Escape from New York 1981
7.1 / 10
Escape from New York
In a world ravaged by crime, the entire island of Manhattan has been converted into a walled prison where brutal prisoners roam free. After the US president crash-lands inside, war hero Snake Plissken has 24 hours to bring him back.
In a world ravaged by crime, the entire island of Manhattan has been converted into a walled prison where brutal prisoners roam free. After the US president crash-lands inside, war hero Snake Plissken has 24 hours to bring him back.
Videos & Photos
All 3 Videos & 92 Photos
cast
Full Cast & Crew
... Snake Plissken
... Police Commissioner Bob Hauk
... Cabbie
... President of the United States
... The Duke of New York
... Girl in Chock Full O'Nuts
User reviews
See All 3 Reviews23 Jun 2021 by Graviteer
"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.
Genres:
Release Date:
May 23, 1981 (Germany,United Kingdom,United States)
Run Time:
1hr 39`
MMPA Rating:
R
Original Language:
English
Production Countries:
Germany,United Kingdom,United States
Status:
Released
Plot Keywords:
Related Movies To
Escape from New York
"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.
A Snake, a Brain, a Cabbie, a Duke and the President Of The USA. It's 1997 and Manhattan Island is a walled off prison, during the flight of Air Force One the president's plane is taken over by a terrorist and the president ejects out in the safety pod. Sadly for him he lands right in the middle of Manhattan Island. When an armed unit lands inside the walls they are told that the president has been taken hostage and they must get out of their prison ASAP. At a loss what to do, the authorities decide to send one man in alone, ex war hero turned criminal, Snake Plissken, not only does he have to contend with surviving the incredibly hostile prison, he also has a time bomb implanted in his body that, should he not get the president out safely within 24 hours, will explode and mean no more Snake Plissken! Made in 1981 and set in 1997, it's safe to say John Carpenter is not the best predictor of the future around. However, his vision of a future where America has thrown all its criminals on one island, where they create their own society out of harms way, has to rank as an incredibly adroit piece of work. This place is grim and deadly, the flotsam and jetsam of society thrust together in this bleak and desolate place of class separation. What Carpenter has achieved with his usual minimal budget allowance is a smouldering sci-fi classic that may be as daft as they come, but it pulses with cool and cheekily slaps you around the face with its cheeky satirical edginess. Kudos is given to the great production design from Joe Alves, who along with Carpenter has crafted this brilliantly dirty netherworld of crime. Our anti-hero of the piece, Snake Plissken, is superbly played by Kurt Russell, the original choice interestingly was Tommy Lee Jones, but Russell fuels Plissken's mantra to make him one of the eighties coolest grumpy bastards, and his work here is first class in terms of the films' apocalyptic structure. Surroundning Russell is a wealth of quality performers each adding their personal bits to this tick-tock stew, Lee Van Cleef, Ernest Borgnine, Donald Pleasance, Harry Dean Stanton, Adrienne Barbeau and Isaac Hayes all earn their money and flesh out the story to the end. Calling Escape From New York an action picture would be setting first time viewers up for a real let down, what action there is is minimal but highly effective, the machismo flourishes acting more as a point of reference to the picture's time bomb urgency. I like to think of the film as being more a sci-fi adventure yarn laced with darkly comic humour, with of course machismo thrown in as a side salad to accentuate the bleakness of it all. A wonderful concoction indeed. 9/10
Nails the "post-apocalyptic except the world didn't end" vibe. _Final rating:★★★★ - Very strong appeal. A personal favourite._
Cast & Crew of
Escape from New York
Directors & Credit Writers
... Second Assistant Director
... First Assistant Director
... Director
Cast
... Snake Plissken
... Police Commissioner Bob Hauk
... Cabbie
... President of the United States
... The Duke of New York
... Girl in Chock Full O'Nuts
... Harold 'Brain' Helman
... Maggie
... Rehme
... Secretary of State
... Romero
JS
John Strobel... Cronenberg
... Drunk
... Gypsy #1
... Stewardess
... Secret Service #2
... Secret Service #2 / Helicopter Pilot / Violin Player
... Narrator / Prison Recording Voice (uncredited)
... Pianist
... Computer (voice)
Produced By
Videos & Photos of
Escape from New York
Videos ( 3)
Official Trailer #2
YouTube
Official Trailer #1
YouTube
Photos ( 92 )
Related Movies To
Escape from New York
A Working Man (2025)
0 /10
Levon Cade left behind a decorated military career in the black ops to live a simple life working construction. But when his boss's daughter, who is like family to him, is taken by human traffickers, his search to bring her home uncovers a world of corruption far greater than he ever could have imagined.
Run Time: 1hr 56` . MMPA: R . Release: 26 Mar 2025
Director: Tom White , Kaya Frances Moore , Eddie J. Fernandez
Producer: Finnian Tweed , Bill Block , Chris Long
Stars: Jason Statham , David Harbour , Michael Peña , Jason Flemyng , Arianna Rivas , Noemi Gonzalez
In the Lost Lands (2025)
0 /10
A queen sends the powerful and feared sorceress Gray Alys to the ghostly wilderness of the Lost Lands in search of a magical power, where the sorceress and her guide, the drifter Boyce must outwit and outfight man and demon.
Run Time: 1hr 42` . MMPA: R . Release: 27 Feb 2025
Director: Paul W. S. Anderson
Producer: Krzysztof Solek , Alexander Wojtanowski , Dave Bautista
Stars: Milla Jovovich , Dave Bautista , Arly Jover , Amara Okereke , Fraser James , Deirdre Mullins
G20 (2025)
0 /10
After the G20 Summit is overtaken by terrorists, President Danielle Sutton must bring all her statecraft and military experience to defend her family and her fellow leaders.
