Schlocktoberfest XVI – Day 6: Escape From New York (1981)

Escape From New York (1981)

Trailer:

*Spoilers Throughout*

What’s This About: I’ll let Jaime Lee tell you:

Here are some of my observations as I watched the film:

According to “Movie Time,” this film takes place just ten years after Captain William “Buck” Rogers fucked right off to the 25th century.
You sure can spot a John Carpenter soundtrack a mile away can’t ya?
This film was made during a time when plain white letters on a black background relayed not a lot of money for credits.
It’s good to know The Shape was captured and rehabilitated back into society where he would co-write this fine film.
Christ JC, that was almost five minutes of black screen.
It still stings a bit to see the World Trade Center.
It looks like Frank Lee Morris and the Anglin Brothers didn’t make it to San Fransisco after all.
I thought it was illegal to arm police choppers. Not one person will get that movie quote.
How much more black can this movie be?
Hey! It’s the Computer Who Wore Tennis Shoes!
You thought I was gonna say Enrico Pallatzo didn’t you?
Jamie Lee’s VO cameo continues after setting up the plot as the department store-esque voice of the USPF Command Center.
I hope Tom Atkins yells, “Stop it!” again at some point.
David 14 = Air Force One. Remember that for next Sunday’s Sudoku.
Holy shit it’s all crunch berries, Nurse Marion from Halloween is the head terrorist.
JC kinda had a repertoire thing going back then.
It’s getting really fucking creepy how old political rebellion rhetoric is making much more sense now.
I’d elect Dr. Sam Loomis President, why the fuck not?
Has anyone put R2 and 3PO in the escape pod with the President yet?
Speaking again of Star Wars, how can that wall guard see Air Force One crash into Manhattan with his blast shield down?
What kind of dogshit escape pod merely pops out of the ship at the moment of impact? I thought the point was to be as far away from the crash site as possible.
The shots of the guards on the containment wall do have a Yavin IV vibe to them, you’re not imaging things.
Some might say that Frank Doubleday hammed it up a tad for his role as Romero – and they may be right.
Romero’s instructions to Hauk are the same as when Lex Luthor kidnapped Jimmy Olsen that one time I can’t remember when.
Did JC tell Kurt to stand in the silhouetted doorway like Michael Myers? ‘Cause that was a kick-ass fucking shot.
I want to see a 5 season TV show featuring the exploits of SFU Texas Thunder immediately. Please and thank you.
To see Kurt Russel say “Fuck” for the first time on screen in 1981 was a pretty big deal.
We were a more simple people then.
Funny how we all walk around with tracking devices all day long now.
The old glow in the dark physical city model to make it perfectly look like computer graphics trick.
I haven’t seen the top of the WTC like that since the ’76 King Kong.
JC and his music jump stingers. Like Pete Townsend with the synthesizer, he was the only one who knew how to use them.
Joe Alves might have made a shitty Jaws sequel, but he sure as shit made East St. Louis look like Manhattan at night.
Fucking JC knew where and when to put the money – the Air Force Once crash set is fucking awesome.
Hey Otter! Holy shit, a musical revue featuring The Velvettes! What till they see us! They love us! If you know, you know.
Even when NY is a maximum security prison, there’s a Trans Night somewhere downtown.
When you think of dystopian jailbreak action movies, you think Ernest Borgnine or you go the fuck home pussy.
I did not remember that quick punk rocker pre-rape in the hallway there.
The priest who drove Loomis to Haddonfield in Halloween 4 is one of the prisoners who likes Snake’s boots. Ka is a wheel Sai.
Sheriff Brackett from Halloween is the Secretary of State. Nice touch.
Snake is walking around Manhattan so much he is now a part of the Fellowship.
Is that Strickland banging on those manhole covers? Christ, didn’t he ever have hair?
This looks like CHUD is about to happen.
Graffiti on wall: “I LOVE NY, NUTS TO NJ.” Fucking. A. Right.
Nothing personal against Season Hubley, but Goldie was indeed the correct way to go. I’m sorry – but we do have some lovely parting gifts for you. Ladies and gentlemen a great big hand for Season Hubley, c’mon!
