I'm Glad Rambo Wasn't Out In 1975
When I see the name David Carradine, I expect kung fu. Not real Chinese Kung-fu, but a scrawny American fellow clearly obsessed with kung-fu doing kung-fu. Death Race 2000, the original because I understand there’s a remake, only has one fistfight for Carradine and it’s not kung-fu-ish at all. In fact, it takes place against a young Sly Stone. I’m glad Rambo hadn’t come out because I would be questioning that character and that would ruin my childhood. So yes, Death Race 2000 also has Sylvester Stallone on the cast list too.
David Carradine Not In A Kung Fu Role...
Always, always I harp on how people play roles well and they need to stay in them. I know, you probably see it coming from me – David Carradine wasn’t in a kung fu role, so he did a bad job. Surprise! I don’t know what it was about this film but, he wasn’t a kung-fu guy and he did a good job. Something about it fit for him this time. His character’s name was Frankenstein, and he was the hero (I guess maybe a better term is just lead role) in Death Race 2000. David still had that silent still mysterious personality but, no I’m trying to be a Shaolin sage quality. It worked. For whatever reason, it worked.
No Stereotyping in 1975 Hollywood
Hollywood would never be stereotypical, especially not in 1975 but, Stallone’s character was an Italian gangster-themed character. He had the hat, the attitude, and even a Tommy gun on the front of his car. It was ironic to me that he also had a “Rambo” knife on the front too. His character’s name was “Machine Gun” Joe too. You know, like the famous gangster “Machine Gun” Kelley. Stallone’s role also went well for him in Death Race 2000. Again, he’s another who does very well in lead roles in action films. This was not that but, it worked. “Machine Gun” Joe was a second to the lead role that Carradine filled.
Death Race 2000 Plot
Plot is not something I tend to or like to focus on in my blogs, but we must in this case. The story is about a group of race drivers that work in 2-man (1 man, 1 woman) teams to drive across the country. Each team has a theme of sorts. Frankenstein was a lizard car, Joe was a gangster car, there was a Nazi-themed group, a western team, a Hun car, and a Roman-themed group. Where Death Race 2000 gets unique is that they can intentionally trick and harm one another. They also get points for various things as they drive. One of the team members is the driver and the other, typically the female, is the navigator. As expected, the driver drives, and the navigator plans the route. Wrap your dome around that and we’ll move one. Before we do though, I want to say that at the time I watched Death Race 2000, it was the most sci-fi thing I had seen in a while.
With the plot laid out, you could guess this is a wild movie and it certainly is. Although strange, it holds your attention throughout the film. There are schemes and lots of 1975 road action sequences to pair with a great cast and a good budget. There are so many long and abandoned highways from this decade on display. All the 70s sci-fi glam is present too and anyone into this genre should be all over Death Race 2000. At one point, they even do the old Looney Tunes trick where they paint the fake tunnel. Yeah, they do this, and one of the teams meets their fate. This 70s gem held my attention throughout the movie, and I watched it in its entirety in one sitting. Without a doubt, I would and will watch Death Race 2000 again.
Death Race 2000 and the Point Game?
In closing, I am curious. Anyone who has been driving has probably heard the game joke. The one where if you hit an old lay you get x amount of points. Or if you hit a dog, you get this many points. I know it’s cruel and dark humor but, I’ve heard so many people say stuff like that. It was odd to me that in Death Race 2000, this is part of the rules. If you hit pedestrians of different levels, you score more points that can help you win even if not in first place. This game had to at least be around in 1975 or did this movie start the game? What came first, the chicken or the egg? That’s my question about Death Race 2000. Does anyone know? Drop that knowledge in the comments. Read more about Death Race 2000 on IMDB here.
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