In
the twenty plus years since it was released, John Carpenter’s ESCAPE
FROM NEW YORK has achieved a well-deserved cult status. ESCAPE FROM
NEW YORK was a rather ambitious, but gritty action tale that Carpenter
successfully brought to the screen with a lot of ingenuity, a solid cast
and for very little money. Back in 1981, Carpenter’s ESCAPE FROM NEW
YORK predicted that rampant crime would eventually lead to Manhattan
Island being converted into the nation’s only maximum-security prison.
Isolated from the rest of the country by water, walls and land mines, the
former New York City has become a dangerous, lawless world unto itself-
from which there is no return and no escape.
As
the film opens, terrorists take over Air Force One, which they then crash
into Manhattan, but not before the President of the United States (Donald
Pleasence) is able to launch his escape pod away from the airliner. When
the United States Police Force is unable to retrieve the President from
the island prison, Commissioner Bob Hauk (Lee Van Cleef) decides to try a
completely different approach. Recently convicted former Special Forces
operative Snake Plissken (Kurt Russell) is about to be sent to the New
York City prison for the rest of his life, but Commissioner Hauk offers
him a full pardon if he can rescue the President in less than twenty-four
hours. Although Plissken accepts the deal, Hauk takes out a little
insurance policy by implanting tiny explosives in Plissken’s carotid
artery, which will kill him if he doesn’t return in the allotted time.
The
character of Snake Plissken turned out to be a career-changing role for
Kurt Russell, whole was able to shake off his Disney movie connection by
effectively portraying Carpenter’s cynical anti-hero. Isaac Hayes also
turns in a memorable performance as The Duke of New York- the New York
City prison’s A-number one badass, who develops a severe facial tick
every time he gets in range of Plissken. Writer/director Carpenter injects
the film with a good dose of sardonic humor, in addition to keeping the
action moving at a good clip and hiding the film’s budgetary
limitations. The solid supporting cast of ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK also
features Ernest Borgnine, Harry Dean Stanton, Adrienne Barbeau, Tom
Atkins, Charles Cyphers and Season Hubley.
MGM
Home Entertainment has made ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK available on DVD
in a 2.35:1 wide screen presentation that is enhanced for playback on 16:9
displays. This Special Edition release of ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK
offers a step up in visual quality over the preceding "film
only" DVD. The image on this edition is crisper and better defined
than its predecessor, plus film element utilized for the transfer appears
much cleaner, with virtually no blemishes or other signs of debris. Colors
come up with better saturation than they have demonstrated in the past,
plus the flesh tones are far more natural looking. There is also better
stability in the hues and no signs of noise or smearing. Blacks are more
accurately rendered here, plus the level of shadow detail is better and
the picture produces a more dimensional quality than it has in past
editions. There is a noticeable grain structure throughout much of the
movie, but it helps to create a very film like presentation. Overall, this
transfer brings out the finer points of Dean Cudey’s fine cinematography
and hides most signs of age. Digital compression artifacts are never a
cause for concern.
For
this release, ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK comes with a remixed Dolby
Digital 5.1 channel soundtrack. Considering the film’s age and
production limitations, the remixed track really sounds great. The forward
soundstage does tend to dominate the sound mix, although the rear channels
do supply a good deal of atmosphere and musical fill, in addition to
occasional active sound effects. Channel separation is pretty good across
the front, which enhances both the sound effects and John Carpenter’s
funky synthesizer score. Additionally, fidelity is pretty good for a film
of this vintage, with the music demonstrating a very solid bottom end.
Dialogue is always completely intelligible and the voices come across in a
reasonably natural manner. A French language track is also provided on the
DVD, in addition to English, Spanish, and French subtitles.
Full
motion video, animation and sound serve to enhance the DVD's interactive
menus. Through the menus, one has access to standard scene selection and
set up features, as well as a rather nice array of supplement materials
that have been spread across both discs of the set. Disc one of ESCAPE
FROM NEW YORK comes with two separate running audio commentaries- the
first features director John Carpenter and actor Kurt Russell, while the
second includes producer Debra Hill and production designer Joe Alves.
