john carpenter do amazing thing with little money and a lot of imagination . escape from new york cross almost a many genre a dawn of the dead . it an odyssey and a comic book and a western ( in the east ) and a black comedy and an operatic nightmare and a sci fi cautionary tale and an audience movie . it a showcase for underutilized talent . utterly creepy and funny and bleak and suspenseful with rich character and memorable dialog and stimulating visuals . oh and and that wonderful cast . that wonderful score . this gem will never truly get the praise that it deserve . also and be there any doubt a to where james cameron get the inspiration for his tech noir look for the terminator . sure and we all know jim work on this movie and a we know from whence carpenter draw many of his inspiration . but there nothing wrong with give credit where it due . notable standouts represent harry dean stanton delivery of the greeting and gentleman . mr. president . and a he walk into a room of the duke filthy and thrift store attire goon and the camera pan over to the president adorn with a blonde wig . frank doubleday a romero . ( what a classic entrance or introduction . ) he look like the heat miser from that christmas tv special but solidly establish the inmate a horrific androgynous and diseased cannibal . ernest borgnine and successfully top his portrayal of mr. rogo from the poseidon adventure with his performance a cabbie while simultaneously hilarious and tragic .