Hi all. I feel I am missing something when I see such high ratings for this movie. Please can I get some feedback as to what people enjoyed about escape from NY.
I enjoy the story, the script, the acting, the direction, the production.
shareI agree with OP. This movie was horrible and I find it hard to believe that so many people enjoy it. It was more of a comedy for me, especially the music, just notice the music during the "intense action sequences", and you'll just start laughing. Snake Plissken might have been a little cool, but the acting was pretty bad. The way Kurt Russell talks, trying to be all cool, that was pretty funny too.
I gave it a 2/10, 2 instead of 1 because it was unintentionally funny. I'm 19 years old by the way, perhaps you need to have experienced the 70s/80s and been part of the ridiculous trends to fully enjoy this movie.
It's only after we've lost everything that we're free to do anything.
The score is absolutely great and Snake Plissken is obviously about as cool as human beings get. Then there´s also this uniquely somber and trashy scenery, the most ludicrous pimpmobile ever conceived, planes flying to the World Trade Center, Harry Dean Stanton... what more do you need? I wouldn´t call it a masterpiece, but it sure has character and a bad attitude. 7,5/10.
"facts are stupid things" - Ronald Reagan
Eventually, when you are older, some know-it-all kid is going to be dismissive of the era of your formative years and lacking in perspective and experience of your beloved pop-culture touchstones, and then you'll truly understand the breadth of your hateful foolishness...
sharePlease stop watching movies and subjecting people to your idiotic 'thoughts', thanks.
-------------------------
"It's better not to know so much about what things mean." David Lynch
"yes kurt russel is very cool in this but his performance is annoying. he whispers half the time."
oh how I agree with this sentiment. his cool aura was somewhat undone by a boyish voice.
Boyish voice? That was Russell doing his Eastwood impersonation.
"Don't believe everything you hear on the radio." - Charles Foster Kane
"Boyish voice? That was Russell doing his an Eastwood impersonation. "
he failed. you need to have a much darker voice to pull that off.
[deleted]
You need to have your ears checked.
Why did I enjoy it?
01. Snake Plissken
02. A range of colourful characters.
03. John Carpenter's score.
04. Carpenter's direction and handling of action sequences.
05. Imaginative concept of the premise.
06. Snake Plissken
07. Snake Plissken's outfit.
08. Fabulous, quotable dialogue.
09. Lee Van Cleef.
10. Great villain (The Duke).
11. Hilarious villain (Romero).
12. Snake Plissken.
13. Ernest Borgnine, his cab and his crappy jazz tape.
14. Terrific sets, lighting and production design.
15. Exciting chase sequences (crazies, 69th St. Bridge)
16. Tom Atkins.
17. Adrienne Barbeau's cleavage.
18. Snake's wrestling bout.
19. Interesting gadgets and weapons.
20. Broadway!
21. Snake Plissken.
There are more but I'm really too tired to go on!
And Darkness and Decay and the Red Death held illimitable dominion over all.
Why do I like it? Atmosphere. The budget was like 6 or 7 million clams and you honestly feel like you are trapped on a prison island.
Secondly, the characters. Everyone knows how badass Snake is, but it's the thought put into the secondary characters that make it great. Hauk, The Duke, Cabbie, Romero, hell, even the drunk (played by Buck Flower) had a ton of personality.
I also agree with the dude who said it may be a Carpenter thing. When I was younger, I didn't care too much for his films, but as I approached thirty, I began to see the brilliance in his work. Now I love most of his movies.
Come with me if you want to live.
hahahaha, that list made me smile! cheers!
shareMost of why other people like this film is more than valid, it is an undoubted classic of the crop that Carpenter created in the early 80s. Shame about his last 30 years.
My personal reason is it is one of the first films I saw on a very creaky VHS top loading deck with cabled remote. I was about 10 and it has imprinted on me since then.
The argument that letting children see adult films may affect them is bunkum, the likelihood is I would still wear an eye patch and have a tattoo of a snake on my stomach whether I had seen this film or not.
And fantastically you can now get the soundtrack on MP3. Guess what I bought on Friday after watching the special edition DVD on Thursday.
I'm 28 and I watched this with my old man last night and we both loved it. Screw this whole generational thing, great movies are timeless. Sure, I can understand people not liking it but then you get pricks on here who give it 1 out of 10, WTF? Movies like this or The Thing are waaaaaaaaaaay better than most movies coming out nowadays (Transformers 3, Green Lantern, I'm going to stop there and save myself from typing for ten more minutes). That's not to say that ALL modern movies are crap but the majority are so formulaic and predictable that its not even fun to watch. Modern action movies seem to be edited by a chipmunk on meth, Escape From New York had many cool scenes where the camera just sort of lingers and lets you take in the unique and brooding atmosphere of the scene. Also, how can you not like the soundtrack? I swear to God I wish more action movies had unique scores to them like this instead of generic rock that most seem to have. So to any of those teens who say this movie is old and sucks, no dude, you suck...now go listen to some Nickelback.
sharePlease can I get some feedback as to what people enjoyed about escape from NY.
Kurt Russel. In an eye patch. Wearing thosetrousers. Rough around the edges but unstoppable.
John Carpenter's style - the darkness and desolution, the brilliant story.
The side characters.
The Duke's car.
For a start.
The atmosphere was fantastic, for one. Great cinematography, strangely fitting music (in the hands of a lesser man it would have been cheesy; Carpenter and co. knew to keep it minimal), awesome "set" designs. And as usual, Kurt Russell did a great job. It also has a large set of distinct characters (which is something I always appreciate). I enjoyed the humor of the movie. The story was simple, but effective; I actually cared about how it was going to end (though arguably, that might have more to do with the CHARACTERS than the story, although they're a part of it). It was often somewhat bleak, which was disturbing in a good way (like the scene where Snake walks into a room where a guy is hitting the "president" in the head repeatedly).
There are many good things about this movie. One of my favorites.
---
Very good, Louis. Short, but pointless.
This is the first movie I ever watched uncut on HBO in 1982. It was a neighborhood event.. I was 8 years old.. my friends older brother took a bunch of us to 7-11 for nachos and slurpees..we all made a night of it cause they played and encore of it.. it was my second film I ever watched from John carpenter.. first film was " the fog ".. my father ( rest his soul ) was rite when he said carpenter was gonna be one of the best movie makers.. I wasn't allowed to halloween till later in my life..
I first caught this on HBO in 1982 as well. Just loved the vibe. Cool hero. Awesome plot. Great, surreal special effects. Memorable music. Everything just works.
I can see how some might not like Carpenter's restrained style. He builds tension and atmosphere wonderfully here. The action comes in brief spurts and never really cuts loose, but that fits the style of the film. The time clock is also a great plot device that cranks up the tension.
And "You're the Duke! You're A-Number Onnnnnnne!"....classic.
As I get older I see some of the faults. Cabby always showing up at opportune moments in the middle of Manhattan for one, but I still love it.