YMMV / Death Race 2000

• Complete Monster: The man known only as "Mr. President" takes a United States in crisis and makes it into a tyrannical Cult of Personality. To placate the people, Mr. President organizes a transcontinental road race surrounded by a media circus. In this race, pedestrian casualties are encouraged by a point system, with children and seniors netting the most points. This race blooms into a culture of horrific violence, including such practices as geriatric facilities leaving patients to be hit in the race. The most beloved of the racers is Frankenstein, whose gimmick is coming back from any injuries, but is secretly a series of men trained from childhood to hold the mantle until they're killed and replaced. When a resistance movement starts assassinating the racers, Mr. President orders covered up before blaming the attacks on the French, not caring about whether or not the racers survive the attacks. As the current Frankenstein wins the race, Mr. President declares war on the French based on the coverup and announces that Frankenstein will lead the coming invasion.
• Hilarious in Hindsight:
  • Frankenstein's costume looks like an obvious Darth Vader copy...in a movie that came out two years before A New Hope.
  • When Machine Gun Joe (Sylvester Stallone) shoots at the audience, he looks◊ a lot like he would in Rambo: First Blood Part II.
  • One promotional artwork◊ shows Frankenstein gripping onto a steering wheel while glaring menacingly at the viewer. Look a little familiar?
• Memetic Mutation: Have you ever been in a car at a pedestrian crossing and speculated with your friends on how many points each of them is worth? You can thank this movie for introducing the concept.
• Retroactive Recognition:
  • Nero the Hero is portrayed by Martin Kove, better known nowadays for his role of the villainous John Kreese from The Karate Kid (1984).
  • And, of course, Sylvester Stallone, one year before his Breakthrough Hit Rocky, as the villainous "Machine Gun" Joe Viterbo.
• Spiritual Licensee:
  • Tabletop game Car Wars listed this film under its "Inspirations" when it was released in 1981.
  • The idea of running over pedestrians for points would later be translated into video game form with the Carmageddon series.
  • George Miller has also mentioned the influence that the film had on his Mad Max franchise, particularly The Road Warrior. It's quite evident in the scenes where Calamity Jane is attacked by rebel bikers and the scene where Frankenstein is attacked by a rebel bomb plane.

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