DVDs:

	Death Race 2000 Roberta Collins, Simone Griffeth Image Entertainment, 1998 average customer review:based on 94 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

Filmed for $300,000 on desert-road and freeway locations throughout California's San Fernando Valley, Death Race 2000 packs more entertainment into 78 minutes than most movies can muster in two hours or more. Although it originated as a serious short story by Ib Melchior (best known as the writer-director of The Angry Red Planet), Corman took a cue from Dr. Strangelove and gave the material a satirical spin, resulting in non-graphic road-kills that are more hilarious than horrific, especially with the play-by-play race commentary by legendary disc jockey "The Real Don Steele," whose priceless performance (along with Carradine's deadpan drollery) turns Death Race 2000 into a low-comedy classic. The deadly car bodies were designed by Dean Jeffries (who also customized the "Monkeemobile") and fitted onto Volkswagen chassis, and Bartel's ingenious use of a meager budget epitomized the Corman aesthetic, reaping impressive box-office profits on its way to becoming one of the most beloved cult classics of all time. --Jeff Shannon

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Watched It In The Theater When It First Came Out and Still Love It!

I remember convincing my dad to take me to this movie when it first came out telling him about all the "cool cars" that were in it. He almost flipped a lid when the first nude scene miraculously popped onto the screen. I remember him telling me not to say a word of it to my mother. Oh what fond memories that brings to the forefront of my memory.

This is such a fun satirical movie that you can't help but like it.

The one scene that always sticks in my mind as perhaps the most hilarious of the entire movie is when a bunch of doctors and nurses take a bunch of sick and elderly people and put them in the middle of the road prior to the racers arrival in order to help their favorite driver score some much needed points. They then hide in a driveway off to the side of the road in front of the hospital.

Well, along comes their favorite driver barreling down the road heading for the patients all lined-up in the middle of the road while they are all lined-up in the driveway. (I think you can see where this is going) Anyhow, the driver at the last instant turns into the driveway and proceeds to run over all of the doctors and nurses scoring those much needed points. Absolutely mind-blowing hysterical!

There are many more funny scenes in this movie and I am not going to spoil it by telling anymore. Suffice to say this is never going to be on AFI's Top 100 films of all times, but it will definitely make the "Top 100 All Time Greatest Drive-In Movie Flicks."

Shawn Kovacich
Connoisseur of Fine and Not-So-Fine Movies

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With half a face and half a chest, and all the guts in the world, he's back!

I've ridiculed many a Roger Corman film in my time, but I have nothing but love for his 1975 B-movie triumph Death Race 2000 (although, to be fair, most of the credit should go to director Paul Bartel). In this brilliant black comedy satire, Corman gives us what we want - fast cars, hot naked gals, and lots of glorified violence, not to mention brilliant performances by David Carradine and a pre-Rambo Sylvester Stallone - and all with a budget of only 300 grand.

In this futuristic vision of the year 2000, America has devolved into something of a fascist police state called the United Provinces, ruled from overseas by Mr. President (Sandy McCallum) who, like all good dictators, has established an external outlet for whatever bloodlust, anger, and general discontent that may exist among the populace. Enter the Transcontinental Road Race, better known as the Death Race. Now in its 20th iteration, this fierce competition pits the greatest, most fearless drivers in the land racing from New York to New Los Angeles. Lest any visions of Cannonball Run threaten to run your head, know this: the beauty of the Death Race is the fact that extra points are awarded for any and all innocent spectators you kill along the way, with children and seniors bringing in the most points (if you don't think this is great fun, you haven't played any of the games in the Carmageddon series, which count among my favorite games of all time).

This year's contestants are Nero the Hero, Matilda the Hun (with Representative Fred "Gopher" Grandy as her navigator Herman the German), Calamity Jane Kelly, Machine-Gun Joe Viterbo (Sylvester Stallone), and the fan favorite, Frankenstein (David Carradine). Frankenstein is something of a mystery man, his mask and cowl hiding a body that has had more parts replaced than your grandfather's beat-up old pickup. He and Machine-Gun Joe are bitter rivals, but this year the greatest threat Frankenstein faces is a plot by the Resistance, led by Thomasina Paine (Harriet Medin), to put an end to the barbaric race once and for all (using - wouldn't you know it? - barbaric methods of their own).

From euthanasia day at the hospital to the wickedly tripped-out cars designed for human carnage as well as speed, Death Race 2000 is a tour de force of B-movie entertainment. The sociopolitical statement the film makes is also very real and important, but I'll leave the interpretation of all that to the individual viewer. Carradine's amazing, Stallone's a brilliant bonus, the supporting cast make hay with even the smallest of parts (The Real Don Steele, anyone?), and Simone Griffeth is fun to watch both in and out of her clothes (and I haven't even mentioned the whole French Air Force thing). Death Race 2000 is the epitome of cult classic.

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Wonderful bloodthirsty road movie

This is a cheesy, exciting and entertaining B movie. It's fast paced and funny, with some fantastic jokes and very entertaining violence.

Clearly a big influence on Mad Max, this one has a remake out but check out the original!




DEATH RACE 2000

There is only one DEATH RACE. The greatest B movie of all time? Hmmmm... perhaps. I know this - it is better than the remake that I haven't seen. Why? And how do I know? Dude, I can't like explain to you if you don't know. It just is. Why are these Roger Corman films so special and great even though and despite being obviously terrible? Well actually the Amazon review kind of sums it up pretty good. One thing I feel like remarking on is how the pointless, soulless, high budget remakes of classics like DEATH RACE or DAY OF THE DEAD seem to always leave out the political or social commentary of the originals. Sign of the times I suppose. What a lame drag it is. Better special effects, less interesting, less entertaining movie.

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Great movie, definitely better than the 08 remake

A great movie. Definitely nothing more than a simple plot with lots of violence and car stunts. It goes outside the boundaries of what today would be considered politically correct, even for a movie, and that is what makes Deathrace 2000 great. Where else would you get to see "euthenasia day" at the hospital? I just wish the newer version was as ballsy.


reviews: page 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10

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