Escape From New York was something of a departure for John Carpenter, stepping away briefly from the horror genre that made him famous and trying his hand at science fiction (this time on a solo basis). The director also took a big chance on casting Kurt Russell against type as the anti-hero Snake Plisken, which helped launch his career as an action star in the 1980s. The result was a box office success that has developed a cult following of loyal fans.
Studio: MGM
Distributed By: Shout! Factory
Video Resolution and Encode: 1080P/AVC
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
Audio: English 2.0 DTS-HDMA, English 5.1 DTS-HDMA
Subtitles: English SDH
Rating: R
Run Time: 1 Hr. 38 Min.
Package Includes: Blu-ray
2-disc Blu-ray keepcase with outer sleeveDisc Type: BD50 (dual layer), BD25 (single layer)
Region: A
Release Date: 04/21/2015
MSRP: $29.93
The Production Rating: 4/5
Escape From New York is the movie that changed John Carpenter’s career in many ways. It introduced Carpenter's satirical take on politics (that would be developed more fully in They Live) and his love of science fiction. It also solidified his friendship with actor Kurt Russell, with whom he had just worked with on the TV biopic, Elvis, and they would go on to make The Thing, Big Trouble in Little China, and Escape from L.A. together. But the real credit has to go to production designer Joe Alves (Close Encounters of the Third Kind) and director of photography Dean Cundey (Jurassic Park, Halloween), for being able to take a run down section of St. Louis that was marked for redevelopment and pass it off as a war-torn Manhattan. Kudos also to the visual effects team at Roger Corman’s New World Pictures, led by the Skotak brothers that included James Cameron.
Video Rating: 4/5 3D Rating: NA
Audio Rating: 4/5
Special Features Rating: 4/5
Disc One:
Audio Commentary with Director John Carpenter and actor Kurt Russell: This is the same excellent commentary from the 2-disc MGM DVD that was left off of all previous Blu-ray releases.
Audio Commentary with Producer Debra Hill and Production Designer Joe Alves: This is the same excellent commentary from the 2-disc MGM DVD that was left off of all previous Blu-ray releases.
Audio Commentary with actress Adrienne Barbeau and Director of Photography Dean Cundey: New to this release, the two former John Carpenter collaborators fondly reflect on the making of the film, moderated by Sean Clark.
Disc Two:
Big Challenges in Little Manhattan: The Visual Effects of Escape From New York (1080p; 14:27): Dennis and Robert Skotak discuss how they created the visual effects on the movie, with a little help from some guy named James Cameron.
Scoring the Escape: A Discussion with composer Alan Howarth (1080p; 18:56): Howarth takes us on a tour of his new recording studio with Sean Clark, and discusses how the score was recorded and the lasting legacy of the film’s score.
On Set with John Carpenter: The Images of Escape From New York (1080p; 10:50): Kim Gottlieb-Walker discusses her work on the film as on-set Still Photographer.
I Am Taylor: An Interview with actor Joe Unger (1080p; 8:49): The actor discusses working on the film and his reaction to being cut from the finished product. Interestingly, clips from the deleted opening prologue appear here in near-pristine condition.
My Night On Set: An Interview with filmmaker Dean DeCoteau (1080p; 5:02): The director discusses his small contribution to the film.
Deleted Scene: The Original Opening Bank Robbery Sequence (480p, upconverted to 1080p; 10:46): The original first reel of the film, with optional commentary by John Carpenter and Kurt Russell.
Return to Escape From New York Featurette (480i, upconverted to 1080i; 23:00): The original making of documentary from the 2003 DVD release.
Theatrical Trailers (480p, upconverted to 1080p; 2:46): The original teaser, followed by the full trailer.
Photo Galleries: Lobby cards, posters, and promotional stills from the press kit.
Overall Rating: 4/5
Reviewed By: Todd Erwin
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