Escape from New York (Remake)

[Bishop2]

This whole project sucks. Escape from New York is John Carpenter's statement on society as he the direction the country was going in 1981. It's not just a cult action movie from the early 80s. Unlike a lot of action movies, Escape from New York is about something. It's like someone re-writing their version of Dark Knight Returns. That book was Frank Miller's statement. And the character has to be American. Not necessarily played by an American, but the actor has to play a convincing American. The whole point of the movie was that Snake is not going to be a part of this totalitarian American government that seems to have a British President.

Pleasance didn't have his accent in that movie though.

Escape from L.A. was also a commentary on what Carpenter thought of the world at the time. So why can't this remake be a commentary on what the screenwriters or Wiseman see as the world's problems today? Seems obvious.

 

[DorkyFresh]

Pleasance didn't have his accent in that movie though.

from imdb trivia...
"Donald Pleasence came up with a backstory to explain how he became President with his British accent but Carpenter didn't use it."


...now imdb isn't that trusted of a site but there are plenty of other sites that mention Pleasence's slightly British accent also.

 

[Penismightier]

Pleasance didn't have his accent in that movie though.

Escape from L.A. was also a commentary on what Carpenter thought of the world at the time. So why can't this remake be a commentary on what the screenwriters or Wiseman see as the world's problems today? Seems obvious.

1. Pleasence had a whole backstory on why the President seemed to have a bit of a British accent.

Because, as the title says, it's John Carpenter's Escape from New York. And it was John Carpenter's Escape from LA. If the screenwriters and Wiseman want to make a commentary on the world's problems today, all the power in the world to them. They really don't have to take someone else's statement and character to make theirs.

 

[Hunter Rider]

in all fairness i finished watching LFoDH and my opinion has barely changed. yes, he's beat up but at no point did i ever feel that he was genuinely on the verge of death. after he took down the jet i was expecting him to come out with a broken finger or SOMETHING but he practically got up and walked away with no sign of heavy damage.

Spoiler

i know he gets shot twice in the end

but i couldn't help but think that they were FORCING the audience to believe he's about to die. it didn't feel like a natural sequence of events...it felt a forced "let's add some tension to the end" type of device.

I guess we saw the movie a bit differently but i think with a franchise hero like McClane, Bond, Indy etc... it's virtually impossible to really make it so the audience believes he may die

EfNY could still be those things while still raising the bar. of course the effects, the action, and everything else will be better...but i was hoping for a director who could make EfNY more than that. EfNY has the potential to be a great gritty sci fi espionage and while i don't doubt Len Wiseman will deliver a decent action sci fi...i can't help but to imagine how awesome this movie could be under the direction of someone like Michael Mann.

i'm sure EfNY won't be horrible by any means. i liked Underworld 2 much better than part 1 and Live Free or Die Hard was enjoyable for the most part....but i was just hoping for a director with the potential to make EfNY more than an unbelievably over-the-top action extravaganza.

I think that the movie should be a fun action title myself, when i saw the original that's the vibe it went for IMO and to try and make it into a Bourne type deal is not exactly what i hoped for.

 

[Penismightier]

Yeah, I can't think of a single person who actually though that Snake Plissken might die in the first one.

And the vibe of the original was fun, look at Borgnine's presence. It's an interesting contrast to see all of these colorful characters in this burned out city.

 

[Bishop2]

from imdb trivia...
"Donald Pleasence came up with a backstory to explain how he became President with his British accent but Carpenter didn't use it."


...now imdb isn't that trusted of a site but there are plenty of other sites that mention Pleasence's slightly British accent also.

I must just not be capable of hearing it... in most of the Halloween movies, I can't hear an accent on him either, but I'm sure some would tell me it's there, somewhere.

 

[DorkyFresh]

I guess we saw the movie a bit differently but i think with a franchise hero like McClane, Bond, Indy etc... it's virtually impossible to really make it so the audience believes he may die

of course no one consciously thinks these heroes are going to die but when you're in the moment and watching a movie where the hero is in peril you get the feeling he's going to die. i knew Aragorn wasn't going to die but when the big monster was stepping on him with Legalos desperately fighting to save Aragorn you got the FEELING that Aragorn was about to die. i got that feeling from Casino Royale, but none of Len Wiseman's movies. it's not a matter of wanting the character to 'almost die' it's matter of making the character feel more real.

I think that the movie should be a fun action title myself, when i saw the original that's the vibe it went for IMO and to try and make it into a Bourne type deal is not exactly what i hoped for.

well that's where you and i differ. i knew this movie would end up in the hands of someone like Len Wiseman (action packed extraganza made primarily for teens and young adults) but i was hoping that they could make EfNY something MORE than just that.

