History Trivia / EscapeFromNewYork

* ThrowItIn: The idea of putting a wig on at one point in the film was improvised by Creator/DonaldPleasence on the set.

* AllStarCast: In addition to being a StarMakingRole for Creator/KurtRussel, the movie features six of the most famous and recognizable character actors of all time: Creator/LeeVanCleef, Creator/DonaldPleasence, Creator/ErnestBorgnine, Creator/HarryDeanStanton, and Isaac Hayes.

* StarMakingRole: This film put Creator/KurtRussel on the map as an action star.

* AllStarCast: The movie features five of the most famous and recognizable character actors of all time: Creator/LeeVanCleef, Creator/DonaldPleasence, Creator/ErnestBorgnine, Creator/HarryDeanStanton, and Isaac Hayes. And all play the exact type of character we associate them with.

* AllStarCast: The movie features five of the most famous and recognizable character actors of all time: Creator/LeeVanCleef, Creator/DonaldPleasance, Creator/ErnestBorgnine, Creator/HarryDeanStanton, and Isaac Hayes. And all play the exact type of character we associate them with.

* DeletedScene: The film was intended to open with a bank robbery detailing how Snake got captured. There was also an excised sequence about Snake encountering a group of Native American prisoners living on the ground floor of the World Trade Center, who would have attached Snake as he fled from the building (and also would have explained why they sabotaged the glider later on in the film).

* BillingDisplacement: [[RealLifeRelative Season Hubley]] (the "girl in Chock Full O'Nuts} is credited sixth in the end titles, above Creator/HarryDeanStanton (Brain) and Creator/AdrienneBarbeau (Maggie), who both have more important roles in the film. In comparison, Hubley's character only appears in a single scene.

* DeletedScene: The film was intended to open with a bank robbery detailing how Snake got captured.

* CaliforniaDoubling: Filmed in East St. Louis and St. Louis to keep the budget low. Entire areas were in such a state of neglect -- urban fires had severely damaged them only a few years earlier -- to the point where sets didn't even have to be built. Four years later, the scene of the BatterUp BloodSport (see above) was renovated into a hoity-toity shopping area -- visual MoodDissonance.

* ActorInspiredElement: Snake Plissken's eyepatch was suggested by Creator/KurtRussell. Also, it's possible he channeled Creator/ClintEastwlood somewhat in his performance because he was acting opposite Creator/LeeVanCleef.

* ActorInspiredElement: Snake Plissken's eyepatch was suggested by Creator/KurtRussell.

* ActorAllusion: It's been joked/speculated that since Creator/KurtRussell was appearing in a movie with Creator/LeeVanCleef, he decided [[Film/TheGoodTheBadAndTheUgly to imitate]] Creator/ClintEastwood.

* AllStarCast: The movie features five of the most famous and recognizable character actors of all time: Lee Van Cleef, Donald Pleasance, Ernest Borgnine, Harry Dean Stanton, and Isaac Hayes. And all play the exact type of character we associate them with.

** Adrienne Barbeau was married to Creator/JohnCarpenter at the time.

** Russell ''did'' play real-life psychopathic mass murderer (''not'' {{serial killer}}) Charles Whitman 6 years before "Escape from New York". To this day, out of all characters played by Russell, Whitman remains the most evil one.

** As stated above the studio was not initially keen to hire Creator/KurtRussell as Snake Plissken due to his past work as a Disney kid and tried to counter-pitch director John Carpenter on either Creator/TommyLeeJones or Creator/CharlesBronson (an idea Carpenter shot down on the grounds that Bronson was too old). Other candidates for the role of Snake included Creator/ClintEastwood, Creator/ChuckNorris, Creator/NickNolte, Creator/JeffBridges and Kris Kristofferson; Nolte and Bridges declined because they just weren't interested and the latter was declined by the studio due to the failure of ''Films/HeavensGate''. But Carpenter fought for Russell and he eventually won.
** Creator/JohnCarpenter had originally considered a scene where Hauk [[spoiler:reveals that the explosive charges in Snake's neck were a hoax intended to coerce Snake into rescuing the President, but decided not to use it. Carpenter did, however, use said plot device in the sequel ''Film/EscapeFromLA''.]]

* [[CaliforniaDoubling Illinois and Missouri Doubling]]: Filmed in East St. Louis and St. Louis to keep the budget low. Entire areas were in such a state of neglect - urban fires had severely damaged them only a few years earlier - to the point where sets didn't even have to be built. Four years later, the scene of the BatterUp BloodSport (see above) was renovated into a hoity-toity shopping area -- visual MoodDissonance.

* WhatCouldHaveBeen: As stated above the studio was not initially keen to hire Creator/KurtRussell as Snake Plissken due to his past work as a Disney kid and tried to counter-pitch director John Carpenter on either Creator/TommyLeeJones or Creator/CharlesBronson (an idea Carpenter shot down on the grounds that Bronson was too old). Other candidates for the role of Snake included Creator/ClintEastwood, Creator/ChuckNorris, Creator/NickNolte, Creator/JeffBridges and Kris Kristofferson; Nolte and Bridges declined because they just weren't interested and the latter was declined by the studio due to the failure of ''Films/HeavensGate''. But Carpenter fought for Russell and he eventually won.
** [[spoiler:Creator/JohnCarpenter had originally considered a scene where Hauk reveals that the explosive charges in his neck were a hoax intended to coerce Snake into rescuing the President, but decided not to use it. Carpenter did, however, use said plot device in the sequel ''Film/EscapeFromL.A.'']].

* Hey, It's that guy!: The movie features five of the most famous and recognizable character actors of all time: Lee Van Cleef, Donald Pleasance, Ernest Borgnine, Harry Dean Stanton, and Isaac Hayes. And all play the exact type of character we associate them with.

* CaliforniaDoubling: Most of the film was actually shot in St. Louis.

* ColbertBump: The amount of people who discovered this movie due to being [[ReferenceOverdose Reference Overdosed]] in the ''Franchise/MetalGear'' franchise probably rivals the amount who saw it in theatres.

* ActorInspiredlElement: Snake Plissken's eyepatch was suggested by Creator/KurtRussell.

* WhatCouldHaveBeen: As stated above the studio was not initially keen to hire Creator/KurtRussell as Snake Plissken due to his past work as a Disney kid and tried to counter-pitch director John Carpenter on either TommyLeeJones or Charles Bronson of ''Death Wish'' fame (an idea Carpenter shot down on the grounds that Bronson was too old). Other candidates for the role of Snake included Nick Nolte, Jeff Bridges and Kris Kristofferson; the first two declined because they just weren't interested and the latter was declined by the studio due to the failure of ''Heaven's Gate''. But Carpenter fought for Russell and he eventually won.

* PlayingAgainstType: Before ''Escape from New York'' and ''Film/TheThing1982'', Creator/KurtRussell was best known for doing {{Disney}} comedies and other lightweight fare. The studio was surprised when Carpenter picked him, instead of someone like Charles Bronson or Creator/TommyLeeJones.

* FakeAmerican: Brit Creator/DonaldPleasance plays the [[OurPresidentsAreDifferent President of the USA]].

* PlayingAgainstType: Before ''Escape from New York'' and ''TheThing'', Creator/KurtRussell was best known for doing {{Disney}} comedies and other lightweight fare. The studio was surprised when Carpenter picked him, instead of someone like Charles Bronson or Creator/TommyLeeJones.

* PlayingAgainstType: Before ''Escape from New York'', Creator/KurtRussell was best known for doing {{Disney}} comedies and other lightweight fare. The studio was surprised when Carpenter picked him, instead of someone like Charles Bronson or Creator/TommyLeeJones.