Multimedia > Escape From New York > Deleted Scenes [Source: Louise Jaffe/Script Supervisor]
Bank Robbery Opening Sequence
INT. FUTURISTIC COMPLEX - DAY - LOW ANGLE
A large computer room. Eerie neon lighting.
SUPERIMPOSE:
BANK OF THE UNITED STATES COLORADO FEDERAL RESERVE
3:35 P.M.
OCTOBER 21, 1997
Suddenly a small, mechanized trolly rounds a corner. There is a flashing yellow light on its top. Speakers in the sides. As the trolly MOVES PAST CAMERA, a pleasant, female voice speaks.
COMPUTER [V.O.]
Attention. Banking hours are over. Lock-up begins in thirty seconds. All personnel must leave the blue coded areas immediately. Thank you.
CAMERA PANS with the trolly as it rounds another corner. Then a figure stands up from behind a machine. A MAN in a brown maintenance uniform, A cap on his head. Carrying a satchel. Too far away to see his face. He darts away.
LOW ANGLE PANAGLIDE - MAN'S BOOTS
CAMERA PANAGLIDES along with the man's boots. Close to the floor. Through the huge computer room. Through a doorway, into another room. Ducking close to the machines. Keeping out of sight. CAMERA MOVES UP to the satchel he carries.
PANAGLIDE ON MAN - MAN TRAP
CAMERA PANAGLIDES CLOSE on the man's back. Emblazoned on the uniform is "COLORADO SOLAR," He moves AWAY FROM CAMERA up to a man trap.
CLOSE - I.D. SLOT
An I.D. slot in the man trap. The man's hand inserts a small metal screwdriver with an elongated point.
ANGLE ON MAN TRAP
The door opens. The man steps inside. The door closes. He inserts the screwdriver into another slot and the outer door opens. The mans ducks out.
PANAGLIDE WITH MAN
As he moves down corridors, around corners, through the hallway of the futuristic bank. The man and CAMERA round a corner and MOVE through a door up to an elevator. Marked: "ROOF EXIT." The man's hand punches the button.
Suddenly a SHRILL, CLANGING ALARM goes off!
COMPUTER VOICE
[calmly]
Attention. Code red. A bank robbery is in progress. All security personnel to code red stations.
The elevator doors open. The man plunges inside.
INT. ELEVATOR/EXT. DESERT - DAY - PANAGLIDE
The man punches the "ROOF" button. The doors close. The CLANG of the alarm fades as the elevator rises.
The man rips out of his maintenance uniform. His cap comes off. Long hair underneath. But we still don't see his face. Just pieces of his clothing. A black leather jacket. Boots. Fatique pants.
The the doors open. A blast of sunlight. The man dashes out into a bleak, expansive Colorado desert. This is the roof of the underground bank!
CAMERA PANAGLIDES with the man as he races toward a concrete structure with doors in it. Up to the doors. The screwdriver is inserted into a lock. The doors slide open. The man ducks inside, CAMERA MOVING BEHIND HIM INTO DARKNESS.
INT. ESCALATOR - TERMINAL CORRIDOR [ATLANTA TERMINAL]
OUT OF DARKNESS, moving down a huge escalator toward the lighted floor bellow. CAMERA PANAGLIDES off the escalator on to the huge terminal corridor.
As he turns and begins to run, CAMERA PANAGLIDES BACK WITH HIM to REVEAL SNAKE PLISSKEN. Arrogant, mean and handsome. His left eye is totally black. An eye-patch.
He hurtles off down the corridor. A sign on the concrete walls: "PACIFIC EXPRESS".
INT. SUBWAY PLATFORM - PANAGLIDE [MARTA]
CAMERA PANAGLIDES WITH PLISSKEN down another escalator into a subway platform. Empty, except for a FIGURE crouched down by wall. Plissken and CAMERA RUN toward the figure. Closer. It is BILL TAYLOR. He wears an army fatique jacket and a cap. Long dark hair. Older than Plissken. Late thirties. He works feverishly on a mass of wires in identical satchel next to him.
TAYLOR
You're early!
PLISSKEN
They're on my ass!
Taylor works the wires with blinding speed. Finally Taylor CLICKS his wires into place. Then, a moment later, the ROAR of a subway train coming to life. The train RUMBLES up to a stop on the tracks. It is completely empty.
Plissken and Taylor run for the train. Taylor lopes along with a limp, slowing him slightly. They duck inside the car.
