Movie review – “Escape from New York” (1980) ****

Love this movie too much to do a sensible review of it. It’s a classic from the opening credits, with John Carpenter’s thumping score among his best, and a terrific opening sequence which sets up one of the best ideas for an action movie. Kurt Russell’s Snake Plissken is a cack (male actors love playing those roles – bad asses in tight leather pants, an eye patch and an implied massive dick) and there is good support from Donald Pleasance as the president (a concept so random it works brilliantly), Harry Dean Stanton, Isaac Hayes, Lee Van Cleef, etc. Stunning production design which artfully exploits the low budget.