Escape From New York (1981)

Country of Origin: USA
Year of Production: 1981
Running Times: 92 mins 42 sec (UK - video, 2000)     94 mins 44 sec (UK - video, 1996)     94 mins 45 sec (UK - video, 1996)     94 mins 46 sec (UK - video, 1987)     98 mins 50 sec (UK - theatrical, 1981)
Format: Metrocolor     Panavision (anamorphic)     35mm
Ratio: 2.35:1
Sound: Dolby Stereo

DIRECTION

Director: John Carpenter

CREW

PRODUCTION
Production Company: Avco Embassy / City Films
Production: Larry Franco, Debra Hill
Associate Producer: Barry Bernardi
Production Manager: Alan Levine

SCRIPT
Script: John Carpenter, Nick Castle

DIRECTION
1st Assistant Director: Larry Franco
2nd Assistant Director: Jeffrey Chernov

PHOTOGRAPHY
Director of Photography: Dean Cundey
2nd Unit Director of Photography: Jim Lucas
Camera Operator: Ray Stella
2nd Unit Camera Operators: Doug Knapp, Frank Ruttencutter
1st Asst Camera Operator: Clyde Bryan
2nd Unit Assistant Camera Operators: George Mooradian, Jack Gary
2nd Assistant Camera Operators: Doug Olivarus, Steve Tate
Gaffer: Mark Walthour
Rigging Gaffer: Drain marshall
Best Boy Electric: Tom Marshall
Electricians: Terry Marshall, Scott Buttfield
Key Grip: Frank Palmer
2nd Key Grip: Seymour Owens
Dolly Grip: Tommy Sands
Grip: Leo Behar
Stills: Kim Gottlieb, Jim Coe
Lab Liasion: Tony Randel

EDITING AND POST-PRODUCTION
Editor: Todd Ramsay
Assistant Editor: Randy D. Thornton
Assistant to Assistant Editor: Dean Beville
Apprentice Editor: Barbara Ann Gandolfo

MUSIC
Music: John Carpenter, Alan Howarth
Italian Version Music: Claudio Simonetti
Additional Music: Charles Albertine (Bandstand Boogie); Claude Debussy (Engulfed Cathedral)
Lyrics: Nick Castle (Everyone's Giong To New York)

SOUND
Re-Recording Mixer: Steve Maslow
Boom Operator: Carl Fischer
Dialogue Editor: Steve Rice

MAKE UP AND COSTUMES
Make Up Supervisor: Ken Chase
Make Up: Ben Douglas
Hair: Frankie Bergman
Costume Designer: Steven Loomis
Men's Costumes: Mel Sawicki
Women's Costumes: Katrina Bronson

SPECIAL EFFECTS
Special Effects: Roy Arbogast, Gary Zink
Special Visual Effects Supervisor: R.J. Kizer
Special Effects Directors of Photography: James Cameron, Dennis Skotak
Computer Animator: John C. Wash
Motion Control Designer: Stephen Barncard
Matte Artists: James Cameron, Robert Skotak

DESIGN AND SET CONSTRUCTION
Production Designer: Joe Alves
Assistant Art Director: Chris Horner
Set Decorator: Cloudia
Props: Mike May
Assistant Props: Gene Booth
Props Foremen: Art Molen, Andrew Earl Overholtzer
Propmaker: Joe Fama
Graphic Designer: Arthur Gelb
Lead Man: Don Sutton
Swing Gang: Lee Drygas

MISCELLANEOUS
Script Supervisor: Louise Jaffe
Accountant: Jack Buckley
Production Office Co-Ordinator: Chip Fowler
Office Production Assistant: Sarah Preece
Unit Publicist: Kelli Garris
Publicity: Pickwick, Maslansky, Koenigsberg
Avco Nominee: Don Borchers
Meals: Bert Jetter, Juan Betancourt
Assistant to Producer: Pegi Brotman
Assistant to Director: Matt Franco
Militia Co-Ordinator: John L. Hammontree

LOCATIONS
Locations: Indian Dunes, California, USA; New York City, New York, USA; Sepulveda Basin, Los Angeles, California, USA; St Louis, Missouri, USA; Wiltern Theatre, Los Angeles, California, USA
Assistant Location Manager: Frank Capra III