I must just not be capable of hearing it... in most of the Halloween movies, I can't hear an accent on him either, but I'm sure some would tell me it's there, somewhere.

i've never seen any of his other movies but in EfNY his accent isn't obvious. it doesn't sound American but it's not hardcore British either...

 

[Penismightier]

I've seen a number of his movies and he never seems to have a clear British accent. He's British, but I guess he just had an unusual voice pattern.

 

[ANTOINE X]

I loved escape from New york and yes I also loved escape from LA. If they do a sequel I would definitly pick Josh Holloway the guy for this role most be an a** thats why I want josh.

 

[DorkyFresh]

i definitely think he'd make a better Snake than Gerard Butler...


...unfortunately, we're stuck with King Leonidas.

 

[Hunter Rider]

of course no one consciously thinks these heroes are going to die but when you're in the moment and watching a movie where the hero is in peril you get the feeling he's going to die. i knew Aragorn wasn't going to die but when the big monster was stepping on him with Legalos desperately fighting to save Aragorn you got the FEELING that Aragorn was about to die. i got that feeling from Casino Royale, but none of Len Wiseman's movies. it's not a matter of wanting the character to 'almost die' it's matter of making the character feel more real.

Ive honestly never felt that with these types of characters, i get the adrenaline rush of a well shot action sequence with a character i dig at the centre of it but i guess Ive just seen to many now to really ever buy into the feeling.

well that's where you and i differ. i knew this movie would end up in the hands of someone like Len Wiseman (action packed extraganza made primarily for teens and young adults) but i was hoping that they could make EfNY something MORE than just that.

Well the script offers the chance for it to be more than that in a number of elements but i do like the fact that one of the main goals is to beef up the scope and action of the concept, it is untapped potential in that area and that is what i really want to see.

 

[Hunter Rider]

I loved escape from New york and yes I also loved escape from LA. If they do a sequel I would definitly pick Josh Holloway the guy for this role most be an a** thats why I want josh.

My first choice by a mile.

 

[harken51]

Im so exited i love the original especially the theme song i have it on my ipod and my x-box 360

 

[harken51]

But Gerald butler looks pretty close but still is no snake pliskin

 

[DorkyFresh]

But Gerald butler looks pretty close but still is no snake pliskin

for future reference...there's an "edit" feature. you don't have to make another post to add an after thought.

 

[Midnhtsun]

I loved escape from New york and yes I also loved escape from LA. If they do a sequel I would definitly pick Josh Holloway the guy for this role most be an a** thats why I want josh.

Great call it never occurred to me that Josh Holloway would make a great Plisken. He really would play a bad a** plisken, many of his expressions are similar to Kurt Russels. Ontop of that Josh Holloway plays that bad a** role very well.

 

[Advanced Dark]

Well Gerard is Snake sooooo casting isn't an issue with that role.

 

[Hunter Rider]

Well Gerard is Snake sooooo casting isn't an issue with that role.

which is a shame as it seems more about casting the guy that was hot coming off 300 than casting the best guy for the role.

 

[Advanced Dark]

^ Why can't the guy coming off 300 be the best guy for the role? I think Gerard is perfect. He has charisma, he has the build, now all he needs is the hair and the attidude and we're done. I think he showed he can do that in 300.

 

[Max J Power]

I don't like Gerard Butler.

 

[Advanced Dark]

I don't like Gerard Butler.

and?

 

[Midnhtsun]

I think Gerard is perfect. He has charisma, he has the build, now all he needs is the hair and the attidude and we're done.

Josh Holloway already has that. Dont get me wrong though I think Gerard will make a very interesting snake plisken and im looking forward to the remake. Its more after the fact when Josh Holloway was mentioned I realized that there was someone that is already snake plisken, inturn making him perfect for the role.

 

[Advanced Dark]

Anyone can grow stubble and hair. The personality is what makes Plisskin not just the look. It's better to find the personality first and then fix the look than vice versa. I think Gerard has the personality and the build to make Plisskin even more dangerous than ever.

 

[Hunter Rider]

Holloway already has all the personality plus the look and the voice.

^ Why can't the guy coming off 300 be the best guy for the role? I think Gerard is perfect. He has charisma, he has the build, now all he needs is the hair and the attidude and we're done. I think he showed he can do that in 300.

I'm not saying he won't do a good job, i was saying why i think he was cast.

 

[Advanced Dark]

^ Gotcha Hunter. I don't think there's anything wrong with casting a "hot" actor if he's right for the job. Now if they cast Will Smith for Captain America because hypothetically his last film was a blockbuster...then that's another thing.