Monday, January 1, 2007

Plissken in '07



On December 27th, 2006 John Carpenter's horror masterpiece Halloween was added to the National Film Registry. They add 25 each year.

This is a nice start but only scratching the surface. I think the library of Congress is getting short changed from all that John Carpenter has to offer. So as of right now, the morning of 2007, I am petitioning for Escape From New York to be added to the National Film Registry this year. Here are my selling points.

1. The title. Say it with me... Esape From New York. Not since Beneath The Planet Of The Apes has a title grabbed ahold of you and not let go.

2. The concept. While other filmmakers were dreaming up romances and coming of age stories, John Carpenter was thinking how in the near future, Manhattan Island was going to be a maximum security prison where the President Of The United States crashes.

3. Snake Plissken. With the exception of Kaiser Sose, have you ever come across a better name in a movie?

4. Isaac Hayes as the Duke Of New York. The dude drove around in a car with chandeliers hanging from the hood for crying out loud.

5. Ernest Fricken Borgnine. Let me say that again. Ernest Fricken Borgnine.

6. "You're Snake Plissken? I heard you were dead?"

7.
The eye patch. What happened to the eye? Who knows? Who cares? It's just cool.

8. The music. Once again, Carpenter crafts a masterful soundtrack that captures the dread and creepiness of New York as a prison cell.

I've made enough points to sell Escape From New York at least 100 times. Now it's up to you. Show you're a fan by posting your name here and let's show John Carpenter some love.

Plissken in '07!

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

I'm in where do sign up! Plissken, plissken, plissken

PIPER said...

You've just signed up. Thanks.

garrett said...

You've done a great job of selling this movie. It sounds like i need to watch it again. I haven't seen this since i was a child, although even then I do remember there was something about it that was very interesting to me. They kind of did a remake of this in the 90's right? Only it was escape from LA. I never saw this but I'm assuming it was awful. Is it?

PIPER said...

Escape From LA is not very good. Because I love Carpenter so, I cannot come out and saw it was awful. I will leave that to someone else.

But you have not missed anything if you haven't seen it.

You absolutely have to see Escape From New York again. And again. And again.