Escape from the Bronx
Encyclopedia
Escape from the Bronx is a 1983 Italian action film directed by Enzo G. Castellari
. Also known as Escape 2000 and Bronx Warriors 2 (UK only) it was featured on Mystery Science Theater 3000
under the Escape 2000 name. It is a sequel to 1990: The Bronx Warriors
.
The General Construction (GC) Corporation, led by President Clark (Enio Girolami), wish to tear down the Bronx to turn it into “the city of the future”. To do this they need to clear the current population from the area and have employed expelled prison warder Floyd Wangler (Henry Silva) and a private squad of Disinfestors to burn, shoot and gas those that will not leave willingly.
While the bums, vagrants and elderly are easy prey, the warrior gangs of the Bronx will not go quietly and a rebel army of all surviving Bronx gangs led by Dablone (Antonio Sabato) is holed up underground.
When Trash’s parents are burned alive by Disinfestors he begins to take revenge by leading ruthless guerrilla attacks on the clean up squads which in turn leads to the GC Corporation and Floyd Wangler trying ever nastier means of subverting the rebellion (such as rigging hostages with bombs). Trash, Dablone and a crusading reporter named Moon Gray (Valerie Dobson) then team up with psychotic mercenary Strike (Timothy Brent/ Giancarlo Prete) and his equally crazy son (Alessandro Prete) to kidnap President Clark and put the Bronx back in the hands of the gangs.
Filmed in New York and Cinecitta film studios in Rome. Mark Gregory was still 18 when he shot this movie and Enzo Castellari states on the DVD commentary for 1990: The Bronx Warriors that his young age and lack of experience was possibly a factor in why Mark did not last long in the film business.
The first Bronx Warriors convention was held in 2009 in Rome. Attendees received a badge stating DAS- Disinfestation Annihilation Squad (logo of the villains from this film).
Australian company Stomp Entertainment released a region 0 / NTSC disc in 2006. So far this is the only option for American fans to purchase as the DVD has never been official released on DVD in the United States.
Shameless Entertainment released the film on Region 2 / PAL format in the UK in 2009. The movie is part of a box set entitled "The Bronx Warriors Trilogy" and is packaged
with 1990: The Bronx Warriors and The New Barbarians.
Enzo G. Castellari
Enzo G. Castellari is an Italian film director. He became famous during the 1960s by directing several spaghetti westerns with such titles as Go Kill and Come Back Enzo G. Castellari (born July 29, 1938) is an Italian film director. He became famous during the 1960s by directing several spaghetti...
. Also known as Escape 2000 and Bronx Warriors 2 (UK only) it was featured on Mystery Science Theater 3000
Mystery Science Theater 3000
Mystery Science Theater 3000 is an American cult television comedy series created by Joel Hodgson and produced by Best Brains, Inc., that ran from 1988 to 1999....
under the Escape 2000 name. It is a sequel to 1990: The Bronx Warriors
1990: The Bronx Warriors
1990: The Bronx Warriors is a 1982 Italian action-science fiction film directed by Enzo G. Castellari.-Plot:Anne is the 17-year-old heiress to the arms manufacturing giant, The Manhattan Corporation...
.
Plot
Several years after the events of 1990: The Bronx Warriors and Trash (Mark Gregory), former leader of the Riders gang is now a cynical loner, remaining in the impoverished, lawless wasteland of the Bronx and trading in stolen ammunition.The General Construction (GC) Corporation, led by President Clark (Enio Girolami), wish to tear down the Bronx to turn it into “the city of the future”. To do this they need to clear the current population from the area and have employed expelled prison warder Floyd Wangler (Henry Silva) and a private squad of Disinfestors to burn, shoot and gas those that will not leave willingly.
While the bums, vagrants and elderly are easy prey, the warrior gangs of the Bronx will not go quietly and a rebel army of all surviving Bronx gangs led by Dablone (Antonio Sabato) is holed up underground.
When Trash’s parents are burned alive by Disinfestors he begins to take revenge by leading ruthless guerrilla attacks on the clean up squads which in turn leads to the GC Corporation and Floyd Wangler trying ever nastier means of subverting the rebellion (such as rigging hostages with bombs). Trash, Dablone and a crusading reporter named Moon Gray (Valerie Dobson) then team up with psychotic mercenary Strike (Timothy Brent/ Giancarlo Prete) and his equally crazy son (Alessandro Prete) to kidnap President Clark and put the Bronx back in the hands of the gangs.
Cast
- Mark Gregory as Trash
- Henry Silva as Floyd Wangler
- Valerie Dobson as Moon Gray
- Timothy Brent as Strike
- Alessandro Prete as Strike Jr
- Enio Girolami as President Clark (Enzo has stated in an interview that Clark is not Ted Fisher, President in Part 1)
- Paolo Malco as Vice President
- Moana Pozzi as Birdy
- Antonio Sabato as Dablone
- Carla Brait as Iron Man Leader
- Massimo Vanni as Big Little Man
Production
Shot roughly 18 months after the first Bronx movie Enzo G. Castellari has stated that he was disappointed with how much muscle mass Mark Gregory had lost between part one and this sequel, which is why he keeps his jacket on for 90% of the movie.Filmed in New York and Cinecitta film studios in Rome. Mark Gregory was still 18 when he shot this movie and Enzo Castellari states on the DVD commentary for 1990: The Bronx Warriors that his young age and lack of experience was possibly a factor in why Mark did not last long in the film business.
Media
A website dedicated to both this film and its predecessor 1990: The Bronx Warriors was set up in 2004. The site contains two interviews with Enzo G Castellari and details an ongoing attempt to locate Mark Gregory (Trash) who vanished from public view in about 1989. There is also a message in MP3 format (in Italian) from Enzo and his son Andrea to Mark asking him to get in touch and saying how much they miss him.The first Bronx Warriors convention was held in 2009 in Rome. Attendees received a badge stating DAS- Disinfestation Annihilation Squad (logo of the villains from this film).
Release
The film was released on DVD in the UK by Vipco in 2004, and to theaters in the US by New Line Cinema.Australian company Stomp Entertainment released a region 0 / NTSC disc in 2006. So far this is the only option for American fans to purchase as the DVD has never been official released on DVD in the United States.
Shameless Entertainment released the film on Region 2 / PAL format in the UK in 2009. The movie is part of a box set entitled "The Bronx Warriors Trilogy" and is packaged
with 1990: The Bronx Warriors and The New Barbarians.