Run Time: 1hr 50` . MMPA: R . Release: 09 Apr 2025
Director: Patricia Riggen
Producer: Rich Delia , Andrew Lazar , Julius Tennon
Stars: Viola Davis , Anthony Anderson , Marsai Martin , Ramón Rodríguez , Antony Starr , Douglas Hodge
Novocaine (2025)
0 /10
When the girl of his dreams is kidnapped, everyman Nate turns his inability to feel pain into an unexpected strength in his fight to get her back.
Run Time: 1hr 50` . MMPA: R . Release: 12 Mar 2025
Director: Liezl Geldenhuys , Luke Tothill , Justin Muller
Producer: Matt Schwartz , Pete Chiappetta , Paul Barbeau
Stars: Jack Quaid , Amber Midthunder , Jacob Batalon , Betty Gabriel , Matt Walsh , Ray Nicholson
Gunslingers (2025)
0 /10
When the most wanted man in America surfaces in a small Kentucky town, his violent history -- and a blood-thirsty mob seeking vengeance and a king’s ransom -- soon follow. As brothers face off against one another and bullets tear the town to shreds, this lightning-fast gunslinger makes his enemies pay the ultimate price for their greed.
Run Time: 1hr 44` . MMPA: R . Release: 11 Apr 2025
Director: Brian Skiba
Producer: Jamie R. Thompson , Kirsten Grace Hoge , Alan B. Bursteen
Stars: Stephen Dorff , Nicolas Cage , Costas Mandylor , Heather Graham , Bre Blair , William McNamara
Saturday Night's Main Event XXXVII (2024)
0 /10
Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes will go head-to-head with Kevin Owens as Saturday Night's Main Event returns to NBC. Plus World Tag Team Champion Finn Bálor will face "The Ring General" Gunther for the World Heavyweight Title. The Women's World Championship will be on the line when Liv Morgan defends her title against IYO SKY.
Run Time: 1hr 22` . MMPA: . Release: 14 Dec 2024
Director:
Producer: Lee Fitting , Paul Michael Lévesque
Stars: Cody Runnels , Kevin Steen , Walter Hahn , Chelsea Cardona , Fergal Devitt , Kimberly Benson
House of Ga'a (2024)
0 /10
At the height of the Oyo Empire, the ferocious Bashorun Ga'a became more powerful than the kings he enthroned, only to be undone by his own blood.
Run Time: 2hr . MMPA: R . Release: 26 Jul 2024
Director: Bolanle Austen-Peters
Producer: Bolanle Austen-Peters
Stars: Femi Branch , Mike Afolarin , Funke Akindele , Toyin Abraham , Ibrahim Chatta , Femi Adebayo
Captain America: Brave New World (2025)
0 /10
After meeting with newly elected U.S. President Thaddeus Ross, Sam finds himself in the middle of an international incident. He must discover the reason behind a nefarious global plot before the true mastermind has the entire world seeing red.
Run Time: 1hr 59` . MMPA: PG-13 . Release: 12 Feb 2025
Director: Katy Galow , Kerry Lyn McKissick , Meaghan Gillenwater
Producer: Charles Newirth , Lizzy Jane Klein , Sarah Halley Finn
Stars: Anthony Mackie , Danny Ramirez , Tim Blake Nelson , Liv Tyler , Carl Lumbly , Shira Haas
Out of Exile (2023)
0 /10
Recently paroled thief Gabriel Russell tries to balance his life and mend a troubled family as an FBI agent hunts him down, along with his crew after a botched armored car robbery.
Run Time: 1hr 47` . MMPA: R . Release: 20 Jan 2023
Director: Kyle Kauwika Harris
Producer: Kelley Gann , Marcus Cox , Jacob Snovel
Stars: Adam Hampton , Karrie Cox , Kyle Jacob Henry , Ryan Merriman , Peter Greene , Hayley McFarland
Cleaner (2025)
0 /10
When a group of radical activists take over an energy company's annual gala, seizing 300 hostages, an ex-soldier turned window cleaner suspended 50 storeys up on the outside of the building must save those trapped inside, including her younger brother.
Run Time: 1hr 36` . MMPA: R . Release: 19 Feb 2025
Director: Martin Campbell
Producer: Gary Raskin , Malcolm Ritchie , Marcus Shirock
Stars: Daisy Ridley , Clive Owen , Taz Skylar , Ray Fearon , Flavia Watson , Rufus Jones
Arena Wars (2024)
0 /10
In 2045 convicted criminals are given the opportunity to compete on the world's #1 televised sporting event, Arena Wars. They must survive 7 rooms and 7 of the most vicious killers in the country. If they win, they regain their freedom.
Run Time: 1hr 36` . MMPA: . Release: 25 Jun 2024
Director: Brandon Slagle
Producer: Shane Ryan-Reid , Albin Sallansonnet , Charlie Canning Burt
Stars: Michael Madsen , Eric Roberts , Robert LaSardo , John Wells , Kevin Hager , BJ Mezek
Crypto Legacy (2020)
2.5 /10
Troy Morgan doesn't like his family's farm. The place creeps him out. After spotting some strange lights one evening, Troy and his little sister Carrie go to investigate the creepy barn.
Run Time: 1hr 11` . MMPA: . Release: 01 Oct 2020
Director: Charles Townsend
Producer: Charles Townsend
Stars: Sheri Gill Dixon , Brian Kunz , Brandon Young , Nathaniel Barton , Linzi Gray , Thalia Reynolds