INT. SUBWAY CAR [MARTA]
Neon lit. The doors close. Plissken and Taylor hang on as the train begins to accelerate, its engines WHINING. 50 m.p.h., 60, 70, 80.
PLISSKEN
We wired in to Seattle?
TAYLOR
[disgruntled]
Maybe. Maybe Seattle, maybe San Francisco, maybe Barstow. I can't tell, those goddamn circuits are so small.
Plissken tosses his satchel to Taylor. Taylor just stares in amazement. Plissken slumps down in a seat. Taylor zips open the satchel.
INSERT - SATCHEL
Inside are hundreds of plastic white credit cards. Printed on them are "MASTER, U.S. NATIONAL BANK," "MASTER, U.S. PORT AUTHORITY," "MASTER, U.S. TOBACCO RESERVE," etc.
ON PLISSKEN AND TAYLOR
Taylor's eyes are wide.
PLISSKEN
Congratulations. You're a billionaire.
TAYLOR
Jesus, Snake, look at this!
PLISSKEN
You look at it. I'm tired.
Plissken folds his hands and leans back in the seat. He closes his eyes.
TAYLOR
Come on, man, we gotta split it up!
PLISSKEN
I trust you.
As Taylor opens his empty satchel and begins splitting up the take, Plissken drifts off to sleep.
CUT TO:
WIDE SHOT - SUBWAY CAR
Plissken and Taylor are both asleep. The subway train comes to a WHOOSHING stop. The doors open. A pre-recorded voice:
SUBWAY VOICE
Welcome to San Francisco. Please step to your right.
Plissken and Taylor stir, gather themselves and walk out of the car.
EXT. SAN FRANCISCO SUBWAY PLATFORM - PANAGLIDE [BART]
As the subway train ROARS away CAMERA PANAGLIDES with Plissken and Taylor through the empty subway platform. They walk toward the "up escalator."
TAYLOR
San Francisco ain't bad. I can spend a billion here.
PLISSKEN
Yeah.
TAYLOR
Can't spend it in Barstow, man.
PLISSKEN
Yeah.
Plissken looks around suspiciously.
TAYLOR
What's wrong?
INT. UPPER LOBBY - PANAGLIDE [MARTA]
They come off the escalator into a completely deserted upper lobby. They begin to walk. CAMERA PANAGLIDES WITH THEM. Plissken continues to glance around.
TAYLOR
It's four in the morning, Snake. Stop worrying, man. We made it!
Suddenly Taylor is hit! His shoulder and Arm EXPLODE! Four bullets from an automatic rifle!
Taylor slumps to the floor. Plissken grabs him and looks back.
POV - TROOPERS - ESCALATORS
SIX TROOPERS. Spread out across the escalators in a line. Black uniforms. AR-15 rifles. Helmets. Face plates. Featureless. They move slowly down the escalators.
ON PLISSKEN AND TAYLOR - PANAGLIDE
Plissken pulls Taylor to his feet. They start running. CAMERA PANAGLIDES WITH THEM. Back down to the subway platform. Taylor can barely move. He falls behind.
CAMERA MOVES WITH PLISSKEN toward the subway train. Then Plissken stops. Looks back. Taylor is not behind him. Plissken pauses a moment.
PLISSKEN
Taylor!
No answer. Plissken stares. Torn. Trying to decide. Glances at the subway train and freedom. Then finally makes his mind. He moves back up the escalator to the lobby.
POV - TAYLOR AND TROOPERS - PANAGLIDE
Back into the lobby. Taylor stands twenty feet away. Barely able to stand. Still clutching the satchel. Dragging himself away from the troopers that slowly close in.
ON PLISSKEN
Sees his friend. Decided. Plissken drops his satchel.
PLISSKEN
Drop the bag, Taylor.
POV - TAYLOR AND TROOPERS
Taylor keeps clutching the satchel. Still moving toward Plissken.
TAYLOR
Go on, Snake! Go on!
ON PLISSKEN
Drop the bag!
POV - TAYLOR AND TROOPERS
One of the troopers OPEN FIRE! Taylor is riddled with bullets! He flops to the floor dead! The troopers move forward toward Plissken.
ON PLISSKEN
He stares at Taylor's body. Stunned. Quiet. TROOPERS move in toward him. He is surrounded. He raises his hands over his head. Continues to stare at Taylor's body. As the troopers close in around him CAMERA MOVES IN TO his face.
