Death Race 2000
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| Death Race 2000 | |
 theatrical release poster |
|
| Directed by | Paul Bartel |
|---|---|
| Produced by | Roger Corman Jim Weatherill |
| Written by | Screenplay: Robert Thom Charles Griffith Story: Ib Melchior |
| Starring | David Carradine Simone Griffeth Sylvester Stallone Sandy McCallum Louisa Moritz Don Steele |
| Music by | Paul Chihara |
| Cinematography | Tak Fujimoto |
| Editing by | Tina Hirsch |
| Distributed by | New World Pictures |
| Release date(s) | April 27, 1975 |
| Running time | 84 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $300,000 (est.) |
Death Race 2000 is a 1975 cult action film directed by Paul Bartel, and starring David Carradine, Simone Griffeth and Sylvester Stallone. The movie takes place in a dystopian American society in the year 2000, where the murderous Transcontinental Road Race has become a form of national entertainment. The screenplay is based on the short story "The Racer" by Ib Melchior.[1]
Contents |
[edit] Plot
In the year 2000 the United States has been destroyed by a financial crisis and a military coup. Political parties have collapsed into a single Bipartisan Party, which also fulfills the religious functions of a unified church and state. The resulting fascist police state, the United Provinces, is headed by the cult figure "Mr. President" (Sandy McCallum). The people are kept satisfied through a stream of gory gladiatorial entertainment, which includes the bloody spectacle the Transcontinental Road Race, depicted as a symbol of American values and way of life. The coast-to-coast, 3 day race is run on public roads, and points are scored not just for speed, but for the number of innocent pedestrians struck and killed.
Frankenstein (David Carradine) is the most celebrated racer and is the government's champion. He is reputed to be part machine, rebuilt after many crashes. He regularly battles with the other teams, particularly "Machine Gun" Joe Viterbo (Sylvester Stallone), who hates being second.
During the race, a resistance group led by Thomasina Paine (Harriet Medin), a lineal descendant of Thomas Paine, one of the original American revolutionaries of the 1770s, is attempting to assassinate Frankenstein and replace him with one of their agents. The "Resistance" is assisted by Paine's great granddaughter Annie (Simone Griffeth), Frankenstein's co-driver, who is intending to lure him into a planned ambush where he is to be replaced by a double. Disruption of the race by the Resistance is blamed on the French by the state, who are also blamed for ruining the country's economy and telephone system.
It emerges that Frankenstein is not a willing government stooge, nor is there a single Frankenstein. The current Frankenstein is simply one of many people specially trained to race in the role. "When one is used up, they bring in another," he tells Annie. The current Frankenstein also has his own plan to end the tyranny: win the race and shake hands with Mr. President, detonating a grenade which has been implanted in his prosthetic right hand.
Frankenstein successfully outmaneuvers both the rival drivers and the Resistance, and is declared the winner and sole survivor. Wounded and unable to carry out his original grenade attack plan, Annie dons Frankenstein's disguise as she plans to stab the President on the victory podium. Greeting the president as he congratulates Frankenstein and declares war on the French, Annie is mistakenly shot and wounded by her grandmother. Frankenstein finally succeeds in killing the President by ramming the podium with his car.
In an epilogue, Annie and Frankenstein are wedded, and Frankenstein, now President, abolishes the race and the perverse laws of the Provinces, though he does make a point of running over an objecting (and objectionable) reporter (Junior Bruce).
