In 1997, when the U.S. president crashes into Manhattan, now a giant maximum security prison, a convicted bank robber is sent in to rescue him.In 1997, when the U.S. president crashes into Manhattan, now a giant maximum security prison, a convicted bank robber is sent in to rescue him.In 1997, when the U.S. president crashes into Manhattan, now a giant maximum security prison, a convicted bank robber is sent in to rescue him.
- Awards
- 6 nominations
John Cothran
- Gypsy #1
- (as John Cothran Jr.)
- Director
- Writers
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaKurt Russell has stated that this is his favorite of all his films, and Snake Plissken is his favorite of his characters.
- GoofsDuring the sequence where Snake is being chased by the Crazies (and is about to shoot an oval pattern in a wall so he can break through), his eye patch shifts enough to reveal a perfectly good eye. This is commonly regarded as a mistake, but it is not; the novelization of the movie explains that Snake still has his left eye, but he wears the patch due to a paralyzed iris, making it extremely sensitive to light.
- Quotes
Bob Hauk: You going to kill me, Snake?
Snake Plissken: Not now, I'm too tired.
[pause]
Snake Plissken: Maybe later.
- Crazy creditsThe Avco Embassy logo does not appear in this movie.
- Alternate versionsCollector's edition laserdisc (during director commentary) shows cut scenes of high-tech bank robbery which led to Snake's conviction and eventual prison sentencing to New York.
- ConnectionsEdited into The Needle (1988)
Featured review
Kurt Russell is memorable as the anti hero Snake Plissken in an entertaining science fiction action movie that still holds up 40 years later.
Escape From New York which was released in 1981 is a very entertaining science fiction action movie which still holds up today. Kurt Russell's Snake Plissken would be renowned as one of the most memorable anti heroes on screen. Director John Carpenter directed, co-wrote and co-scored Escape From New York and this would also be one of a number of collaborations with Kurt Russell who would later reunite with The Thing (1982) and Big Trouble In Little China (1986).
Escape From New York takes place in a dystopian 1997 where Manhattan has been converted into a heavily fortified maximum security prison after the crime rate has skyrocketed 400% and the US Government has ordered New York to be cut off from the rest of the USA.
Former special forces soldier turned convicted criminal Snake Plissken (Kurt Russell) has been offered a full presidential pardon in exchange for accepting a top secret mission by Police Commissioner Bob Hauk (Lee Van Cleef) to rescue the US President (Donald Pleasance) after his escape pod lands in New York after Air Force One crashes following a hijacking. The US President is found and taken hostage by a group of criminals led by crime boss The Duke (Isaac Hayes). Plissken successfully enters New York via a stealthy glider. While he is there, he meets a friendly taxi driver named Cabbie (Ernest Borgnine) who drives an armoured taxi who agrees to helps him navigate his way around the island. Fellow inhabitants/inmates Brain (Harry Dean Stanton) and Maggie (Adrienne Barbeau) also help Plissken find the whereabouts of The Duke's hideout where the President is being held prisoner.
Kurt Russell has always been a quality and very versatile actor. His role as Snake Plissken is definitely one of his best roles, and he has stated himself that it is one of his favorite roles.
Director John Carpenter, well known for the horror slasher Halloween (1978), creates an atmosphere of suspenseful action, dark humour, memorable one liners, and great characters. After mixed success with low budget movies, Escape From New York would turn out to be a critical and commercial success for him which would lead on to bigger projects with a bigger budget.
I don't rate the sequel Escape From L. A. (1996), I thought they just tried to recycle the plot from the first movie albeit in Los Angeles. No surprise that it was a box office flop and not well received by critics.
I still enjoy Escape From New York. It's also a favourite amongst many Kurt Russell fans who agree that Snake Plissken is one of the best characters.
Escape From New York still holds up today and is still a classic 40 years on.
7/10.
Escape From New York takes place in a dystopian 1997 where Manhattan has been converted into a heavily fortified maximum security prison after the crime rate has skyrocketed 400% and the US Government has ordered New York to be cut off from the rest of the USA.
Former special forces soldier turned convicted criminal Snake Plissken (Kurt Russell) has been offered a full presidential pardon in exchange for accepting a top secret mission by Police Commissioner Bob Hauk (Lee Van Cleef) to rescue the US President (Donald Pleasance) after his escape pod lands in New York after Air Force One crashes following a hijacking. The US President is found and taken hostage by a group of criminals led by crime boss The Duke (Isaac Hayes). Plissken successfully enters New York via a stealthy glider. While he is there, he meets a friendly taxi driver named Cabbie (Ernest Borgnine) who drives an armoured taxi who agrees to helps him navigate his way around the island. Fellow inhabitants/inmates Brain (Harry Dean Stanton) and Maggie (Adrienne Barbeau) also help Plissken find the whereabouts of The Duke's hideout where the President is being held prisoner.
Kurt Russell has always been a quality and very versatile actor. His role as Snake Plissken is definitely one of his best roles, and he has stated himself that it is one of his favorite roles.
Director John Carpenter, well known for the horror slasher Halloween (1978), creates an atmosphere of suspenseful action, dark humour, memorable one liners, and great characters. After mixed success with low budget movies, Escape From New York would turn out to be a critical and commercial success for him which would lead on to bigger projects with a bigger budget.
I don't rate the sequel Escape From L. A. (1996), I thought they just tried to recycle the plot from the first movie albeit in Los Angeles. No surprise that it was a box office flop and not well received by critics.
I still enjoy Escape From New York. It's also a favourite amongst many Kurt Russell fans who agree that Snake Plissken is one of the best characters.
Escape From New York still holds up today and is still a classic 40 years on.
7/10.
Helpful•211
- Cinemaniac1984
- Jul 9, 2021
- Permalink
Details
- Release date
- Countries of origin
- Official site
- Language
- Also known as
- Escape from New York City
- Filming locations
- Fox Theater - 527 N. Grand Boulevard, St. Louis, Missouri, USA(Broadway theatre relics)
- Production companies
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Budget
- $6,000,000 (estimated)
- Gross US & Canada
- $25,244,626
- Gross worldwide
- $25,275,806
- Runtime1 hour 39 minutes
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 2.39 : 1
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