Escape from New York (1981)
| Release Date | 23 May 1981 |
| Budget | $6,000,000 |
| US Box Office | $25,000,000 |
| Tagline | The world's greatest leader is a hostage in the most dangerous place on Earth. Now only the deadliest man alive can save him. |
| Genre | Action, Adventure, Crime, Sci-Fi, Thriller |
| Country | UKUSA |
| Filming Locations | California Institute of the Arts, Valencia, California, USA |
| Language | English |
| Sound Mix | Dolby |
| Color | Color |
| Film Type | Feature |
| Film Class | Sci-Fi Action, Escape Film |
| Mood | Thrill Rides, Other Dimensions |
| Themes | Lone Wolves, Heroic Mission, Hostage Situations, Daring Rescues, Future Barbarians, Race Against Time |
| Tones | Rousing, Visceral, Menacing, Grim |
| Tags | Anti Hero, Captive, Escape, Mercenary, Mission [quest], President, Prison, Rescue |
Escape from New York is a 1981 American science fiction action film directed and scored by John Carpenter. He also co-wrote the screenplay with Nick Castle. The film is set in the near future in a crime-ridden United States that has converted Manhattan Island in New York City into a maximum security prison. Ex-soldier and legendary fugitive "Snake" Plissken (Kurt Russell) is given 24 hours to find the President of the United States, who has been captured by inmates after Air Force One crashed on the island.
Cast and Crew
Joe Unger
Taylor
Frank Doubleday
Romero
John Strobel
Cronenberg
Garrett Bergfeld
Gypsy #2
Richard Cosentino
Gypsy Guard
Robert John Metcalf
Gypsy #3
Joel Bennett
Gypsy #4
Vic Bullock
First Indian
Clem Fox
Second Indian
Tobar Mayo
Third Indian
Steven M. Gagnon
Secret Service #1
Michael Taylor
Secret Service #3
Lonnie Wun
Red Bandana Gypsy
Dale E. House
Helicopter Pilot #1
David R. Patrick
Helicopter Pilot #2
Bob Minor
Duty Sergeant
Wally Taylor
Controller
James O'Hagen
Computer Operator
James Emery
Trooper
Tom Lillard
Police Sergeant
Borah Silver
Theater Manager
Carmen Filpi
Bum
George 'Buck' Flower
Drunk
Clay Wright
Helicopter Pilot #3
Al Cerullo
Helicopter Pilot #4
Lowmoan Spectacular
Dancer
Ronald E. House
Dancer
Alan Shearman
Dancer
Joseph A. Perrotti
Dancer
Ron Vernan
Dancer
Debra Hill
Computer
Carla Barnett
Gypsy
Kathleen Blanchard
Narrator - Opening scenes
John Contini
Eye-Patch Prisoner
David E. Harshbarger
Bum in Theater, Soldier
Mark Stern
Guy in Chock Full O'Nuts
Ken Tipton
-
Barron Winchester
Sewer Dweller
Director
Writer
Nick Castle
Producer
Barry Bernardi
associate producer
Larry J. Franco
producer
Debra Hill
producer
Original Music
Cinematographer
Dean Cundey
-
Editor
Todd C. Ramsay
Production Designer
Joe Alves
-
Set Decorator
Cloudia Rebar
-
Costume Designer
Stephen Loomis
Makeup Department
Frankie Bergman
hair stylist
Ken Chase
makeup artist supervisor
Benjamin Douglas
makeup artist
Production Manager
Alan Levine
production manager
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Jeffrey Chernov
second assistant director
Larry J. Franco
first assistant director
Art Department
Eugene Booth
assistant property master
Lee B. Drygas
swing gang
Joseph C. Fama
propmaker
Arthur Gelb
graphic designer
Serge Genitempo
stand-by painter
Chris Horner
assistant art director
Mike May
property master
Art Molen
propmaker foreman
Andrew 'Sandy' Overholtzer
propmaker foreman
Marvin Salsberg
construction foreman
Wayne Smith
paint foreman
Don Sutton
leadman
Ward Welton
paint supervisor
Ed Zingel
painter
Sound Department
Joseph F. Brennan
boom operator
Thomas Causey
sound mixer
Carl Fischer
boom operator
Warren Hamilton Jr.