Originally appearing on the Laserdisc release, Carpenter/Russell
commentary mixes enjoyable anecdotes with a good deal of production
detail. As for the Hill/Alves track, it is more straightforward, with a
technical bent, but proves to be an interesting listen.
On
disc two, one will find the remaining supplemental programming. Return
To Escape From New York is a twenty-four minute documentary that
looks back on the production of the film through a series of new
interviews with the cast and crew. Although the program seems a bit short
in length, it actually packs a lot of information into its brief running
time. Interviewees for Return To Escape From New York
include John Carpenter, Kurt Russell, Debra Hill, Joe Alves, plus
co-writer Nick Castle, cinematographer Dean Cundey, in addition to cast
members Adrienne Barbeau, Ernest Borgnine, Harry Dean Stanton and Isaac
Hayes. Next we have the A-number one extra that Snake Plissken fans have
been eager to see for decades- Missing Reel #1, which is the
film’s original opening sequence that was cut prior to release. Although
this opening sequence features the bank robbery that sent Plissken to the
Manhattan Island prison, it is actually more of a distraction from the
main story than an enhancement to it. Missing Reel #1 also
comes with an optional and enjoyable Carpenter/Russell commentary. Other
supplements include a DVD sized Snake Plissken Chronicles
comic book, with a "making of" on the DVD, an odd Snake
Bites footage montage, plus a very cool still gallery of
production photos and lobby cards. A theatrical trailer, two teasers and
several bonus trailers close out the supplements.
As
a John Carpenter fan, I am rather partial to ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK
and am glad that MGM has finally gotten around to doing a Special Edition
of the film. The presentation on the new DVD marks improvements in both
video and audio quality, which should please fans to no end, as should the
supplemental materials. If you are a fan, the Special Edition of ESCAPE
FROM NEW YORK comes very highly recommended.
In
the twenty plus years since it was released, John Carpenter’s ESCAPE
FROM NEW YORK has achieved a well-deserved cult status. ESCAPE FROM
NEW YORK was a rather ambitious, but gritty action tale that Carpenter
successfully brought to the screen with a lot of ingenuity, a solid cast
and for very little money. Back in 1981, Carpenter’s ESCAPE FROM NEW
YORK predicted that rampant crime would eventually lead to Manhattan
Island being converted into the nation’s only maximum-security prison.
Isolated from the rest of the country by water, walls and land mines, the
former New York City has become a dangerous, lawless world unto itself-
from which there is no return and no escape.
As
the film opens, terrorists take over Air Force One, which they then crash
into Manhattan, but not before the President of the United States (Donald
Pleasence) is able to launch his escape pod away from the airliner. When
the United States Police Force is unable to retrieve the President from
the island prison, Commissioner Bob Hauk (Lee Van Cleef) decides to try a
completely different approach. Recently convicted former Special Forces
operative Snake Plissken (Kurt Russell) is about to be sent to the New
York City prison for the rest of his life, but Commissioner Hauk offers
him a full pardon if he can rescue the President in less than twenty-four
hours. Although Plissken accepts the deal, Hauk takes out a little
insurance policy by implanting tiny explosives in Plissken’s carotid
artery, which will kill him if he doesn’t return in the allotted time.
The
character of Snake Plissken turned out to be a career-changing role for
Kurt Russell, whole was able to shake off his Disney movie connection by
effectively portraying Carpenter’s cynical anti-hero. Isaac Hayes also
turns in a memorable performance as The Duke of New York- the New York
City prison’s A-number one badass, who develops a severe facial tick
every time he gets in range of Plissken. Writer/director Carpenter injects
the film with a good dose of sardonic humor, in addition to keeping the
action moving at a good clip and hiding the film’s budgetary
limitations. The solid supporting cast of ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK also
features Ernest Borgnine, Harry Dean Stanton, Adrienne Barbeau, Tom
Atkins, Charles Cyphers and Season Hubley.
