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Plissken is one of those movie characters that has stuck with me since adolescence, along with the likes of Clint Eastwood’s “Dirty Harry” or Bruce Campbell’s “Ash”. Not only were these guys total bad-asses, but they were so over the top that they had distinction of being both action hero parodies and the real thing. It’s rare a character can have and eat its cake like that. Russell was obviously aiming for that over-the-top approach to the role here, as he channels Eastwood with a low, gruff voice and snide offhand remarks. But hey, it works! Who would have thought way back in the day that the Computer who wore Tennis Shoes would turn out to be bonafide action hero material?

At any rate, for those not thoroughly familiar with this vintage John Carpenter flick, it is “The future” (the future being the year 1997, since the film was made in ’81, but just play along). Manhattan island has been turned into a giant Alcatraz-like penal colony, surrounded by a huge wall and guarded by a national police force. The newest prisoner about to be shipped off to the island is one Snake Plissken, a former Special Forces operative who turned to a life of gun fighting and bank robbing. Before he can be fully processed, however, Air Force One is hijacked by terrorists and forced to crash into a building on the island (not the Twin Towers, but still, an eerie coincidence, no?). The president gets away just before the crash in an escape pod (an idea later recycled in Air Force One). However, upon landing he is captured by the Duke of New York (Isaac Hayes) and his group of thugs, who will only turn over the Pres in exchange for their freedom.

Since they will kill the President should a full-scale assault be waged, the warden of New York (Lee Van Cleef) offers Snake a deal. Sneak into the city and get the President out within 24 hours, and he’ll receive a full pardon. Just to make sure he sticks with the deal, though, he is injected with micro-explosives that will rupture his arteries if he doesn’t get back in time.

From that point on, it’s pretty much Snake trying to find the President, shooting at or running from the criminal scum that inhabit the city, and hoping to get back before his head gets blown off of his neck like he’s some human PEZ dispenser. He gets involved with some kooky characters like Cabby (Ernest Borgnine) and Brain (Harry Dean Stanton) who end up helping or hindering his efforts, depending what is more convenient for them at the moment. And of course there is the running gag of every criminal in New York instantly recognizing the man with the eye-patch, long hair, and cobra-tattooed belly, only to follow with the comment “I heard you were dead?”.

Did I mention it was dated? Oh boy, is it. The matte paintings and special effects are pretty fake looking, but also cool in that retro B-movie way. And the music . . . whoa, Lordy, don’t get me started. For some reason Carpenter insisted on composing the score to the film himself. He may have been a great director in his day, but nobody should ever accuse him of having been a great musician. Every time that dreadful score kicks in as the mutants of New York emerge from the alleys and sewers, you will be hard pressed not to start singing along to it with the lyrics of Thriller or Beat it. Yes, it’s bad - early 80’s bad.

But in spite of all the cheese, the film has plenty of damn solid moments, and Snake Plissken is the kind of hero you can get behind. Be it fists, knives, guns, shurikens, or just a good old-fashioned baseball bat with nails through it, you can rest assured that Snake is going to kick some ass. Some great dialogue and B-movie action aside, the film is also a rather respectable offering to the sci-fi genre, with its dark vision of a New York City gone horribly amiss. Of course, it’s never quite explained how or why the island of Manhattan went from the financial heart of the nation to a dumping ground for the dregs of humanity in two short decades, but while some back history would have been nice, it’s not really necessary. After all, the movie is called Escape from New York, not Gangs of New York.

Certainly, ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK is the kind of film whose flaws are easily overlooked when tempered by nostalgia. While it was an infinitely cool film to me at the age of fifteen, I doubt the average fifteen year old today would have the patience for it after being weaned on the teat of sci-fi/action flicks like THE MATRIX. Still, for those with the right mindset, ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK is a gem just waiting to be discovered. Or re-discovered.

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originally posted: 04/13/03 14:26:23
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