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Escape from New York

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7.1/10 • 3.1K

1981-05-231h 39m

Science FictionAction

1997. New York City is a walled maximum security prison. Breaking out is impossible. Breaking in is insane.

In a world ravaged by crime, the entire island of Manhattan has been converted into a walled prison where brutal prisoners roam. After the US president crash-lands inside, war hero Snake Plissken has 24 hours to bring him back.

Directors
John Carpenter
Editors
Todd C. Ramsay

Top Billed Cast

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  1. Kurt Russell

    Kurt Russell

    Snake Plissken

  2. Lee Van Cleef

    Lee Van Cleef

    Police Commissioner Bob Hauk

  3. Ernest Borgnine

    Ernest Borgnine

    Cabbie

  4. Donald Pleasence

    Donald Pleasence

    President of the United States

  5. Isaac Hayes

    Isaac Hayes

    The Duke of New York

  6. Season Hubley

    Season Hubley

    Girl in Chock Full O'Nuts

  7. Harry Dean Stanton

    Harry Dean Stanton

    Harold 'Brain' Helman

  8. Adrienne Barbeau

    Adrienne Barbeau

    Maggie

  9. Tom Atkins

    Tom Atkins

    Rehme

Reviews3

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Graviteer Avatar

Graviteer

Dec 6, 2014

"Too little of too much" would describe this movie well, which presented us a dystopian New York with development potential and characters whose background is shared, exposed with brief moments of characterization that made me feel like I was missing this movie's predecessor. It didn't exist, and so the end result was of an expanded universe of unknown circumstances - except for the brief introduction we got in the opening credits - where the events barely told the story during the time it was running. But where this movie failed in terms of script, it almost made up with atmosphere and music. It sounds great throughout, but the credit goes to the opening theme that is as minimal as the presentation is grounded, in that humble approach of whom ambition wasn't unheard. Sadly, it's not the case of a classic whose production values challenge the computer generated visuals of today (and ironically this movie's novelty was the wireframe view), but if you're interested in history and want to make a contextual analysis, you may find something worth treasuring. When authors create they sign. When editors hack they design.

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  • Escape from New York backdrop
  • Escape from New York backdrop
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  • Escape from New York backdrop
  • Escape from New York backdrop
  • Escape from New York backdrop
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  • Escape from New York backdrop

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Status
Released
Original Language
English
Budget
$6,000,000.00
Revenue
$50,244,700.00
Keywords
new york citytaximartial artsstreet gangusa presidentwar veterankidnappinghostageliberation of prisonersgangsterdystopiaanti heropost-apocalyptic futurewrestlingvillainattempt to escaperescue missionpolice operationcyberpunkurban settingreluctant hero