Oh, how time flies! Remember those late-90s, with all the chaos and unrest and urban island penitentiaries? Remember when our president was British and was the head of Spectre? Wait, I’m confusing my references now. But re-watching Escape from New York for the first time since one’s childhood will do that. Gone are the days of my ignorant youth, when I considered Kurt Russel a bad ass and sighted pistols to be cool. (Seriously, watch the movie. They put scopes on handguns! No wonder Snake has an eye patch.)

Needless to say, we all had mixed feelings watching Escape from New York for the first time in many years. However, the film isn’t without it’s charm, nor is our podcast discussing it. In fact, if you watch the movie as a comedy, as I eventually had to just to get through it, it’s not all that bad. I mean, it has to be a comedy, right? They use chandeliers as headlights. Please tell me it’s a comedy.

Still, you can’t deny the movie’s influence. The Statue of Liberty’s head, which we see severed on the Escape from New York poster, finds its way into Cloverfield. Also, where would Hideo Kojima be today without the influence of one Snake Plissken?

ASSIGNMENT: We’re watching The Proposition (2005) next week. I hope you’re ready for some Sophie’s Choice, western style. I know I am.

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