad (Russian: Ленинград) may mean: St. ...

Sequel

A sequel was filmed: Escape From L.A. (also known as John Carpenter's Escape From L.A.). It is a 1996 cult film directed by John Carpenter. The sequel to the action film Escape from New York, the film follows war hero Snake Plissken, played by Kurt Russell. It co-stars Steve Buscemi, Stacy Keach, Bruce Campbell and Pam Grier. Escape From L.A. (also known as John Carpenters Escape From L.A.) is a 1996 film directed by John Carpenter. ...

Remake

According to a March 12, 2007 article in Variety magazine, Gerard Butler was close to signing a deal where he would play Snake Plissken in a remake of Carpenter's movie.^[4] Neal Moritz was to produce and Ken Nolan was to write the screenplay which would combine an original story for Plissken with the story from the 1981 movie, although Carpenter has hinted that the film might be a prequel.^[24] is the 71st day of the year (72nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... Variety is a daily newspaper for the entertainment industry. ... Gerard James Butler (born November 13, 1969) is a Scottish actor perhaps best known for his portrayal of King Leonidas in 300 and The Phantom in the 2004 film version of The Phantom of the Opera. ...

An article in the Hollywood Reporter revealed that New Line Cinema has acquired the rights to the film from co-rights holder StudioCanal, who will control the European rights, and Carpenter, who will serve as an executive producer and is quoted as saying: The Hollywood Reporter is one of two major trade papers of the film industry in the United States, the other being Variety. ... New Line redirects here. ... StudioCanal (aka Le Studio Canal, Canal Plus, Canal + Distribution, and Canal+ Image S.A.), is a French-based production and distribution company that owns the third-largest film library in the world. ...

"Snake is one of my fondest creations. Kurt Russell did an incredible job, and it would be fun to see someone else try."^[25]

Russell has recently commented on the remake and his thoughts on the casting of Butler as Plissken:

"I will say that when I was told who was going to play Snake Plissken, my initial reaction was 'Oh, man!' [Russell winces]. I do think that character was quintessentially one thing. And that is, American."^[26] Len Wiseman was attached to direct but he dropped out of the project and rumors were that Brett Ratner would helm the film.^[27] This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Brett Ratner (born March 28, 1969) is an American film director and music-video director. ...

Since Ratner has not formally committed to the new project, the identity of the director is as yet unclear. The studio has brought Jonathan Mostow in to rewrite, with an option to direct. In addition, Gerard Butler has bowed out of his role claiming "creative differences".^[6] Jonathan Mostow (born November 28, 1961, Woodbridge, CT) is an American film director, writer and producer. ...

References

Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 124th day of the year (125th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 124th day of the year (125th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 124th day of the year (125th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... The Washington Times is a daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C.. It was founded in 1982 as a conservative alternative to the Washington Post by members of the controversial Unification Church. ... Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 345th day of the year (346th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Variety is a daily newspaper for the entertainment industry. ... is the 72nd day of the year (73rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 158th day of the year (159th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Variety is a daily newspaper for the entertainment industry. ... is the 226th day of the year (227th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... This article is about the day of the year. ... Variety is a daily newspaper for the entertainment industry. ... is the 302nd day of the year (303rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 309th day of the year (310th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... The New York Times is an internationally known daily newspaper published in New York City and distributed in the United States and many other nations worldwide. ... is the 277th day of the year (278th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1980 (MCMLXXX) was a leap year starting on Tuesday (link displays the 1980 Gregorian calendar). ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 69th day of the year (70th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Starlog is a monthly science-fiction film magazine published by Starlog Group Inc. ... 1981 (MCMLXXXI) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 69th day of the year (70th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1980 (MCMLXXX) was a leap year starting on Tuesday (link displays the 1980 Gregorian calendar). ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 69th day of the year (70th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Starlog is a monthly science-fiction film magazine published by Starlog Group Inc. ... 1986 (MCMLXXXVI) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Starlog is a monthly science-fiction film magazine published by Starlog Group Inc. ... 1981 (MCMLXXXI) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Cinefantastique is a horror, fantasy, and science fiction film magazine started in 1970 by publisher/editor Frederick S. Clarke. ... Starlog is a monthly science-fiction film magazine published by Starlog Group Inc. ... 1981 is a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 69th day of the year (70th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... The Hollywood Reporter is one of two major trade papers of the film industry in the United States, the other being Variety. ... is the 297th day of the year (298th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1980 (MCMLXXX) was a leap year starting on Tuesday (link displays the 1980 Gregorian calendar). ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 69th day of the year (70th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... The Newsweek logo Newsweek is a weekly news magazine published in New York City and distributed throughout the United States and internationally. ... is the 208th day of the year (209th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... AUGUST 25 1981 US Marine Sean Vance is Born on the 25th of August {ear nav|1981}} Year 1981 (MCMLXXXI) was a common year starting on Thursday (link displays the 1981 Gregorian calendar). ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 150th day of the year (151st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... TIME redirects here. ... is the 194th day of the year (195th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... AUGUST 25 1981 US Marine Sean Vance is Born on the 25th of August {ear nav|1981}} Year 1981 (MCMLXXXI) was a common year starting on Thursday (link displays the 1981 Gregorian calendar). ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 150th day of the year (151st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... The New York Times is an internationally known daily newspaper published in New York City and distributed in the United States and many other nations worldwide. ... is the 191st day of the year (192nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... AUGUST 25 1981 US Marine Sean Vance is Born on the 25th of August {ear nav|1981}} Year 1981 (MCMLXXXI) was a common year starting on Thursday (link displays the 1981 Gregorian calendar). ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 150th day of the year (151st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... The Chicago Reader is an alternative newsweekly in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was founded in 1971[2] by a group of friends who attended Carleton College. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (or common era), in accordance to the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 29th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Duke University is a private coeducational research university located in Durham, North Carolina, United States. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (or common era), in accordance to the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 11th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 158th day of the year (159th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 237th day of the year (238th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 328th day of the year (329th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 79th day of the year (80th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 82nd day of the year (83rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... The Hollywood Reporter is one of two major trade papers of the film industry in the United States, the other being Variety. ... is the 75th day of the year (76th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 75th day of the year (76th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Entertainment Weekly (sometimes abbreviated EW) is a magazine published by Time Inc. ... is the 79th day of the year (80th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 82nd day of the year (83rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 302nd day of the year (303rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 309th day of the year (310th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

External links

• Escape from New York at the Internet Movie Database
• Escape from New York at Allmovie
• Escape from New York at Rotten Tomatoes
• Escape from New York at Official John Carpenter's Website