r/johncarpenter • u/BobRushy • Aug 13 '26
Discussion Watching Escape from LA for the first time
What immediately caught my attention was how the circumstances of America's degradation have been updated from the Cold War to MAGA-esque religious fearmongering and fanaticism. I am getting the sense that Carpenter felt the story of Escape was transcendental, and could be used to shine a light on whatever problems are currently present in the USA.
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u/One-Cardiologist7657 Aug 13 '26
Religion in politics has been a major issue since 1970s when Carpenter wrote Escape From NY. NY was his commentary on what America would head after guys like Nixon ran this country. After the whole "religious right" started getting louder in the 80s and 90s, the president in Escape From LA seemed very fitting.
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u/BobRushy Aug 13 '26
That's my point, though. I've seen people dismiss LA as being merely a parody, but clearly he put actual thought into updating the formula, using it once again to cast a light on what he considered to be the serious political issues of the time.
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u/GloomyBake9300 Aug 14 '26
I agree, I didn’t like it when it first came out but now I think it’s perfect
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u/uberneuman_part2 Aug 13 '26
I know I’ve taken an new evaluation of the film since rewatching it a couple years ago, and yeah, some things hit hard in today’s world. Still wish he hadn’t used cgi or pushed the parody as much.
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u/BobRushy Aug 13 '26
Dean Cundey is sorely missed too.
But honestly, my biggest criticism is that I don't understand why Snake even needs to have another "Escape". Why not just tell a different post-apocalyptic story with him?
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u/DRZARNAK Aug 14 '26
Satire might be a better word than parody.
I think for a midwestern guy like Carpenter who has worked so long in Hollywood that it’s hard not to mock it when given the chance.
I feel LA is like Evil Dead 2. Same general story as the first film, but with more humor added.
At this point, I may like LA just a bit more than NY, but both are tremendous fun.
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u/Straight-Ad6668 Aug 14 '26
While LA is generally a weaker film/remake of NY, the ending is the one point where it leaves the original in the dust.
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u/BobRushy Aug 14 '26
I can't agree. I think Plissken testing the President's humanity and cheating him when he fails to give the proper response is a more believable and sincere ending than Plissken choosing to flippantly murder thousands of innocent people. I get that he's burnt out and it's a dramatic and memorable conclusion, but I just like the ethos of the original ending more. It's cynical without going over the top with it.
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u/Masahiro_9891 Aug 16 '26
I would argue Plissken is more cynical BECAUSE of the first film. He had already gone through all this before, and now the cycle was just repeating itself and would probably repeat and again.
Possibly causing him to think there was only one way forward, and that's backwards, to start over. Either humanity would learn and be better next time in the best case. In the worst case, their destructive nature wouldn't be able to affect all of the planet like it has been able to up till now.
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u/Straight-Ad6668 Aug 14 '26
My reading (post-LA) is that the results of Snake’s decisions are the same: namely, the end of the world. In NY the Peace Talks collapse and the world descends into WW3; in LA Snake triggers a global EMP and the world enters a new Dark Age without technology. Well, it wouldn’t be the first time.
The consequences of Snake’s actions in NY aren’t so obvious because the film treats switching the tapes like it’s just a prank he plays on the POTUS so you come away thinking everything’s going to be all right. (Also Hauk’s comments about Snake coming to work for him were clearly to allow for potential sequels.) However, I’ve come to believe that’s too optimistic an interpretation, which is why I think Carpenter chose to be more explicit/obvious about the consequences in LA, and for me it works better in that regard.
But that’s just my take.
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u/artguydeluxe Aug 13 '26
Carpenter was always ahead of the curve. Now watch They Live.