Escape from New York
When ex‑Special Forces operative Snake Plissken is about to be locked away in Manhattan’s high‑tech prison, a rogue terrorist drops the captive President into its deadly confines, forcing Snake to infiltrate the fortress and save the leader before the city turns him into another inmate.
“1997. New York City is a walled, maximum security prison. Breaking out is impossible. Breaking in is insane.”
Synopsis
In a world overwhelmed by crime, the island of Manhattan has been transformed into a walled prison, where violent offenders roam without restriction. When the U.S. president crash-lands inside the city, war hero Snake Plissken is given 24 hours to rescue and return him.
Credits
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How many hands made this film
The scale of the collaboration
A crew of 252+ credited
Why a floor?
This is a minimum, not a total. We only count the credits we’ve captured so far, and coverage is uneven — a blockbuster might show a few hundred names while another of the same size shows a couple dozen. The real crews all ran into the thousands. The number here only grows as full credits are enriched — so we frame it as a floor, never a headcount.
Craft leads on file
Edited by Todd C RamsayShot by Dean CundeyScored by John CarpenterDesigned by Joe AlvesSound by Thomas Causey Nm0146600Stunts by Dick WarlockVFX by Robert Skotak
Box Office
1981 · Box office
💰 Box-office hit — grossed 8.4× its budget
Why 2.5×?
Cinemas keep roughly half of every ticket sold, and a wide release’s marketing often costs about as much again as the film — so a movie needs to gross around 2.5× its production budget just to break even theatrically. It’s a rule of thumb, not the studio’s ledger (home video and streaming come later).
Worldwide gross
$50.2M
US & Canada: $25.2M — 50% of worldwide · International: $25.0M (50%)
Full synopsis
Versions & cuts
- Extended Version· 106 min
Also known as
- Die Klapperschlangede
- New York 1997fr
- 1997: fuga da New Yorkit
- (Flemish, poster title)New York 1997
Release dates around the world3 countries · showhide
- United StatesApr 1, 1981
- JapanMay 23, 1981
- FranceJun 24, 1981
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Cast & Crew
252 unique people credited
Top billed cast
Kurt Russell
as Snake Plissken
Lee Van Cleef
as Hauk
Ernest Borgnine
as Cabbie
Donald Pleasence
as President
Isaac Hayes
as The Duke
Season Hubley
as Girl in Chock Full O'Nuts
Harry Dean Stanton
as Harold 'Brain' Hellman
Adrienne Barbeau
as Maggie
Tom Atkins
as Rehme
Charles Cyphers
as Secretary of State
Joe Unger
as Taylor
Frank Doubleday
as Romero
Supporting cast
50John Strobel
as Cronenberg
John Cothran
as Gypsy #1
Garrett Bergfeld
as Gypsy #2
Richard Cosentino
as Gypsy Guard
Robert John Metcalf
as Gypsy #3
Joel Bennett
as Gypsy #4
Vicangelo Bulluck
as First Indian
Clem Fox
as Second Indian
Tobar Mayo
as Third Indian
Nancy Stephens
as Stewardess
Steven M Gagnon
as Secret Service #1
Steven Ford
as Secret Service #2
Michael Taylor
as Secret Service #3
Lonnie Wun
as Red Bandana Gypsy
Dale E House
as Helicopter Pilot #1
David R Patrick
as Helicopter Pilot #2
Bob Minor
as Duty Sergeant
Wally Taylor
as Controller
James O Hagen
as Computer Operator
James Emery
as Trooper
Tom Lillard
as Police Sergeant
Borah Silver
as Theater Manager
Tony Papenfuss
as Theater Assistant
John Diehl
as Punk
Carmen Filpi
as Bum
George Buck Flower
as Drunk
Clay Wright
as Helicopter Pilot #3
Al Cerullo
as Helicopter Pilot #4
Ox Baker
as Slag
Lowmoan Spectacular
as Dancer
Ronald E House
as Dancer
Alan Shearman
as Dancer
Joseph A Perrotti
as Dancer
Rodger Bumpass
as Dancer
Ron Vernan
as Dancer
Carla Barnett
as Gypsy
Kathleen Blanchard
as Narrator - Opening scenes
John Carpenter
as Secret Service #2, Helicopter Pilot, Violin Player
Nick Castle
as Pianist
John Contini
as Eye-Patch Prisoner
Jamie Lee Curtis
as Narrator, Computer
Linda Daniels
as Sewer Orphan
Mark Groseclose
as Crazy
David E Harshbarger
as Soldier, Bum in Theater
Debra Hill
as Computer
Jeff Sillifant
as Crazy, Food Drop Prisoner
Mark Stern
as Guy in Chock Full O'Nuts
Kelli Thompson
as Native American Woman
Ken Tipton
as Ringside Prisoner
Barron Winchester
as Sewer Dweller
Directors
1Writers
2Producers
7Other crew
194Cloudia Rebar
(as C L O U D I A), as C L O U D I A
Stephen Loomis
(as Steven Loomis), as Steven Loomis
John F Buckley
accountant (as Jack Buckley)
Barbara Gandolfo Frady
apprentice editor (as Barbara Ann Gandolfo)
Chris Horner
assistant art director
George Mooradian
assistant camera: second unit
Jack Lee Gary
assistant camera: second unit (as Jack Gary)
Randy D Thornton
assistant film editor
Frank Capra Iii
assistant location manager
Eugene Booth
assistant property master (as Gene Booth)
David Ritscher
assistant sound editor (as David Ritcher)
Dean Beville
assistant to assistant film editor
Parents Guide
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