STUNTS
Stunt Co-Ordinator: Dick Warlock
Stunts: Buff Brady, Tony Brubaker, Roydon Clark, Glory Fioramonti, Sandra Lee Gimpel, Bill Hart, Kent Hays, Eddie Hice, Loren Janes, Mike Johnson, Mags Kavanaugh, William T. Lane, Fred Lerner, Mike H. McGaughy, Bob Minor, John Moio, Harvey Parry, George Sawaya, Jacky Tyree, Jack Verbois, Dick Warlock, Jesse Wayne, Ted White, George P. Wilbur, James Winburn

CAST

Kurt Russell (Snake Plissken)
Lee Van Cleef (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 (Brain / Harold Helman)
Adrienne Barbeau (Maggie)
Tom Atkins (Rehme)
Charles Cyphers (Secretary of State)
Joe Unger (Taylor)
Frank Doubleday (Romero)
John Strobel (Cronenberg)
Carla Barnett (uncredited), Joel Bennet, Garrett Bergfeld, John Cothran Jr, Robert John Metcalf (gypsies)
Richard Cosentino (gypsy guard)
Vic Bullock, Clem Fox, Tobar Mayo (Indians)
Nancy Stephens (stewardess)
Steven M. Gagnon, Steven Ford, Michael Taylor (secret service agents)
Lonnie Wun (red bandana gypsy)
Dale E. House, David R. Patrick, Clay Wright, Al Cerullo (helicopter pilots)
Bob Minor (duty sergeant)
Wally Taylor (controller)
James O'Hagen (computer operator)
James Emery (trooper)
Tom Lillard (police sergeant)
Borah Silver (theatre manager)
Tony Papenfuss (theatre assistant)
John Diehl (punk)
Carmen Filpi (bum)
George 'Buck' Flower (drunk)
Ox Baker (Slag)
Lowmoan Spectacular, Ronald E. House, Alan Shearman, Joseph A. Perrotti, Rodger Bumpass, Ron Vernan (dancer)
Jamie Lee Curtis (opening narration / computer voice)
Ken Tipton (uncredited)
John Carpenter (voice of Secret Service agent 2 / helicopter pilot - uncredited)

PLOT SUMMARY

By 1997, the island of Manhattan has been turned into a maximum security prison for the worst criminals in the USA. When the President's aircraft crashes on the island and he's taken hostage by the self-styled Duke of New York, the authorities send war hero turned criminal Snake Plissken in to get him out.

CAPSULE REVIEW

A fun premise doesn't really carry the film for its full length. Great performances help and there's certainly plenty going on, but the whole never really gels, the film coming across as a series of vignettes rather than as a cohesive story. It was hugely influential though (particularly on the Italians) and Kurt Russell's tongue-in-cheek hard man routine is fantastic which certainly makes it worth a look.

UK
Theatrical Distributor: Barber International
Video Distributor: Embassy; 4 Front Video (0543603); BMG Video (74321442803 - rental); BMG Video (74321422563 - widescreen)
Laserdisc Distributor: Pioneer (PLFEB 37181)
DVD Distributor: BMG Video (74321671589)

USA
Laserdisc Distributor: Image (ID 2330 LI - 1994)
DVD Distributor: Polygram (440 084 671-2 - release cancelled); MGM Home Entertainment (1001186)

Australia
Rating: M

Finland
Rating: K-16

Germany
Rating: 16

Norway
Rating: 15

Sweden
Rating: 15

UK
Rating: AA; 15

USA
Rating: R

TIMELINE

1981
June
15: UK - rated AA by the BBFC (for theatrical release)

July
27: Sweden - theatrical release

September
3: West Germany - theatrical release

November
26: Finland - theatrical release

December
26: Norway - theatrical release

1987
February
13: UK - rated 15 by the BBFC (for video release)

1994
July
6: USA - laserdisc distributor (Image (ID 2330 LI)); Nelson (16025)

1996
September
6: UK - rated 15 by the BBFC (for video release)
30: UK - video release (BMG Video (74321422563 - widescreen))

November
22: UK - rated 15 by the BBFC (for video release)