sound editor
Gregg Landaker
re-recording mixer
Mark A. Mangini
dialogue editor
Steve Maslow
re-recording mixer
John Mosley
stereo recordist
David Ritcher
assistant sound editor
Bill Varney
re-recording mixer
David Lewis Yewdall
sound editor
Nicholas James
foley editor
Steve Rice
dialogue editor
Special Effects
Roy Arbogast
special effects supervisor
Pat Patterson
special effects
Eddie Surkin
special effects
Gary Zink
special effects
Kevin Pike
special effects
Visual Effects
Steve Caldwell
camera assistant
Tom Campbell
engineer
Brian Chin
miniature construction
George D. Dodge
director of photography
Steve Elliot
Elicon camera operator
Steve Elliot
rotoscope
Mary Ann Fisher
producer liaison
Randall Frakes
camera assistant
Julia Gibson
Elicon camera operator
Jena Holman
matte artwork
Kenneth Jones
Elicon camera operator
R.J. Kizer
project supervisor
Aaron Lipstadt
associate producer
Austin McKinney
director of photography
Tony Randel
lab liaison
Dennis Skotak
director of photography
Robert Skotak
matte artwork
Charles Skouras III
visual effects production manager
Dan Smith
rotoscope
Gary Wagner
gaffer
William L. Arance
visual effects
Whitney Scott Bain
visual effects production assistant
Stephen Barncard
motion control designer
Mark Stetson
model maker
Stunts
Buff Brady
stunts
Tony Brubaker
stunts
Roydon Clark
stunts
Glory Fioramonti
stunts
Sandra Lee Gimpel
stunts
Bill Hart
stunts
Kent Hays
stunts
Eddie Hice
stunts
Loren Janes
stunts
Mike Johnson
stunts
Mags Kavanaugh
stunts
William T. Lane
stunts
Fred Lerner
stunts
Mike H. McGaughy
stunts
Bob Minor
stunts
John Moio
stunts
Harvey Parry
stunts
George Sawaya
stunts
Jacky Tyree
stunts
Jack Verbois
stunts
Jesse Wayne
stunts
Ted White
stunts
George P. Wilbur
stunts
James Winburn
stunts
Dick Warlock
stunt double: Kurt Russell, stunts, stunt coordinator
Camera and Electrical Department
Leo Behar
grip
Clyde E. Bryan
first assistant camera
Scott Buttfield
electrician
Jim Coe
still photographer
Jack Lee Gary
assistant camera: second unit
Kim Gottlieb
still photographer
Douglas Knapp
camera operator: second unit
Jim Lucas
director of photography: second unit
Drain M. Marshall
rigging gaffer
Terry Marshall
electrician
Thomas Marshall
best boy electrician
Steve Mathis
flicker box technician
George Mooradian
assistant camera: second unit
Douglas Olivares
second assistant camera
Seymour Owens
second grip
Frank Palmer
key grip
Frank Ruttencutter
camera operator: second unit
Tommy Sands
dolly grip
Raymond Stella
camera operator
Steve Tate
second assistant camera
Mark Walthour
gaffer
Curtis Foster
electrician
Animation Department
John C. Wash
graphic animator
Casting Department
Pegi Brotman
casting
Costume and Wardrobe Department
Katrina Bronson
costumer: women
Mel Sawicki
costumer: men
Editorial Department
Dean Beville
assistant to assistant film editor
Barbara Gandolfo-Frady
apprentice editor
Randy D. Thornton
assistant film editor
Transportation Department
Joe Benet
driver
Bobby Benton
driver
Rodney Berg
driver
Steve Boyd
driver
John Brumby
creative mobile technician
Michael Connolly
driver
William Charles Hauer
driver
Dick Lee
driver
Wayne Roberts
driver
Mario Simon
driver
Tom F. Thomas
transportation captain
Eddie Lee Voelker
transportation coordinator
Wayne Williams
driver
Ed Wirth
driver
Tom Briggs
set driver
Other Crew
Barry Bernardi
location manager
Juan Betancourt
meals
Donald P. Borchers
avco nominee
Pegi Brotman
assistant: producers
Jack Buckley
accountant
Frank Capra III
assistant location manager
Louis Chirco
craft service
Kelli Cole
unit publicist
Maurice Costello
nurse
Chip Fowler
production office coordinator
Matt Franco
assistant: the assistants
Louise Jaffe
script supervisor
Bert Jetter
meals
Ron Littrell
location contact
Terry Murphy
location contact
Sara Nelson
production accountant
Sarah Preece
office production assistant
Geoffrey Ryan
production assistant
Syd Stembridge
weapons advisor
Robin Thomas
production secretary
John L. Hammontree
militia coordinator
Barron Winchester
stand-in: Mr. Pleasance
Thanks
Walter Abell
special thanks
Dennis Foley
special thanks
Production Company
AVCO Embassy Pictures
-
International Film Investors
-
Goldcrest Films International
-
Distributor
AVCO Embassy Pictures
Parafrance Films
Astro Distribution
CEL Home Video
DEG Sale Company B.V.
-
Embassy Home Entertainment
Flashstar Home Vídeo
Hoyts Distribution
IPA Asia Pacific
MGM Home Entertainment
MGM-International Dist.
Neue Constantin Film
New Line Home Video
New World-Mutual
Studio Canal
-
UFA Video
Universal Pictures (Spain)
Special Effects
New WorldVenice
-
Miscellaneous
ChapmanLeonard Studio Equipment
camera cranes
City of New York
special thanks
City of St. Louis
special thanks
Goldwyn Sound Facility
sound re-recording
Metrocolor
prints
Missouri National Guard
special thanks
Motion Graphics
graphic displays
Orient Express, The
special thanks
P.T.'s Centerville
special thanks
Pacific Title
titles and opticals
Panavision
camera equipment
PickwickMaslanskyKoenigsberg Inc.
publicity
Susie's Casting Service
extra casting: Los Angeles
Talent Plus
extra casting: St. Louis
United States Army Reserve
special thanks
Related Lists
Navigation Boxes
Films directed by John Carpenter
Assault on Precinct 13 (1976)
Big Trouble in Little China (1986)
Body Bags (1993)
Christine (1983)
Dark Star (1974)
Escape from L.A. (1996)
Escape from New York
Ghosts of Mars (2001)
Halloween (1978)
In the Mouth of Madness (1994)
Memoirs of an Invisible Man (1992)
Prince of Darkness (1987)
Starman (1984)
The Fog (1980)
The Thing (1982)
The Ward (2010)
They Live (1988)
Vampires (1998)
Village of the Damned (1995)
