1 00:00:02,680 --> 00:00:08,839 New York, nineteen ninety seven. The entire city is a walled maximum security 2 00:00:08,960 --> 00:00:20,399 prisoner. The bridges are mine and the rivers are patrolled, and the United 3 00:00:20,480 --> 00:00:35,000 States Police Force has everything under control. Now if I'm going in John Carpenters 4 00:00:35,200 --> 00:00:40,039 Escape from New York, the high adventure of the future. One man must 5 00:00:40,079 --> 00:00:48,560 go in where no man has ever gotten out. John Carpenters Escape from New 6 00:00:48,640 --> 00:00:52,840 York, the greatest escape of them all, is about to blow the future 7 00:00:52,920 --> 00:01:03,679 apart. For us in twenty twenty three, to view nineteen ninety seven as 8 00:01:03,719 --> 00:01:11,319 a post apocalyptic wasteland is quite absurd. However, in the seventies and eighties, 9 00:01:11,040 --> 00:01:18,560 films that took place in the future showed this ruined society where crime and 10 00:01:18,760 --> 00:01:26,120 scoundrels ruled destitute areas. This week's film does this and brought us one of 11 00:01:26,159 --> 00:01:34,680 the most underrated action heroes or anti heroes, depending on your view in cinema 12 00:01:34,799 --> 00:01:42,359 history. Released in nineteen eighty one and directed by horror slash action film maestro 13 00:01:42,599 --> 00:01:49,599 John Carpenter, Escape from New York introduces us to criminal Snake Pliskin played by 14 00:01:49,680 --> 00:01:55,719 Kurt Russell, a prisoner that receives an offer to have his record washed away 15 00:01:55,879 --> 00:02:02,239 by police Commissioner Ouk Western film veteran leaving Cleef. The task is a suicide 16 00:02:02,239 --> 00:02:08,280 mission to go into the secured state of New York to rescue the kidnapped President 17 00:02:08,360 --> 00:02:15,879 of the United States from a group a violent anti government insurgents and a tape 18 00:02:15,919 --> 00:02:23,599 the president has that can bring world peace. The catches Snake only has twenty 19 00:02:23,599 --> 00:02:30,439 four hours to do it or he dies. Our introduction was the trailer that 20 00:02:30,560 --> 00:02:36,800 sets the stage for this film. Our next clip is how in Snake meeting 21 00:02:36,879 --> 00:02:43,199 for the first time, when Howe gives Snake his proposal, even though we 22 00:02:43,280 --> 00:02:47,599 have no evidence to lead us to this assumption. As viewers, the roles 23 00:02:47,759 --> 00:02:55,960 are clearly defined in this interaction. Snake is the ultra cool anti hero and 24 00:02:57,159 --> 00:03:04,039 how is this utolitarian man in a law that just has this sneaky and swarmy 25 00:03:04,199 --> 00:03:10,199 vibe to him. This is essentially because of the brilliant performance of Van Cleave. 26 00:03:16,680 --> 00:03:30,680 All Right, he's dangerous, sir, I know I'll be okay, 27 00:03:32,479 --> 00:03:44,280 I'm not a full Blisken. Go my Snake. S D. Blisken American 28 00:03:44,360 --> 00:03:50,439 Lieutenant Special Forces Unit black Light two Purple Hearts, Lenning Red and Siberia youngest 29 00:03:50,479 --> 00:03:54,960 men to be decorated by the President. He robbed the Federal Reserve Depository, 30 00:03:55,199 --> 00:04:00,199 Life Sentence, New York Maximum Security Penitentiary. Ready to kick your ass out 31 00:04:00,199 --> 00:04:16,000 of the World War Hero? Who are you? Houk Police Commissioner Bob Hawk, 32 00:04:17,560 --> 00:04:23,439 Special Forces Unit Texas Thunder We heard of YouTube, Plisken, Why are 33 00:04:23,439 --> 00:04:29,319 we talking? Have a deal for you? He received full pardon for every 34 00:04:29,319 --> 00:04:33,279 criminal action you've committed in the United States. There was an accident about an 35 00:04:33,279 --> 00:04:36,839 hour ago. A small jet went down inside New York City. The president 36 00:04:36,920 --> 00:04:44,319 was on board, President of one. That's not funny, Plisken. You 37 00:04:44,439 --> 00:04:46,560 go in, find the president, bring him out in twenty four hours, 38 00:04:46,680 --> 00:04:50,839 and you're a freeman twenty four hours. I'm making you an offer straight, 39 00:04:50,920 --> 00:04:55,120 just like I said. I'll think about it no time. Give me an 40 00:04:55,160 --> 00:04:59,240 answer, get a new president. We're still at war, a Plisken, 41 00:05:00,000 --> 00:05:03,480 you need him alive. I don't give out your war or your president. 42 00:05:05,240 --> 00:05:16,959 Is that your answer? I'm thinking about it. Think hard. Why me 43 00:05:17,480 --> 00:05:20,839 You flew the Gulfire over Lenning Grid. You know how to get in quiet? 44 00:05:21,240 --> 00:05:26,720 You're olipt gah. I guess they go in one way or the other 45 00:05:27,160 --> 00:05:30,680 you give me the paper when you come out before I told you it wasn't 46 00:05:30,720 --> 00:05:43,079 a fool comy Snake. No action film would be complete without sidekicks, and 47 00:05:43,240 --> 00:05:49,600 this film delivers those in every way. First you have Brain played by the 48 00:05:49,759 --> 00:05:58,480 late Harry Dean Stanton, a man that betrade Snake in his past. Brain's 49 00:05:58,519 --> 00:06:06,319 assistant Maggie played by Adrian Barbow, and the lovable Cabby comedy legend Ernest Borgnine. 50 00:06:06,879 --> 00:06:13,959 Our next two clips are the introduction two Snake sidekicks. First we meet 51 00:06:14,120 --> 00:06:19,199 Cabby. What is great about him is he is so upbeating, jovial despite 52 00:06:19,439 --> 00:06:28,879 society crumbled around him in everything being in disarray. And then Cabby takes Snake 53 00:06:29,000 --> 00:06:33,680 to Brain and Maggie. What is great is how Snake just remains calm and 54 00:06:33,800 --> 00:07:35,519 cool despite wanting to end Brain's life for his past betrayal. Where are you 55 00:07:35,639 --> 00:07:48,000 going, buddy, that neighborhood snake. You don't want to be walking from 56 00:07:48,000 --> 00:07:51,560 the barery at forty second Street at night. I've been driving a cabin for 57 00:07:51,600 --> 00:07:56,240 thirty years and I'm telling you you don't walk around here at night. Hi, 58 00:07:56,560 --> 00:08:01,079 yes, kill a kill you, strip you and ten seconds Usually I'm 59 00:08:01,079 --> 00:08:05,639 not done around him myself. But I wanted to catch that show. This 60 00:08:05,639 --> 00:08:16,519 stuff is like gold around here. You know, Hey, Snake, when'd 61 00:08:16,519 --> 00:08:20,360 you get in? I didn't even know they caught you. Oh, Snake, 62 00:08:20,639 --> 00:08:26,600 let's get in my cab. You way to like tell Annie, Hey, 63 00:08:26,680 --> 00:08:37,120 hang on, Snake, Hey, what were you doing back there? 64 00:08:37,240 --> 00:08:43,279 Snake looking for somebody? Well, we didn't ask me. Hell I know 65 00:08:43,320 --> 00:08:46,799 everybody in this town. Yes, sir, I've been driving his cap for 66 00:08:46,919 --> 00:08:52,559 thirty years, this very same cab. I'm gonna ask you, now, 67 00:08:52,559 --> 00:08:56,279 where's the president? The Duke got him? Everybody knows that Duke's got him? 68 00:08:56,440 --> 00:08:58,399 Or you don't have to put a gun to my head. I'll tell 69 00:08:58,399 --> 00:09:03,200 you who's the Duke? The Duke, the Duke of New York, A 70 00:09:03,399 --> 00:09:09,559 number one, the big man. That's who I want to meet, this 71 00:09:09,639 --> 00:09:13,919 duke. You can't meet the Duke, are you crazy? Nobody gets to 72 00:09:13,960 --> 00:09:22,279 meet the Duke. You meet him much and then you're dead. And now 73 00:09:22,759 --> 00:09:33,679 Snake meets Brain and Maggie. I brought somebody to see it. Harold Hellman, 74 00:09:37,240 --> 00:09:43,000 Snake, Harold, how you've been Harold? It's been a long time. 75 00:09:43,799 --> 00:09:48,159 You never told me you knew Snake flisk and brain is nuds. Great, 76 00:09:48,480 --> 00:09:54,879 Hey, Brad, I can do some guess we can express him. 77 00:09:54,879 --> 00:10:01,679 Glad. You remember me? Yeah, man should remember past Kansas City four 78 00:10:01,759 --> 00:10:07,000 years ago. You ran out on me. You left me sitting there. 79 00:10:07,720 --> 00:10:13,080 You were late. We were buddies there, Ald You, me and Fresno 80 00:10:13,279 --> 00:10:20,799 Bob. You know what they did to Bob. You want to see him 81 00:10:20,840 --> 00:10:22,679 sprayed all over that map? Baby, where's the President? I swear to 82 00:10:22,759 --> 00:10:26,080 God, snake, I don't know. Why do you want to know? 83 00:10:26,600 --> 00:10:30,679 I want him working for the man now, and I'll just beat it out 84 00:10:30,679 --> 00:10:33,639 of your squeeze. He doesn't know exactly where he is, and unless you 85 00:10:33,720 --> 00:10:46,159 know exactly precisely where he is, you'll never find him. Listen, I'll 86 00:10:46,200 --> 00:10:52,000 take you out of here, Yeah, Jed Glidder, just a couple of 87 00:10:52,039 --> 00:10:58,000 blocks down the street, and all you gotta do is get me to him, 88 00:10:58,000 --> 00:11:03,399 No kidding on the Hey, will you take me too? We gotta 89 00:11:03,480 --> 00:11:09,320 deal somewhere else, No, Glider, We've got the president and the Duke's 90 00:11:09,320 --> 00:11:15,639 taken everybody out of here. Never happened, baby, You see I know 91 00:11:15,720 --> 00:11:20,519 something you and the Duke don't know. Only God. So long before mister 92 00:11:20,600 --> 00:11:26,159 President, doesn't mean a whole lot. You're lying. Maybe he's not. 93 00:11:28,039 --> 00:11:31,600 I know him looking at his base. He's lying, right, Harold, 94 00:11:31,639 --> 00:11:35,360 I'm lying, so I might as well have some fun and keep looking by 95 00:11:35,399 --> 00:11:39,840 myself. Brain. Talk to him, baby, Brain, you'll kill us 96 00:11:39,879 --> 00:11:50,840 both. You always were smart, Harold. Just one thing right now, 97 00:11:52,799 --> 00:12:00,960 don't call me Harold. So far in this review, we have introduced the 98 00:12:01,159 --> 00:12:09,039 hero Orienti hero his sidekicks, and although we have heard him referenced previously, 99 00:12:09,600 --> 00:12:16,159 we haven't talked about him. The villain, The Duke, played by music 100 00:12:16,279 --> 00:12:22,639 legend Isaac Hayes, is a man that oversees New York and has masterminded the 101 00:12:22,720 --> 00:12:28,039 kidnapping of the President. He also wants to get a diagram that Brain has 102 00:12:28,159 --> 00:12:33,919 drawn up that will secure the escape from this city, with the President being 103 00:12:35,000 --> 00:12:39,519 used as a bartering chip. Our final clip for this week's episode shows what 104 00:12:39,639 --> 00:12:46,080 makes him a villain. Here, he calmly and coldly shoots an assault weapon 105 00:12:46,799 --> 00:12:52,720 at and around the President while the President is chained to the wall. All 106 00:12:52,759 --> 00:12:58,000 they hear him recite that the Duke is a one and runs New York. 107 00:13:00,080 --> 00:13:43,600 Mm hmm, don't move, snake, M I want that DIAGRAMD brain. 108 00:13:45,759 --> 00:13:50,600 Um, it's at my place, Duke, Duke that Pliskin said something about 109 00:13:50,600 --> 00:13:56,720 a time limit or time limit on him. That's a lot of crap. 110 00:13:58,320 --> 00:14:05,519 What did I teach you? You are do New New York. You're hey 111 00:14:05,639 --> 00:14:13,960 number one. I can't hear you. You the Duke of New York. 112 00:14:15,039 --> 00:14:22,240 You're a number one. Give me the diagram, Duke, don't kill Pliskin. 113 00:14:22,919 --> 00:14:54,799 We need him. Get moving brain. Our previous John Carpenter film, 114 00:14:54,840 --> 00:15:00,399 We Looked At Big Trouble in Little China, became a cult cli classic. 115 00:15:00,879 --> 00:15:07,799 It wasn't successful upon release, but garnered love and appreciation as the years went 116 00:15:07,840 --> 00:15:13,720 on, and much like many of his films, John Carpenter is the quintessential 117 00:15:13,879 --> 00:15:20,639 independent filmmaker. He makes films that he wants to make without constraints of a 118 00:15:20,759 --> 00:15:26,759 major studio. For the most part. Because of this, this film was 119 00:15:26,879 --> 00:15:33,039 made on only a budget of six million dollars and was mainly financed off the 120 00:15:33,159 --> 00:15:41,279 success of Carpenter's horror classic Halloween. It ended up raking in twenty five million 121 00:15:41,039 --> 00:15:48,120 and spawned a sequel in nineteen ninety six, Escape from La It is very 122 00:15:48,360 --> 00:15:54,000 hard to put this film into one specific genre. Is it noir, Is 123 00:15:54,039 --> 00:15:58,879 it sci fi? Is it action? Is it adventure? Is it drama? 124 00:16:00,759 --> 00:16:06,919 My answer is simple, who cares? It is a film that meets 125 00:16:07,039 --> 00:16:12,399 aspects of so many genres that it's unfair to pigeonhole it into just one. 126 00:16:14,399 --> 00:16:22,720 With great performances, stellar action scenes in a vibrant electronic based soundtrack composed by 127 00:16:22,759 --> 00:16:27,600 Carpenter himself, this film is a great way for anyone to spend one hundred 128 00:16:27,639 --> 00:16:33,600 minutes with a bowl of popcorn, or to just escape from our world in 129 00:16:33,720 --> 00:16:41,600 view Carpenter's world and his post apocalyptic vision. I hope you join me next 130 00:16:41,639 --> 00:16:47,600 week when we will dive into one of my favorite genres of film, film 131 00:16:47,759 --> 00:16:59,120 noir, with the nineteen forty four noir crime thriller Double Indemnity for WMNH in 132 00:16:59,240 --> 00:20:00,640 Matt Connort Unleashed. This has been a classic film review with Eric Culture the