MGM
Home Entertainment has made ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK available on DVD
in a 2.35:1 wide screen presentation that is enhanced for playback on 16:9
displays. This Special Edition release of ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK
offers a step up in visual quality over the preceding "film
only" DVD. The image on this edition is crisper and better defined
than its predecessor, plus film element utilized for the transfer appears
much cleaner, with virtually no blemishes or other signs of debris. Colors
come up with better saturation than they have demonstrated in the past,
plus the flesh tones are far more natural looking. There is also better
stability in the hues and no signs of noise or smearing. Blacks are more
accurately rendered here, plus the level of shadow detail is better and
the picture produces a more dimensional quality than it has in past
editions. There is a noticeable grain structure throughout much of the
movie, but it helps to create a very film like presentation. Overall, this
transfer brings out the finer points of Dean Cudey’s fine cinematography
and hides most signs of age. Digital compression artifacts are never a
cause for concern.
For
this release, ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK comes with a remixed Dolby
Digital 5.1 channel soundtrack. Considering the film’s age and
production limitations, the remixed track really sounds great. The forward
soundstage does tend to dominate the sound mix, although the rear channels
do supply a good deal of atmosphere and musical fill, in addition to
occasional active sound effects. Channel separation is pretty good across
the front, which enhances both the sound effects and John Carpenter’s
funky synthesizer score. Additionally, fidelity is pretty good for a film
of this vintage, with the music demonstrating a very solid bottom end.
Dialogue is always completely intelligible and the voices come across in a
reasonably natural manner. A French language track is also provided on the
DVD, in addition to English, Spanish, and French subtitles.
Full
motion video, animation and sound serve to enhance the DVD's interactive
menus. Through the menus, one has access to standard scene selection and
set up features, as well as a rather nice array of supplement materials
that have been spread across both discs of the set. Disc one of ESCAPE
FROM NEW YORK comes with two separate running audio commentaries- the
first features director John Carpenter and actor Kurt Russell, while the
second includes producer Debra Hill and production designer Joe Alves.
Originally appearing on the Laserdisc release, Carpenter/Russell
commentary mixes enjoyable anecdotes with a good deal of production
detail. As for the Hill/Alves track, it is more straightforward, with a
technical bent, but proves to be an interesting listen.
On
disc two, one will find the remaining supplemental programming. Return
To Escape From New York is a twenty-four minute documentary that
looks back on the production of the film through a series of new
interviews with the cast and crew. Although the program seems a bit short
in length, it actually packs a lot of information into its brief running
time. Interviewees for Return To Escape From New York
include John Carpenter, Kurt Russell, Debra Hill, Joe Alves, plus
co-writer Nick Castle, cinematographer Dean Cundey, in addition to cast
members Adrienne Barbeau, Ernest Borgnine, Harry Dean Stanton and Isaac
Hayes. Next we have the A-number one extra that Snake Plissken fans have
been eager to see for decades- Missing Reel #1, which is the
film’s original opening sequence that was cut prior to release. Although
this opening sequence features the bank robbery that sent Plissken to the
Manhattan Island prison, it is actually more of a distraction from the
main story than an enhancement to it. Missing Reel #1 also
comes with an optional and enjoyable Carpenter/Russell commentary. Other
supplements include a DVD sized Snake Plissken Chronicles
comic book, with a "making of" on the DVD, an odd Snake
Bites footage montage, plus a very cool still gallery of
production photos and lobby cards. A theatrical trailer, two teasers and
several bonus trailers close out the supplements.
As
a John Carpenter fan, I am rather partial to ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK
and am glad that MGM has finally gotten around to doing a Special Edition
of the film. The presentation on the new DVD marks improvements in both
video and audio quality, which should please fans to no end, as should the
supplemental materials. If you are a fan, the Special Edition of ESCAPE
FROM NEW YORK comes very highly recommended.