Trivia: This opening sequence was cut after a test screening John Carpenter had. They became disillusioned with the plot due to its length. He also felt it slowed down the movie and also softened Snake Plissken.
Trivia: Parts of this opening sequence became available in 1994 in a documentary featured on the Director's Special Edition VHS and Collector's Edition Laserdisc.
Trivia: This sequence premiered in its entirety on the US Special Edition DVD released in 2003 along with an available commentary track by John Carpenter and Kurt Russell. It was found in its entirety while working with Alan Howarth [Co-Composer/Special Synthesizer Sound] in his studio on the documentary featured on this DVD. Howarth had kept a VHS copy of Carpenter's first reel of the Final Cut that he had used during scoring session. Sound effects had to be added because the sequence was dropped before David Lewis Yewdall [Sound Editor] had begun working on it. Carpenter composed new music for it as well. The original score track is called Bank Robbery and it premiered on the Expanded promo CD release of Big Trouble In Little China from Super Tracks Music Group as a bonus track in 2000. It is also available on the Expanded CD releases of Escape From New York.
Trivia: Joe Unger [Taylor] was originally cast to have a smaller other role in the movie.
Plissken Entering The Debarkation Area Inside The Liberty Island Security Control [MP4] [226 KB]
Source: Teaser Trailer 1
Plissken Confronting The Duty Sergeant Inside The Liberty Island Security Control
INT. POLICE COMPLEX CORRIDOR
CAMERA FOLLOWS Plissken through the door into the bunker. There are huge signs:
PRISONERS:
NO TALKING
NO SMOKING
FOLLOW THE RED LINE
A corridor. The red line leads to a guard station. Several GUARDS stand with rifles. A DUTY SERGEANT sits behind the desk. He glances up as Plissken passes.
DUTY SERGEANT
Hold up.
Plissken stops. The duty sergeant glances through several folders and picks out one. He opens it.
DUTY SERGEANT
Mister Snake Plissken.
The guards react. They stare at Plissken.
DUTY SERGEANT
How are you tonight, Plissken?
PLISSKEN
[emotionless]
Fabulous.
DUTY SERGEANT
[smiles]
Not for long.
A guard nudges Plissken forward. He continues down the corridor. Toward a doorway with a sign above it:
GOODBYE, CHARLIE. DON'T THINK IT HASN'T BEEN FUN!
CAMERA FOLLOWS Plissken into the doorway into BLACK.
A Secret Service Man Gunning Down The Stewardess Flying Air Force One
INT. COCKPIT - JET - NIGHT
STEWARDESS
The bosses of the racist, sexist police state are shuddering under the collective might of the worker's rightful vengeance.
ANGLE ON STEWARDESS
STEWARDESS
Workers of the world. Look up into the skies! The people have won a glorious victory!
Suddenly the door to the cabin flies off its hinges and the Secret Service Man jumps into the doorway! He stares past the Stewardess out the windshield in horror. Then, with only seconds to live, he aims the rifle and angrily pulls the trigger!
The Stewardess is riddled with bullets! The controls EXPLODE!
Hauk Talking To Cronenberg After Hanging Up The Red Phone Inside The Liberty Island Security Control
INT. CONFERENCE ROOM, OUTER OFFICE - NIGHT - PANAGLIDE
The room is lit from neon lights. Smoky. A map of Manhattan Island on the wall. The SECRETARY OF STATE is on a red telephone. Hauk sits staring at the map. Tension and gloom.
SECRETARY OF STATE
I'm convinced there's no connection, sir. The prisoners aren't aware of the hijacking. As far as they're concerned it was an accident... Yes sir. He's right here.
The Secretary of State hands the phone to Hauk.
HAUK
[into telephone]
This is Bob Hauk.
A pause as Hauk listens. The Secretary of State paces restlessly.
HAUK
We can't. If we go down there with choppers, they'll kill him. We're lucky if he's still alive.
[paus]
They don't want anything yet, and by the time they figure out what they want it'll be too late.
SECRETARY OF STATE
[whispers to Hauk]
Tell him we have to go with your plan now!
HAUK
[into phone]
We can't wait till tomorrow. If we have to move in and take the island it's a last resort. It's eight forty-five. I want permission to try the rescue.
[pause]
Thank you.
Hauk hangs up. He looks at the Secretary of State, then gets up and quietly walks out the door. CAMERA MOVES WITH HIM into the small outer office.
DR. CRONENBERG, a tall, lanky physician with a worried face, stands up from his chair.
HAUK
Is it ready?
