One of the great bleak future flicks John Carpenter's Escape from New York is a tour into an urban hell that civilization created for itself. In 1997 (yeah, I know) the island of Manhattan has been turned into an overgrown Alcatraz surrounded by a state driven national police force. When Air Force One goes down in the Big Apple the police enlist Snake Plissken (Kurt Russell in the role that got him out of the pastel colors of the Walt Disney Company) to infiltrate the island and save the President. Though the film seems a bit dated it is one of John Carpenter's better offerings and holds your attention throughout the film. Russell is great as Snake, but it's the supporting cast that's amazing. Ernest Borgnine. Harry Dean Stanton. Issac Hayes. Donald Pleasence. Tom "Halloween III" Atkins. But there is one actor that steals the show and that's Lee Van Cleef. All I can say about The Bad is when a helicopter of troops lands in the city they are all clad in body armor, helmets, and loaded to bear with weapons. Lee Van Cleef walks in with his sleeves rolled up not even packing a piece. He is the true bad ass in this picture.
Escape from New York is one of those films that's a borderline classic. Everyone's seen it yet they don't give it much credence, which is understandable. It's a pure popcorn flick with some great action, snappy lines, and an over the top plot that people savor when they go to the movies.
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