I was just reflecting on this after seeing Escape From New York again recently, and putting L.A. on this morning. The original has typically been revered over the sequel, and it does still feel more its own thing (the sequel follows a lot of the same beats).

However, we're a long ways now from New York's wilder years in the 1970s. Most viewers don't even know what NY was like in the 70s.

Today, the opening exposition in Escape From L.A., which posits a 'moral' America with a lifetime conservative president (who moves the capitol from D.C. to his hometown of Lynchburg, VA, not coincidentally the home of Liberty University, lol), is eerily more of a viable future in 2023. Not to get too topical, but, watching this today immediately made me think of what a DeSantis presidency might look like.

A lot of the L.A.-specific stuff hasn't aged well, but it's wild to me how the movie hits differently/better than it even did 10-15 years ago, when it was already dated. It feels more current to me watching it today than it did then. Art ages sometimes in jagged lines...

Comments

showerofshellfish t1_ja8jvlx wrote on February 27, 2023 at 5:18 PM

#2,062,992

I've always liked Escape from L.A. better than Escape from New York. As a kid in the 90s who discovered The Crow and Snake Plissken at roughly the same time, I was all about the aesthetic of heroes with long hair, black leather coats, and motorcycles.

s0mnambulance OP t1_ja8k99v wrote on February 27, 2023 at 5:20 PM

#2,063,098

Replying to showerofshellfish (#2,062,992)

Yeah, the soundtrack is badass too. I believe I used to use "Snake's theme" as my entrance music when my friends & I borrowed camcorders and made lame pro-wrestling videos.

oco82 t1_ja8k9xg wrote on February 27, 2023 at 5:20 PM

#2,063,104

I’m down for a future where Bruce Campbell is really the surgeon general of LA , lol.

s0mnambulance OP t1_ja8kd9q wrote on February 27, 2023 at 5:21 PM

#2,063,136

Replying to oco82 (#2,063,104)

With that chin of his, he's naturally qualified

badlegbill t1_ja8meom wrote on February 27, 2023 at 5:34 PM

#2,063,696

Of all the post apocalyptic movies I've seen -and the 80's had a metric shit ton of them-loved both of these gems. And yes, it's a nice variation. I always thought the Mad Max series would prove prophetic as well. Mostly the first one.

dhriggs t1_ja92qxj wrote on February 27, 2023 at 7:17 PM

#2,068,083

I love to rewatch this movie from time to time. It has such a specific style and weird tone to it. I kind of love it - Snake in WonderLAnd

powerstride96 t1_ja98g31 wrote on February 27, 2023 at 7:53 PM

#2,069,648

Replying to showerofshellfish (#2,062,992)

I'm glad I'm not alone on this. Really for me though it's just that I saw LA first

MattyKatty t1_ja9cfln wrote on February 27, 2023 at 8:18 PM

#2,070,768

The United States is a no-smoking nation. No smoking, no drinking, no drugs. No women - unless of course you're married. No guns, no foul language... no red meat.