01-10-2013, 11:55 AM
I had forgotten what a totally awesome film Death Race 2000 is. It's worth review if only to see SPOILER Carradine kick Sly's ass while wearing a dominatrix suit and a cape END SPOILER.
The new DR series doesn't hold a candle to the original, but makes for a fascinating comparison. DR2000 is outrageously campy with garish race cars in a cross-country road race like that old cartoon Wacky Races or the films Gumball Rally or Cannonball Run. There's a nazi car and Syl's ride is oddly prophetic with a huge Rambo-style knife jutting from the hood. The sets and costumes are garish. The violence is corny, not gory; blood is fire engine red. There are lots of explosions and a lot of gratuitous nudity. It's wicked satire, tongue firmly planted in cheek, and pokes fun at the viewer and their blood lust.
As for DR2, it's like Batman Begins or Casino Royale for Frankenstein, the prequel to the DR reboot, which was inspired by DR2000. DR2 has macho armored cars that look like rejects from Mad Max. It's a race in prison, divided along racial lines (black, asian, skinhead, hillbilly and of course the hero, who is white but at least has Trejo in his pit crew.) The sets are industrial and stained. The costumes are prison wear, which looks like jeans commercials. The violence is more graphic, like a videogame, dripping with testosterone. There are lots of explosions but not a single exposed nipple, just some man butts in the prison shower - wtf? The villain is the evil corporation that runs the prisons and the race.
I'll see DR3 as they usually provide me with a screener for promotions like this. I'm not sure if I'll go for the DR reboot. I don't like Statham.
The new DR series doesn't hold a candle to the original, but makes for a fascinating comparison. DR2000 is outrageously campy with garish race cars in a cross-country road race like that old cartoon Wacky Races or the films Gumball Rally or Cannonball Run. There's a nazi car and Syl's ride is oddly prophetic with a huge Rambo-style knife jutting from the hood. The sets and costumes are garish. The violence is corny, not gory; blood is fire engine red. There are lots of explosions and a lot of gratuitous nudity. It's wicked satire, tongue firmly planted in cheek, and pokes fun at the viewer and their blood lust.
As for DR2, it's like Batman Begins or Casino Royale for Frankenstein, the prequel to the DR reboot, which was inspired by DR2000. DR2 has macho armored cars that look like rejects from Mad Max. It's a race in prison, divided along racial lines (black, asian, skinhead, hillbilly and of course the hero, who is white but at least has Trejo in his pit crew.) The sets are industrial and stained. The costumes are prison wear, which looks like jeans commercials. The violence is more graphic, like a videogame, dripping with testosterone. There are lots of explosions but not a single exposed nipple, just some man butts in the prison shower - wtf? The villain is the evil corporation that runs the prisons and the race.
I'll see DR3 as they usually provide me with a screener for promotions like this. I'm not sure if I'll go for the DR reboot. I don't like Statham.
Shadow boxing the apocalypse