Cheap Death Race 2000 (DVD) (David Carradine, Simone Griffeth, Sylvester Stallone) (Paul Bartel) Price
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| ACTORS: | David Carradine, Simone Griffeth, Sylvester Stallone |
| CATEGORY: | DVD |
| DIRECTOR: | Paul Bartel |
| THEATRICAL RELEASE DATE: | April, 1975 |
| MANUFACTURER: | New Concorde Home Video |
| MPAA RATING: | R (Restricted) |
| FEATURES: | Color |
| TYPE: | Science Fiction |
| MEDIA: | DVD |
| # OF MEDIA: | 1 |
| UPC: | 736991414440 |
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Customer Reviews of Death Race 2000
A bad film, unless you like that sort of thing. This is a very silly movie that hasn't aged well since its release in 1975. It has aspirations of being a clever social satire, but it's really just low-brow entertainment, often not too far removed from the "Skinimax" flicks of the late-80's. That may be a good thing if you're into cult flicks and B-movies, but for most viewers this is too cheesy to even be mildly amusing.
In "Death Race 2000", David Carradine stars as national hero and veteran racer Frankenstein, while Sylvester Stallone plays Machine Gun Joe Viterbo, his biggest competitor. They compete against three other drivers in a transcontinental road race where extra points can be earned by running over pedestrians. One by one, the five cars fall victim to a group of rebels who are intent on putting a stop to the gruesome sport.
The violence, of which there is very little, is played for comedic effect. However I think the intended reaction was more along the lines of "oh man, that was BRUTAL, haha!" rather than "oh man, that looked so cheap, haha!" Low budget film-lovers rejoice! This is your movie.
Interested parties should be prepared for Carradine's "dominatrix" outfit, complete with mask and cape. I think it was supposed to make him look sinister, but instead he comes off looking rail-thin and ridiculous. Stallone, in a supporting role as a stereotypical Italian tough guy, steals the movie.
The beautiful supporting actresses also overshadow the star, Carradine. Anyone familiar with producer Roger Corman knows that, in his world, fast cars and gratuitous violence go hand in hand with bare-breasts and the occasional catfight. "Death Race 2000" is no exception.
If you've seen this before and decided it's your type of film, then this is definitely version to get. Stay clear of the 1998 release by Digital Multimedia, a very poor transfer with blurry, grainy images and an ever-present hiss. This 1999 release by New Horizons looks infinitely better and the sound has been digitally re-mastered. It also has a few extras, like the theatrical trailer, bios and an interview with producer Roger Corman.
Darth Frankenstein ?
Tell Me Mr. Lucas didn't get his idea for Darth from Frankenstein's wacky wardrobe. Even using the unmasking scene!!
If my Auto Insurance Agent only knew!
I loved this movie, actually caught it at a drive-in theater back in 1975, not that long after getting my drivers license. David Carradine, fresh from the cancelled Kung Fu television series, played Frankenstein, a master driver, rumored to be half cyborg. This movies motivation was all about the anti-establishment, post Vietnam War era, and reflected the prevailing attitudes against US Imperialism. Seems a little ironic it takes place in 2000, with our return to that sort of attitude in government today.
In about 1978, just before the launch of the video game Space Invaders, the most popular arcade game in America was Death Race. You chased little stick figures (they called them gremlins... but you know :) ) with a car, and ran them down. They squealed, turned into crosses, (tombstones that is) you would hit reverse, and keep driving. At the end of the game, your score was the number killed. The moms of America were outraged at the game, and later a version was modified, (They renamed it Demolition Derby) you were chasing cars, which then turned into wrecks. In a nutshell, the original game is the plot of the movie Death Race 2000.
The movie is about a national sporting event, apparently to show that life is cheap, and only the meanest SOB wins. Racers get varied degrees of points, for mowing down pedestrians in a cross-country, racing event. A pre-Rocky Sly Stallone plays the main competition for Frankie. Carradine handles the role with just the right amount of campy acting, and without going too far overboard. While some of this stuff plays like an episode of the Road Runner, they never lose the spirit of the film, so it comes off well.
Believe it or not, some of the race itself is very exciting. For a low budget film that was probably made in a week or two, the action sequences were well thought out. The politics may be a little preaching at times in the film, but don't really get in the way of the fun. My five star rating, does not mean I think this is on par with past Oscar winners. What it means is, that for this type of low budget, camp movie, I consider it a classic along the lines of Motel Hell, Little Shop of Horrors, Harold and Maude, and Easy Rider.