DR. CRONENBERG
Yes, but I can't guarantee...
HAUK
[interrupts]
How long will it take?
DR. CRONENBERG
A few seconds. But I'm against using it...
HAUK
I have a directive from Washington.
DR. CRONENBERG
This is an experimental unit, Hauk. I've never tried it on a man...
HAUK
You can test it out.
A POLICE SERGEANT enters the room.
SERGEANT
They just took him in to quarantine.
HAUK
Bring him to my office
Comment [John Strobel/Cronenberg]: "I knew Tom Lillard [Police Sergeant] when he was with Joseph Chaikin's "Open Theater" in New York City and studied with him for a bit when he did an artist residency in Michigan. He was also in the Living Theater. Early experimental theater stuff."
The Glider Vibrating Before Landing On The Roof Of The World Trade Center
INT. COCKPIT
The control stick begins to jiggle and shake. Plissken holds it tightly.
CLOSE ON SCREEN [EFFECT]
Up ahead is the target: a computer outline of the World Trade Center. The red blip pulses right on top.
ON PLISSKEN
The glider suddenly vibrates wildly. The stick shakes. Plissken pushes the stick to the side.
CLOSE ON SCREEN [EFFECT]
The geomatric view on the front screen tilts and spins around.
ON PLISSKEN
As he fights the vibration to keep the glider in a steady turn.
HAUK
[over radio]
Plissken...
The glider vibrates again. Plissken is shook by the jittering stick.
HAUK
Plissken...
Plissken brings the control stick to the forward position then pushes it down.
HAUK
Plissken, what are you doing?
PLISSKEN
Playing with myself. I'm going in.
Plissken Getting Off The Glider On The Roof Of The World Trade Center
INT. COCKPIT
Plissken sits motionless for several seconds. Finally he unbuckles his seat belt and begins flipping switches. The screens in the cockpit blink off one by one. The air cooling system shuts off.
HAUK
[over radio]
Plissken?
[pause]
Plissken...?
EXT. TOP OF WORLD TRADE CENTER
Plissken crawls out of the cruiser. He closes the cockpit covering, shutting off Hauk's voice. He is precariously close to the edge of the building. He crawls back along the length of the cruiser on to the roof. It is almost completely flat and deserted. There is an old heliport control shack. Empty.
Plissken Watching The City On The Roof Of The World Trade Center
EXT. TOP OF WORLD TRADE CENTER
PLISSKEN'S POV - CITY [EFFECT]
Tall buildings with broken windows and dark interiors. Smoke rising in the distance.
Comment [R.J. Kizer/Project Supervisor: Special Visual Effects]: "This shot was finished, redone with changes, delivered, then dropped from the cut."
Storyboard/Courtesy: Joe Alves [Joe Alves Movie Art]
Plissken Entering The Office Floor Inside The World Trade Center
INT. CORRIDOR - WORLD TRADE CENTER - NIGHT
Darkness.
Suddenly a door opens. Plissken stands silhoutted at the end of a long corridor. He steps in and closes the door behind him.
CAMERA BEGINS TO MOVE as Plissken walks. An office corridor, now wrecked and shattered. He peers in an office door. Desks, broken windows, wind HOWLING in, debris everywhere.
ON PLISSKEN - OFFICE
He stops a moment at the doorway. He steps inside and walks to one of the windows. He takes a pocket radio from his backpack, pulls out the antenna and flips a switch.
Plissken Walking Down The Stairwell And Being Followed Inside The World Trade Center
INT. STAIRWELL - NIGHT
A dizzying SHOT looking down the stairwell going down forever to the bottom of the World Trade Center. Plissken is several floors below us, moving steadily downward.
Suddenly the figure whishes by CAMERA! Too close to see what or who it is. Just the briefest glimpse. Someone silently following Plissken down the stairwell.
Plissken Seeing Three Indians Roasting A Cat And Is Almost Garroted By A Fourth Indian From Behind In The Lobby Of The World Trade Center
INT. LOBBY - WORLD TRADE CENTER - NIGHT
Plissken steps through an open doorway into a dark corridor. He moves cautiously forward, CAMERA TRACKING with him.
POV - LOBBY - MOVING SHOT
CAMERA MOVES DOWN the corridor toward the huge, dark, labyrinthine lobby of the World Trade Center. The wrecked, smashed, raped remains of an incredible foyer.
On the walls is a flickering orange glow. The source of the glow is hidden by a dilapidated guard station.
