John Carpenter’s 1981 movie Escape from New York is often cited as one of the director’s best features and is certainly amongst his most enduring. The film stars regular collaborator Kurt Russell, who plays Snake Plissken, a convict who is tasked with rescuing the president from New York, which is now being used as a mass prison.
John Walsh’s oversize coffee table book charts the creation of the film from the genesis of an idea to the final picture we saw on the screen. Separated into chapters focused on various parts of the production, it’s beautifully laid out and boasts plenty of images that are either previously unseen or certainly not familiar.
An early chapter covers the cast, and it’s worth thinking back to what a cast it was. As well as Russell, there was Lee Van Cleef (a huge star thanks to the Spaghetti Westerns he made with Clint Eastwood), Ernest Borgnine, Donald Pleasence (who took the role of the captured president), Isaac Hayes (the bad muthafunker who rules the NY prison), Harry Dean Stanton, and Carpenter’s then-wife, Adrienne Barbeau. Each entry briefly outlines how the actors landed the parts and some commentary from those who were there at the time.
Other chapters are packed with great imagery, including storyboards and pre-production sketches. The behind the scenes photos are particularly of interest, with the impressive model work that went into recreating New York given some stunning spreads.
Walsh’s doesn’t overload the book with pages of text and prefers to let the photos do the talking, but the info and quotes included in the chapters are informative and add to the visuals perfectly. Escape From New York: The Official Story of the Film is a breezy read, but it’s a book you’ll relish and cherish.
Escape from New York: The Official Story of the Film is out now,
