Post by stefancrosscoe on May 12, 2017 16:02:59 GMT
"Here he comes: Machine Gun Joe! Loved by thousands, hated by millions!"
It is the year 2000, and America and it's citizens find themselves in a desperate situation and where the only solution for keeping things under control, is by giving the people some good ol' entertainment, and the most popular sport on TV is the Transcontinental Road Race.
A fierce and brutal competition where the racers can gain the upper hand on their rivals by doing some serious road kill along the way.
But the most important thing this year, is to stay alive. As a group of anti-race protesters, have been planning on ending the race, once and for all.
Back in the early 00s I remember picking up an uncut norwegian DVD where it said: "This cult-classic is soon to be remaked with Tom Cruise starring as both director and in the lead role."
Well, I am glad that did not happen, but then again they did go out and "remade" the 70s film into another dull and forgettable trashy piece of mediocrity, which even got one or more sequels.
Anyway, screw that, this is about the fantastic cult-classic from Roger Corman and his take on the success of Rollerball (1975) that also had a similar bleak future, where a violent sport kept the people calm. But for me, I think it was one of the few and rare occasions where a b-movie "rip-off" managed to become a much more enjoyable and entertaining film, as Death Race 2000 has to be one of the funniest movies ever made.
And I remember it actually got a lot critism when being re-released back in the early 00s, where some even managed to call it "the worst movie of all time" and went so far to welcome a new Tom Cruise remake.
They should have been placed out in the streets, so Frankenstein and Machine Gun Joe could have dealt with them.
Death Race 2000 is a complete riot, it really is.
It is violent, funny, sexy and full of explosive one-liners and also extremely well made, considering the usual reputation that Corman Productions usally had during the 70s.
There is just too many great clips to post, but here are som all-time classics:
I love the way the anchor man (with a deadly serious face) tells the viewers how to get most points for killing people, then his eccentric partner later bursts out with a "A BEAUTIFUL KILL!"
Comedy gold!
And of course Sly Stallone as Machine Gun Joe "YOU WANT FRANKENSTEIN? I'LL GIVE YA FRANKENSTEIN!!!"