ON PLISSKEN
He slips quietly up to the guard station and peers over it.
POV - CAMPFIRE
The glow is from a campfire in the middle of the lobby.
Seated around the fire, legs crossed, hunched over, are what seem to be THREE INDIANS. Long hair held in place by headbands. One of them wears a home-made version of a headdress of feathers. Beads. Leather boots.
ON PLISSKEN
He moves up closer, around the very edge of the guard station.
CLOSER - CAMPFIRE
One of the Indians is roasting something over the fire. It is a cat. There are weapons around them: what looks like a bow and a quiver of arrows, knives, etc. There is a conversation going on but we can barely catch snatches of it.
One of them indicates a long pole with what seems to be scalps hanging on it.
ON PLISSKEN
Slowly Plissken backs away from the guard station.
Suddenly out of the darkness behind him the figure leaps out! A FOURTH INDIAN! Wild eyes! Piano wire stretched like a noose between his hands!
He loops the wire! Over Plissken's head! Around his neck!
Plissken reacts! The last second! His hand to his neck! The piano wire SNAPS around his hand instead of his neck! The piano wire SNAPS around his hand instead of his neck!
The Indian yanks him backward! And SCREAMS! A WAR-HOOP!
Plissken moves! Jams his elbow backward into the Indian's gut!
Indian doubles over!
Plissken ducks out of the piano wire noose, spins around and drops the Indian with a forearm across his neck!
Instantly Plissken begin to run. Down the corridor.
Around the guard station come the three other Indians. Bows, knives, arrows in their hands!
Plissken reaches into his back-pack. Pulls out the flare pistol.
Stops. Spins around. Cocks the flare pistol. Fires!
The flare hits the floor in front of the three Indians and EXPLODES! HISSING, SPLASHING PHOSPHORUS BALLS OF FIRE fill the corridor! Like a miniature napalm blast!
The Indians dive for cover!
Plissken races away down the corridor.
Photo 5/Courtesy: Kim Gottlieb-Walker [Lenswoman]
Plissken Running Out From The World Trade Center
EXT. WORLD TRADE CENTER - NIGHT
A door BLASTS open! Plissken lurches out and runs to a concrete wall. He ducks behind it.
Several beats. The three Indians charge out the door. In a frenzy. Searching for him.
They race over to the concrete wall.
CAMERA PULLS BACK TO REVEAL Plissken is gone.
Close-Up On The Drag Dancers Inside The Theater [MP4] [207 KB]
Source: Teaser Trailer 1
Plissken Having An Altercation With The Manager Inside The Theater
INT. THEATER AUDITORIUM
ANGLE ON PLISSKEN - REAR ON AUDITORIUM
Plissken stares at the show in progress. Suddenly a long, gnarled club WHAPS down on Plissken's shoulder! Plissken turns around. Slowly. Keeping his gun ready, but hidden by his body. From MANAGER. A large, hulking man with a steel face. Next to him is Boyle, now wide awake. Manager withdraws the club and SMACKS IT into his hand. Again and again.
MANAGER
How'd you get in here?
PLISSKEN
[carefully]
The front door.
Manager turns on Boyle.
MANAGER
What the fuck is he doing here?
BOYLE
Musta slipped by...
Manager suddenly WHAPS Boyle with the club.
BOYLE
Okay! Okay!
Boyle dashes off into the lobby. Again, Manager begins TAPPING the palm of his hand with the club.
MANAGER
Two cans to see the show, three cans for a seat, another can to sleep on it. No loitering.
The compass-homing-device BEEPS. Still pulsing. Plissken checks it. Then he turns. And raises the rifle. Manager reacts. The club stops and is motionless.
PLISSKEN
Excuse me.
The Manager stares at the rifle fearfully. Plissken quickly moves off into the shadows of the auditorium.
Comment [Tony Papenfuss/Theater Assistant]: "Memories are hazy. Hell, I had forgotten that I had any lines. Probably did that on set as well. The most I recall is that the scene was shot in its entirety. Probably three or four takes. Can't remember location. Borah [Silver] [Theater Manager] looked ragged, dusty, hairy, big and menacing. I looked ragged, dusty and weaselly."
Plissken Buttstroking The Punk Leader Who Swings A Scissor Blade At Him In The Basement Of The Theater
INT. THEATER BASEMENT
Plissken steps into the basement. Dark. Cave-like. Lit by torches on the walls casting grotesque shadows. Plissken starts walking.