1998
March
10: UK - video deleted (BMG Video (74321442803 - rental))

May
Day Unknown: UK - laserdisc release (Pioneer (PLFEB 37181))

1999
June
28: UK - DVD release (BMG Video (74321671589))

2000
May
5: UK - rated 15 by the BBFC (for video release)
31: UK - video deleted (BMG Video (74321422563 - widescreen))

June
5: UK - video release (4 Front Video (0543603))

July
5: UK - DVD deleted (BMG Video (74321671589))

November
21: USA - DVD release (MGM Home Entertainment (1001186))

2001
August
15: USA - television broadcast (on TNT)

2002
June
15: USA - television broadcast (on Encore 526 and Encore P-527)

POSTER TAGS

1997. New York city is now a maximum security prison. Breaking out is impossible. Breaking in is insane.

ALTERNATIVE TITLES

1997 rescate en Neuva York - Italian title
1997: fuga da New York - Italian title
Die Klapperschlange - German title

LINKS

SEQUEL
Escape From L.A. (1996)

SEE ALSO
1990: I guerrieri del Bronx (1982)
2019: Dopo la caduta di New York (1983)
Double Dragon (1993)
Fuga dal Bronx (1984)
Mai nei dak gung dui (1984)
Six-String Samurai (1998)
Soldier (1998)

REFERENCES

PERIODICALS

Cinefantastique vol.10 no.4 (Spring 1981) p.12 (USA)
article

Cinefantastique vol.11 no.3 (September 1981) p.47 (USA)
review

Cinefantastique vol.28 no.2 (September 1996) pp.24-25 (USA)
illustrated article

Cine-Revue vol.61 no.25 (18 June 1981) pp.18-21 (Belgium)
article

Creative Screenwriting vol.2 no.4 (Winter 1995) pp.69-75 (USA)
illustrated article

L'Ecran Fantastique no.14 (1980) p.58 (France)
credits

L'Ecran Fantastique no.17 (1981) pp.16-25 (France)
illustrated interview, article

L'Ecran Fantastique no.20 (1981) p.75 (France)
review

Empire no.123 (September 1999) p.138 (UK)
illustrated DVD review

Empire no.134 (August 2000) p.139 (UK)
illustrated short article

Fangoria no.156 (September 1996) pp.20-25 (USA)
illustrated interview

Film Directions vol.5 no.19 (1983) p.fd7 (UK)
review

Filme no.11 (September 1981 - October 1981) pp.34-37 (Brazil)
illustrated article

Filmmakers Monthly vol.14 no.11 (September 1981) pp.27-30 (USA)
article

Films vol.1 no.10 (September 1981) p.32 (UK)
review

Films and Filming no.325 (October 1981) pp.37-38 (UK)
credits, review

Film Score Monthly vol.5 no.6 (July 2000) pp.47-48 (USA)
article

Halls of Horror 27 p.20 (UK)
note

Monthly Film Bulletin vol.48 no.572 (September 1981) pp.174-175 (UK)
credits, synopsis, review

Motion Picture Product Digest vol.9 no.3 (8 July 1981) p.10 (USA)
review

Positif no.246 (September 1981) pp.56-57 (France)
review

Screen International no.244 (7 June 1980) p.6
credits

Screen International no.247 (28 June 1980) p.6
credits

Screen International no.306 (22 August 1981) p.19 (UK)
review

Sight and Sound vol.10 no.7 (July 2000) p.61 (UK)
video review

Starburst no.38 (1981) pp.16-19 (UK)
illustrated review

Starburst no.219 (November 1996) p.56 (UK)
note

TV Times 10 - 16 May 1986 p.47 (UK)
credits

TV Times 23 December 1989 - 5 January 1990 p.71 (UK)
credits

Variety 13 August 1980 p.43 (USA)
note

Variety 17 June 1981 p.14 (USA)
credits, review

Video News International November 1983 p.38 (UK)
review

BOOKS

Hoffman's Guide to SF, Horror and Fantasy Movies 1991 - 1992 p.122
credits, review

OTHER SOURCES

screen
credits

KEYWORDS

the future; prisons; prisoners; criminals; the president; helicopters; tattoos; statue of liberty; new york; gliders; guns; theatres; taxis; taxi drivers

Last Updated: 6 February, 2010