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Death Race 2000
[New Concorde]
1975; color
Directed by Paul Bartel
Starring: David Carradine, Simone Griffeth, Sylvester Stallone, Mary Woronov, Roberta Collins, Martin Kove & Louisa Moritz
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Produced on a typically dime-squeezing budget by Roger Corman and exceptionally directed by the late great Paul Bartel, Death Race 2000 is set in the year 2000 (although in lot of ways it really seems more futuristic than that) a time when "Mr. President" is the ruler of the free world, except the parts controlled by "the hated French." The film's basic premise centers around a cross-country auto race where the drivers score points for mowing down pedestrians. (There's also an entire encyclopedia entry's worth of political subtext that elevates the film to another level, which is another discussion for another time.) The annual race is not only a source of national pride and patriotism, it's also a source of controversy. At least to a group of rebels known as The Resistance - another sub-reference to the French - who decide to try and sabotage the race by various means, some more successful than others. As the race progresses across the country, the Resistance begins to pick off the racers and jam the broadcast signal of the race in an attempt to stop it. By the time the race makes it's way to it's final destination, New Los Angeles subplot upon subplot upon subplot is revealed leading to the film's dramatic and unexpected conclusion. Not only is the story and it's execution, over the top, the performances by David Carradine (Frankenstein), Sly Stallone (Machine Gun Joe) and Mary Woronov (Calamity Jane) are among the best of each actors' career. The excellent commentary track on this edition is provided by Woronov and Corman, adding tons of insightful and often hilarious info about this film and Paul Bartel's other Corman productions as well. Death Race 2000 is one of those movies you can keep coming back to and always get something new from it; definitely one of my favorite '70s flicks.
—the Kommandant
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