Suddenly out of the darkness FIGURES loom. FOUR MEN. They look like Punk Rockers. Delinquents from the 1950's. Sort of. Short, crew-cut hair. Eye makeup. Leather. In their midst is a GIRL. GIGGLING as she is pushed and shoved and passed roughly from man to man. Bottles of home brew. A clear liquid. A haze of smoke.
They begin to tear to tear the girl's clothes off. SNICKERING. She takes the abuse from them. As if in stupor. Drugged, but enjoying the attention.
Plissken moves past them. One of the men sees him. Then the others. They freeze. The girl continues to flop around, mindless that the men have stopped. PUNK, the leader, steps forward. Open-mouthed. He pulls one blade of a broken pair of scissors from his belt.
Plissken glances at Punk.
PLISSKEN
Not now.
Plissken starts walking past him. Punk takes a swing at Plissken. In a flash Plissken sidesteps the blade and buttstrokes Punk with his rifle. Punk flops to the floor. The other shrink back into the shadows. Plissken moves forward.
Plissken Walking To The Escape Pod On A Lonely Street
EXT. STREET - NIGHT
HIGH SHOT looking down at a lonely city street.
Plissken is a small figure walking along.
Plissken Shooting Another One Of The Crazies Inside The Chock Full O'Nuts
Comment [Jeff Sillifant/Extra]: "My friend Mark Groseclose, a fellow Crazy was in the lead when the guys came storming into Chock but that got severely cut as well. He didn't get to see himself shot gunned by Snake."
Crazies Leaping Out Of The Hole The Girl Fell Into With One Crawling Toward The Camera Inside The Chock Full O'Nuts
INT. CHOCK FULL O' NUTS
Out of the hole Maureen fell into another CRAZY leaps up! And another! And a third!
Comment [Jeff Sillifant/Extra]: "I was filmed crashing up out of the floor and crawling directly toward the camera all mean and gnarly but my close-up ended up on the ole cutting room floor. I knew an assistant editor and he gave me film strips of the remaining sequence. Sadly, that's all beet red now."
Prisoners Gathering Food Boxes From A Helicopter In Central Park
EXT. CENTRAL PARK - DAY [EFFECT]
Rising above the park is the skyline. Junked cars are scattered around. Smoke drifts.
SUPERIMPOSE:
CENTRAL PARK
3:30 P.M.
Over the buildings in the distance three helicopters move down toward the park. From out of the trees and shrubbery move DOZENS of PRISONERS, running toward the helicopters.
INT. HELICOPTER
The pilot pushes a button on his stick.
ANGLE ON BOTTOM OF HELICOPTER
A bulky object drops from the helicopter.
ANGLE ON CLEARING
The object hits the ground. Almost instantly PRISONERS of all sizes and shapes rush out of the trees and rip the tarpaulin off the food!
Comment [Jeff Sillifant/Extra]: "The scene began with the guys running toward the incoming chopper until we got under it and the boxes were pushed out. We then gathered them up as the chopper zipped off. Everything was filmed but only the brief bit landed on screen."
Trivia: The Helicopter food drop part had to be rethought when they realized that the packages would fall behind the Manhattan skyline at Central Park which was a matte painting on a piece of glass the camera would film through.
Hauk Getting Ready For Another Rescue Mission Inside The Liberty Island Security Control
INT. CONTROL BUNKER - DAY
Hauk, now outfitted with a backpack, loads his rifle. Rehme enters.
REHME
They're ready.
HAUK
Okay...
Hauk glances at the radio. For a beat. Then he slowly turns and walks out of the bunker.
Troopers Boarding Helicopter For Another Rescue Mission Outside The Liberty Island Security Control
Comment [Dale E. House/Helicopter Pilot #1]: "The Camera was in tight then dollied out to reveal the soldiers getting in the helicopter."
Plissken Limping Out From The Grand Central Station
EXT. GRAND CENTRAL STATION - STREETS - DUSK
Plissken limps out of the Garden, pulling on his leather jacket. It looks like panic in the street! Prisoners running! Old cars SCREECHING around corners! Mass confusion!
Plissken moves into CLOSEUP. He looks up into the sky.
POV - WORLD TRADE CENTER
Looming up into the dusk sky. The World Trade Center.
ON PLISSKEN
PLISSKEN
Not again, Harold!
Plissken dashes over to a GYPSY starting to get in his car. He yanks the gypsy out of the way and jumps in. The car ROARS away.
