Call me Snake.

[ClassAct]

Any fellow Escape from NY fans on here? Scream Factory/Shout Factory have recently released the latest transfer of John Carpenter's Escape From New York on blu ray disc.

I'm an avid fan of the film yet only own the Optimum/Studio Canal Region B version. It is a standard definition upscale and offers only minor improvement over the DVD edition.

End user and expert reviews are mixed over whether this version is better than the MGM version which I believe is Region A locked. The chaps over at AVForums have just published their review which is in depth yet somewhat confusing.

It would be super cool if there others who can share in their admiration and add their own insight for this cult classic.

The name's Plissken.

 

[Frank Harvey]

Been waiting for this for a loooooooong time!

I did have the Bluray, but sold it along with the early The Fog release as they barely improved upon the DVD releases I already owned. Since then, they've re-released The Fog, which along with most of the other Carpenter titles that Shout Factory have released, look amazing. If EFNY can get anywhere near The Fog or the other releases for picture quality, I'll be an extremely happy bunny!

I would wait and see it for yourself. Whenever a new release appears, there's always 'internet warriors' who suddenly appear from the crumb infested depths of their keyboards to complain about DNR, excessive grain, hues, edge enhancement etc etc. Most of the time they're talking so much crap you can't tell which end is doing the talking. My gripes with the Shout Factory releases have been extremely minor, the main one being The Fog. I won't mention the issue in case you haven't seen it, but I've seen it on a few other films too. I'll have a read of the AVF review.

Love the film, and you only have to watch the extras (only on the DVD if I recall correctly) to end up loving it more. What Carpenter did for virtually zero budget is amazing. Convincing sets (although the street scenes are NY, so it should be), great cast, great music, and little details like the glider's vector style CG display of the city below, totally fabricated as the feature never existed at the time. Along with The Thing, I picked up the laserdisc, mainly for the covers and their artwork.

It is 35 years old next year, and it won't be long before the younger generation seeing it for the first time will start asking what a "tape" is...

Film spoilers coming up! Although, if you haven't seen it by now...

I always felt it should've got a video game release (yes, Splinter Cell-esque!), as it has everything! You're sent into the post apocalyptic prison that is Statten Island NY with a few weapons on a time limit. You have to glide silently into NY unseen (flight sim), then track down the missing president (search/adventure), avoiding "the crazies" (stealth/hand to hand combat). You get caught, end up in a fighting ring against some huge dude (one on one fighting rounds), escape, steal a car and try and get across the only mined bridge out of the hell hole (driving game). A little showdown with The Duke, and you're done!

 

[cheeseboy]

I can highly reccomend the following if you want more

http://www.boom-studios.com/catalogsearch/advanced/result/?name=&series=1399&writer=&artist=&category=

they also do a big trouble in little china series

http://www.boom-studios.com/catalogsearch/advanced/result/?name=&series=1312&writer=&artist=&category=

 

[ClassAct]

I believe apart from the (spoiler alert) Statue of Liberty scene, the vast majority of the street scenes if not all are filmed in the then run down east side of St Louis, Missouri. They convincingly stand in for the abandoned streets of Manhattan. The remainder of Liberty Island security control scenes were filmed at a dam somewhere in the central US.

I think it makes it all the more amazing that it was produced on such a low budget and how he clobbered together a ensemble cast. As the end credits rolls a "Jim Cameron" is credited as responsible for the matte paintings in the film.

The Optimum/Studio Canal release has the same extras as the Special Edition DVD I think, there's a commentary featuring John Carpenter, Debra Hill, Adrienne Barbeau and a few others. There's the cult-in-it's-own-right deleted bank robbery scene "Snake's Crime" and a couple of trailers thrown in for good measure.

The MGM release is apparently bare bones with no extras whatsoever. The extras included in the Scream/Shout Factory release look to die for. Plenty of new commentaries.

Alas as it is Region A I think this may just push me to purchase a multi region blu ray player!

 

[Frank Harvey]

There were definitely some scenes which were genuinely filmed on the streets of Manhattan, as I remember in the extras they said they had to get permission to shut down the electricity for something like three blocks.

I do wish they'd produce a beached version with the opening bank robbery scene.

Placed my order this morning.

 

[ClassAct]

That's cool to know. What blu ray player do you have if you don't mind me asking David?

Cheeseboy the artwork on Big Trouble in Little China looks interesting and as I've never seen the film it's convincing me to watch it

 

[cheeseboy]

Cheeseboy the artwork on Big Trouble in Little China looks interesting and as I've never seen the film it's convincing me to watch it

well, if you like Escape from new york, I think you'll like Big trouble in little china. It's basically John Carpenter and Kurt Russell doing cool and amusing stuff together again. Tongue is definitely more in cheek and there's a lot more humour in Big Trouble, but I think they both go well together.

 

[ClassAct]

I believe Prince of Darkness and Christine are available on Region A too which are some more of my favourite Carpenter Classics. I'm definitely going to give Big Trouble a watch.

 

[Frank Harvey]

That's cool to know. What blu ray player do you have if you don't mind me asking David?

A multi-region Oppo BDP103.

 

[ClassAct]

That is a lovely player. So many positive reviews and lots of retailers are willing to make the multi region modification. It's a shame it's a bit more than what I need.

Let us now how you find your copy of EFNY.