[edit] Cast
- David Carradine as Frankenstein
- Simone Griffeth as Annie Smith
- Sylvester Stallone as "Machine-Gun" Joe Viterbo
- Mary Woronov as "Calamity" Jane Kelly
- Roberta Collins as Matilda the Hun
- Martin Kove as Nero the Hero
- Louisa Moritz as Myra
- Don Steele as Junior Bruce
- Joyce Jameson as Grace Pander
- Carle Bensen as Harold
- Sandy McCallum as Mr. President
- Paul Laurence as special agent
- Harriet Medin as Thomasina Paine
- Vince Trankina as Lt. Fury
- Bill Morey as The Deacon of the Bipartisan Party
- Fred Grandy as Herman the German
- William Shephard as Pete
- Leslie McRae as Cleopatra
- Wendy Bartel as Laurie
- Jack Favorite as Henry
- Sandy Ignon as FBI agent
- John Landis as Mechanic
- Darla McDonnell as Rhonda Bainbridge
- Roger Rook as Radio operator
- Paul Bartel as Frankenstein's Doctor (uncredited)
- Lewis Teague as Toreador (uncredited)
[edit] Cars
The cars in the Transcontinental Road Race each have a specific theme. Each contestant represents the fantasy of a reckless driver.
- Nero the Hero - Roman. The car (a modified Fiat 850 Spider) resembles a lion complete with teeth (the historical Nero enjoyed throwing his enemies to the lions). Nero is the first to be destroyed when he runs over a booby-trapped doll planted by the Resistance, which he mistakes for a real baby.[2]
- Matilda the Hun - Nazi. The car (a modified VW Karmann-Ghia) resembles a V-1 flying bomb and has what appears to be a rocket engine. Her car is destroyed after driving off a cliff.[3]
- Calamity Jane - Cowgirl. The car resembles a bull and runs over a matador early in the film. She is lured to a junkyard and blown up by the Resistance.[4]
- Machine Gun Joe Viterbo - Gangster. The car has a knife and machine guns mounted on the front. Joe is the last to die (killed by Frankenstein's grenade).[5]
- Frankenstein - His car (a modified Chevrolet Corvette) resembles a monster with red eyes, scales and teeth. He is the only one who survives the race.[6]
Many of the cars were re-bodied VWs and a few were sold after the film to museums for more than it cost to make them, according to Roger Corman.
[edit] Reception
Roger Ebert gave the film zero stars in his review.[7]
The movie has long been regarded as a cult hit,[1] and was often viewed as superior to Rollerball, made in the same year—another dystopian science fiction sports film, similarly focusing on the use of sports as an "opiate".[1]
[edit] Other Media
A sequel comic book entitled Death Race 2020 was published in 1995 by Roger Corman's Cosmic Comics imprint. It was written by Pat Mills of 2000 AD fame, with art by Kevin O'Neill. The pair had already worked together on several comics including Marshall Law. The comic book, as the title indicates, took place 20 years after the movie and dealt with Frankenstein's return to the race.
The Carmageddon video game series (Carmageddon, Carmageddon 2: Carpocalypse Now and Carmageddon 3: TDR 2000) all borrow heavily from the plot, characters and car designs in this movie.
[edit] Remakes
Paul W. S. Anderson directed a remake entitled Death Race, starring Jason Statham, which premiered August 22, 2008. The remake began production in late August 2007.[8] Besides Statham, new version also stars Ian McShane, Joan Allen, and Tyrese Gibson.[9] It also includes a cameo (by voice-over) of David Carradine reprising his role as Frankenstein.
[edit] See also
[edit] Notes
- ^ a b c Brosnan, John; Nichols, Peter (1998). "Death Race 2000". in Clute, John; Nichols, Peter. The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction (2nd Edition ed.). Orbit.
- ^ http://www.horrorphile.net/death-race-2000/
- ^ http://www.nickschager.com/nsfp/2008/08/death-race-2000.html
- ^ http://www.badmovies.org/movies/deathrace2k/
- ^ http://www.stomptokyo.com/badmoviereport/reviews/D/deathrace.html
- ^ http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/death_race_2000/
- ^ Roger Ebert's review
- ^ Graser, Marc; Garrett, Diane. "Film: Universal Restarts 'Spy Hunter', Paul W.S. Anderson To Direct Adaptation". Variety. http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117966153.html?categoryid=13&cs=1&query=death+race. Retrieved on 2007-06-01.
- ^ "Ian McShane Joins Death Race". ComingSoon.net, sourcing The Hollywood Reporter. Aug. 8, 2007. http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=23127. Retrieved on 2007-08-08.