Comment [John Contini/Extra]: "There was one incredible scene involving at least 200 extras that took a whole night to shoot and never ended up in the final cut. It takes place right after they discover Brain [Harry Dean Stanton] took the president and all the extras in the wrestling arena charge out of the front doors of Grand Central Station. There were three cameras set up across the street from the doors and I was the lucky one to push doors open and lead some of the charging prisoners out. I believe it could have been a very impressive looking epic scene but for some reason it fell on the cutting room floor."
Photo 4: US Special Edition DVD
Hauk Handing Over A Mobile Two-Way Radio To Cronenberg And Talking To Him Inside The Liberty Island Security Control
INT. CONTROL BUNKER
SECRETARY OF STATE
We've got to go in! Now!
HAUK
We hold.
SECRETARY OF STATE
You're countermanding my orders, Hauk!
HAUK
This is my prison. I give the orders.
SECRETARY OF STATE
I override all that!
HAUK
Just try.
Hauk turns to Dr. Cronenberg.
HAUK
Where's your machine?
DR. CRONENBERG
At the airstrip.
HAUK
How long would it take to get it back over here?
Cronenberg looks at him curiously.
DR. CRONENBERG
Twenty minutes. But he'll use the glider, won't he?
HAUK
If he can.
Hauk hands him a mobile two-way radio.
HAUK
Stay on this radio. Talk to me when you get there.
DR. CRONENBERG
[smiles]
Somehow I think you've grown fond of Mister Plissken.
HAUK
I love him. When I see him, I'm gonna kiss him on the lips.
Plissken Running Into The World Trade Center
EXT. WORLD TRADE CENTER - NIGHT
The car konks out completely and rolls to a stop. Plissken jumps out. Looks at his watch.
CLOSE ON WRIST WATCH
2:05:34, 33, 32...
ON PLISSKEN
He runs into the World Trade Center.
Plissken Running Up The Stairwell Inside The World Trade Center
INT. STAIRWELL
ANGLE DOWN the stairwell. Plissken races upward, around and around.
Plissken Running Through The Office Floor Inside The World Trade Center
INT. CORRIDOR - WORLD TRADE CENTER
Completely exhausted and out of breath, Plissken emerges from the stairwell door. He limps down the hall. Pushing himself forward. Breathing in GASPS.
Then the muffled sound of GUNSHOTS! From above!
Plissken bolts to the roof door.
Plissken, The President, Brain And Maggie Running Down The Stairwell Inside The World Trade Center
INT. STAIRWELL - PANAGLIDE
CAMERA PANAGLIDES BEHIND Plissken, the President, Brain and Maggie as they wind their way down the stairwell. They stop for a moment, sagging from fatique. Plissken glances at his wrist watch.
CLOSE ON WRIST WATCH
1:00:20, 19, 18...
BACK TO SCENE
Plissken moves forward. They continue down the stairwell.
Plissken Taking Out The Other Cars Chasing Him Under The 69th Street Bridge
EXT. UNDER BRIDGE - GIRDERS - NIGHT
The taxi RUMBLES under the bridge and suddenly turns in! It swings around some large girders and comes to a stop on the other side.
EXT. UNDER BRIDGE - GIRDERS
The Duke's car, followed by the gypsy cars, come ROARING UP. Plissken HONKS his horn! Suddenly the Duke hits his brakes! And the car behind him SMASHES into him! And the car behind that one SMASHES into it! The fourth car swerves to avoid the crack-up and TAIL-ENDS the girders.
Then the taxi ZOOMS out from behind the girders and ROARS off in the other direction. The Duke's car manages to turn around and race off in pursuit. As does the fourth car. Gypsy cars two and three are helplessly locked!
EXT. UNDER BRIDGE - SECOND GIRDERS
Once again Plissken pulls the taxi in behind some girders. This time the lights go off.
The Duke's car approaches cautiously. Right behind it comes the fourth car.
Plissken ROARS forward and SMASHES into the fourth car, sending it spinning. The Duke quickly turns around and races after the taxi.
EXT. ENTRANCE TO BRIDGE - BARRICADES
The taxi SCREECHES around a corner, SMASHES several barricades and roars through an underpass.
The Duke Smashing Into The Rear End Of The Exploded Taxi On The 69th Street Bridge
EXT. BRIDGE
ANGLE ON DUKE'S CAR - TAXI
The Duke's car twists in pursuit. He SMASHES into the rear end of the taxi, tearing fenders and shredding the sides. But he keeps moving!