And thus endeth my fantasy as an eighties game show host.
I loved the joke that everybody knows Snake, but thought he was either dead or taller.
Season got the ‘ole end of the video to Thriller ending. #ouchy #gonnafeelthattomorrow.
Jesus, I didn’t remember that hand being blown off either. I must have had some really shit color timed DVD’s in my time.
Don’t ya hate it when you drop your cell?
You could never walk around 42nd Street at night until the real 1997.
With much older eyes now – you see a lot pf padding in this movie.
Oh Adrienne Barbeau you magnificent busty creature! You are a sight for sore eyes lemme tell ya.
I used to register in hotels under the name Fresno Bob, then I eventually went with Texas Mike O’Shea.
I never noticed that Snake’s eye patch is a little bit transparent to ease the depth perception loss.
The crystal lamps over the headlights on the Duke’s cars were always a source of amusement.
Snake of course drives away in a Michael Myers model station wagon. Metallic Pea? No Antarctic Blue!
Those prisoners could have clearly walked through that hole in the barricade Snake made, but didn’t.
The soundtrack sounds exactly like Beverly Hills Cop right now.
OK, I’ve got two for this one: I’m Snake Plissken, I’m here to rescue you! or I’m Snake Plissken, and don’t you forget it!
That’s fucking Boba Fett’s rifle isn’t it? Lots of Star Wars references this year folks, like Billy Joel said:
You see enough behind the scenes bonus material and you know that’s a matte painting on glass by none other than Jim Cameron.
The command center is supposed to be Ellis Island, but looks like the dam in Los Angeles that was used in the end credits to Buckaroo Banzai.
An Absolutely True Story: I took some friends to meet Ox Baker at a toy convention in NJ a couple of decades ago, and he almost made them shit their pants when he opened his arms to hug them for a photo. They were 26 at the time. Not murdering those two sissies and throwing their fucking bodies in the swamp where Clemenza left Paulie is a regret I will have to my dying day.
Romero’s death gasp is the same as his gasp goodbye to Hauk. Makes sense if you think about it. Which nobody seems to do anymore.
“The President’s gone. Brain took him.” That will NEVER be said in real life.
Has there ever been a list made of all the Shit snake had to go through/endure/get humiliated by in both Escape movies?
The Pleasence way of screaming the word “Time” is unparalleled. “Tie-yem!” I dunno It’s hard to type the sound.
Cabbie Ex Machina arrives just in time of course.
When the fate of the world resided in a fucking 60 minute Maxell High Bias XL1190 cassette tape. You kids today with your Mp3s and your Spotify’s.
The land mine bridge sequence was the fucking shit in everyone’s neighborhood.
They run over a land mine and only the Cabbie gets killed. I love NY.
Brain gets launched off a land mine himself, but hot coffee those are great tits on Adrienne!
Adrienne’s sacrifice could have been a little more productive don’t you think?
Even blood-soaked those tits are, once again if you will all indulge me, still fucking marvelous.
Only Kurt Russel can say that he pushed Donald Pleasence up a wall by his fat old Nottinghamshire ass.
I think Donald also had a really had a good time with that machine gun.
Made it back by that much!
Deputy Snake Plissken? Maybe.
But no. Snake walks off destroying the real cassette fucking them all real good. God bless America.

That’s what got us into this fucking mess.

What year?: 1997

Who are the Enemies?: New Yorkers

What Happened to the Earth?: World War: USA vs. Russia and China / 400% rise in the crime rate

Final Thoughts: Some might say The defining film of Carpenter’s career. Others might say it was The Thing. The main reason I went with so many “better” schlock films this year is because I wanted to see a bunch of films I haven’t seen in awhile with the older set of eyes I possess. I did see this favorite movie of mine a little different – mostly in the pacing, but I’m getting old and tired and want the hour thirty to zip by a little quicker I guess. Anyways, how the fuck can you not love this movie?

Was It Entertaining: