The reason why the 1981 version of Escape From New York worked so well is because it was a very complicated story, told in the most singular, linear way.
Set in the distant future of 1997, the USA and Russia are just ending their war with each other. The entire island of Manhattan has been turned into an inescapable prison. When Air Force One is hijacked and crashes there, a group of prisoners hold the President (Donald Pleasence) prisoner. Only former Special Forces-turned-criminal Snake Plissken (Kurt Russell) can save the day…
Quite frankly, it is probably the most 80’s movie to have ever existed, and we love every second of it.
Clip via Jeremy Gau
There has been a not-terrible-good sequel with 1996’s Escape From L.A., and unofficial “re-imaginings”, such as 2012′ Lockout, but a full and proper remake is now finally closer to reality.
While the part of Snake Plissken is still very much up for grabs (Our choice? Well, since Kurt Russell based the character on Clint Eastwood, we’d go with his son Scott Eastwood), but the role of director has been confirmed over the weekend to have gone to…
(drum roll please)
….. ROBERT RODRIGUEZ!
How do we feel about this? Well… Double R has had some very decent films over the years – Sin City, Desperado, From Dusk Till Dawn, The Faculty, Once Upon A Time In Mexico – but he’s also inflicted those FOUR Spy Kids movies on us, as well as the Machete films (more like Meh-chete, amiright?), and that frankly terrible Sin City sequel.
Here’s hoping he can return to his greater action days, like this:
Clip via Movieclips
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