Plissken Rolling Behind A Junked Car After The Dive From The Duke's Bullets On The 69th Street Bridge
EXT. BRIDGE
ON PLISSKEN
Plissken hits the surface of the bridge and rolls behind a junked car!
The Duke Twitching His Eye After Being Gunned Down By The President And Being Gunned Down Again On The 69th Street Bridge
Comment [Isaac Hayes/The Duke]: "I developed a twitch in the film. There was a scar over my eye, and I did need some kind of ID. Kojak has a lollipop and Bogart used to tug at his earlobe. So I decided to try something. When they put the scars on my eye, I said, 'That's it. Why not a twitch?' In the scene when they wiped me out, they first blew me back on a car. And I said them, 'Let the camera ease in on me lying there, and the audience will applaud and think I'm dead.' Then [he twitched his eye] and they'll say, 'Oh no. He's not dead.' Then let the guy have to pop me again before it's over. But that was cut out." - The Atlanta Constitution, Aug 24, 1981
Plissken Lighting The Hartford Summit Tape With His Cigarette Outside The Liberty Island Security Control
EXT. POLICE COMPLEX - NIGHT
TRACKING SHOT WITH PLISSKEN
As he pulls the real tape cassette out of his jacket! He calmly pulls some tape out of the cassette, lights it with his cigarette and tosses the burning tape away.
As Plissken walks out of frame, WE FADE TO BLACK.
ROLL END TITLES.
Photo: French Collector's Edition DVD
Omitted Scenes [Revised Shooting Script] [July 20, 1980]
Newsreel Footage Opening Montage
BLACK SCREEN.
Silence. Newsreel footage slowly FADES ON. Grainy color. Absolutely real. A riot. Police cars with bubble lights flashing. SWAT teams moving through the streets.
NARRATOR
In 1988, the crime rate in the United States rose four hundred per cent.
A prison riot. The National Guard disperses. Then a street riot. SWAT teams. GUNFIRE. Tear gas. Pandemonium.
NARRATOR
During the Summer War of 1991, fought between the agencies of law enforcement and the criminal element, the United States Police Force was formed. As large and well-equipped as the armed forces, the Police Force won the war.
A large emblem: the American Eagle against a red background. Proud, savage, strong. And in bold letters underneath, THE UNITED STATES POLICE FORCE. CAMERA MOVES IN on the emblem.
NARRATOR
In 1994 there were not enough prisons to harbor the three million plus population of convicted criminals.
CAMERA MOVES IN CLOSER to the eagle.
NARRATOR
In 1995, extreme measures were taken to insure law and order in the United States.
CAMERA MOVES IN to the eye of the eagle, then INTO BLACK.
Comment [R.J. Kizer/Project Supervisor: Special Visual Effects]: "USPF [United States Police Force] insignia on red background cancelled: 12/22/80. No work done on it."
Two Guards Having A Conversation About How Many Prisoners The Pilot Who Blew Up The Escape Raft Has Killed Outside The Liberty Island Security Control
EXT. POLICE COMPLEX [SEPULVEDA DAM] - ANGLE ON HELICOPTER STATUE OF LIBERTY
CAMERA FOLLOWS the helicopter as it moves through the sky, coming off of it to REVEAL the Statue of Liberty. We are on Liberty Island. CAMERA PANS DOWN the Statue. GUARDS are stationed all over it. As CAMERA REACHES ground level we MOVE WITH TWO GUARDS as they walk along. One of the guards is looking up.
GUARD #1
Was that Charly?
GUARD #2
Yeah. Seventeen for Charly. Another month and he'll have a gold badge.
GUARD #1
I believe it's eighteen. Charly's bagged eighteen.
GUARD #2
[considers it]
Yeah, I think you're right. I think it is eighteen.
As they enter a guard station CAMERA CONTINUES TO MOVE, past the station into darkness.
Comment [Andreas/Webmaster]: "No one is credited as Guard #1 and Guard #2 in the credits."
Two Cops Rolling Out The GulfFire From A Huge Hangar
EXT. AIRSTRIP - HANGAR - NIGHT
Plissken strides across an empty airstrip. He is still dressed in his own clothes. Leather jacket. Fatique pants. The survival holster is strapped on.
CAMERA MOVES WITH HIM toward a huge hangar. The doors slowly open. Inside, under eerie neon lights, is the GulfFire glider. TWO COPS roll it out of the hangar.
Source: Joe Alves [Production Designer]