Join Me for a Special Nick's Pix Screening Wed, March 12 @ 7 pm in Oak Park!
Some movies define your love of cinema—movies that hit you at just the right age, in the right way, and stay with you for life.
Escape from New York is one of those movies. It’s not just one of my favorite movies of all time—it’s a defining moment in my journey as a film lover.
That’s why I’m thrilled to host a special Nick's Pix screening of John Carpenter’s Escape from New York on Wednesday, March 12th, at 7 PM at the beautiful Lake Theater in Oak Park.
Not only do you get to see this absolute classic on the big screen, but I’ll also share a portion of an exclusive interview I conducted with the legendary Adrienne Barbeau at the Flashback Weekend Horror Convention 2024—a never-before-seen conversation where we talk about Escape from New York, John Carpenter, and so much more. This is going to be a night to remember.
The Filmmaker Who Changed Everything
What can I say about Escape from New York?
Let’s start here: John Carpenter is the reason I became obsessed with movies. Period. End of story.
In November 1978, when I was 13 years old, after going to see Halloween, I had a revelation. I looked at the poster, saw the name “John Carpenter,” and realized—for the first time—what a director did.
From that moment on, I became obsessed with Carpenter and the craft of filmmaking. I hunted down Assault on Precinct 13 and Dark Star, and when The Fog came out in 1980, I was first in line.
Then, in 1981, Escape from New York arrived—and it cemented John Carpenter not just as my favorite horror director but as an absolute master of genre filmmaking.
This movie had it all: a dark, dystopian vision, a pulpy, comic book-style adventure, a perfect anti-hero in Snake Plissken, and one of the coolest ensembles of character actors ever assembled.
The Plot, the Characters,: Perfection
The setup is genius. It’s 1997 (which, in 1981, felt like the far future), and Manhattan has been turned into a massive, walled-off maximum-security prison. The crime rate has skyrocketed by 400%, and the entire island is now a lawless wasteland.
When Air Force One is hijacked and crashes inside this hellhole, the President of the United States (Donald Pleasence) is taken hostage by the Duke of New York (the great Isaac Hayes). The government turns to the only man who can get in, get him out, and do it in less than 24 hours: Snake Plissken.
Snake is played by Kurt Russell, and let’s state the obvious—this is one of the greatest anti-heroes in cinema history. The eye patch. The tattoo. The permanent five o’clock shadow. The cigarette. The gravelly voice. The “I don’t give a s***” attitude. Snake Plissken is cool incarnate.
And then there’s the supporting cast—absolute legends in every role:
Lee Van Cleef as Hauk, the no-nonsense police commissioner who makes Snake an offer he can’t refuse.
Ernest Borgnine as Cabbie, the cab-driving, swing-music-loving weirdo.
Adrienne Barbeau as Maggie, the badass femme fatale.
Harry Dean Stanton as Brain, the double-crossing strategist.
Isaac Hayes as the Duke, ruling the prison island like a crime lord king.
Frank Doubleday as Romero, one of the creepiest henchmen ever.
The cast alone makes this movie a classic. But then you throw in Carpenter’s signature style—the eerie, minimalist synth score, the brilliant use of widescreen cinematography (shoutout to the legendary Dean Cundey), and the stripped-down, lean-and-mean storytelling. It’s pure cinema.
Memories That Stick With You
I’ll never forget the first time I saw Escape from New York. It was July 4th, 1981, a nationwide sneak preview screening at Hillside Square Theater in Hillside, Illinois. I was 16 years old, already a massive John Carpenter fan, and counting the days until this one.
I went with my parents, and the moment the end credits rolled, I knew I had just seen something special. Walking out of the theater as holiday fireworks were going off in the sky—honestly? It felt like they were being shot off in celebration of Escape from New York. That’s how much I loved it.
That summer, I watched the movie again. And again. And again. I even took a bus all the way from Chicago to Schaumburg to see it at Woodfield Mall, where it was playing on a double bill with Chuck Norris’s An Eye for an Eye. That means I saw An Eye for an Eye 15 or 16 times—just so I could keep rewatching Escape from New York.
Through my teens, my twenties, my thirties—this movie never left me. I’ve owned it in every format—VHS, LaserDisc, DVD, Blu-ray, digital. I’ve seen the legendary deleted opening sequence, where we get to see Snake’s failed bank heist (a brilliant scene that was ultimately cut). I’ve even dressed as Snake Plissken for Halloween more than once.
This movie isn’t just a classic. It’s part of my DNA.
Nick's Pix on Wednesday, March 12th
Which brings us to this very special screening at the Lake Theater.
Date: Wednesday, March 12th
Time: 7 PM
Location: Lake Theater, Oak Park
Tickets: Get them now at classiccinemas.com/nick.
Seeing Escape from New York on the big screen is always a thrill, but I want to make this event even more special.
After the movie, I’m showing an exclusive interview I conducted with Adrienne Barbeau at the Flashback Weekend Horror Convention 2024.
If you love Carpenter, Escape from New York, or just hearing incredible stories about filmmaking in the ‘80s, this is something you don’t want to miss.
Why You Need to Be There
If you’ve never seen Escape from New York before, this is the best way to experience it. And if you’re already a fan? Come relive the magic with me. This is one of those movies that gets better with every viewing. The attitude, the action, the world-building—it all still holds up.
And look, I’ll defend Escape from L.A., too. I know people love to trash it, but I have a soft spot for that sequel. Snake Plissken literally ends the world. That alone makes it legendary.
But it all started with Escape from New York, a movie that defined my love for cinema. It will always take me back to being that 16-year-old kid sitting in the theater on the Fourth of July, watching fireworks explode above me as I walked out, knowing I had just seen something special.
So join me for an unforgettable night, and see Snake Plissken back on the big screen. Stick around for my exclusive chat with Adrienne Barbeau. And let’s celebrate one of the greatest sci-fi action films ever made.
See you there!
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