Death Race 2000 (1975)

I guess at this point we know I love exploitative films not because I enjoy sordid gratuosity (not a word-Ed.) but i enjoy the simple high-concept silliness of it all and sprinkles of sordidness, spice things up if anything. But i've never really sought out much Roger Corman fare. I've seen some of the stuff connected to the first films Scorsese's and others did for him but that wasn't to watch his stuff. Also I saw the terrible, blight on film, Death Race by Paul 'Aaaawwwful' Anderson and felt the original needed a fair crack of the whip, in my psyche.
At the same time, it's almost impossible for me to judge Death Race 2000 without everything that's gone since it came out, namely video games.  Without this movie, there would not be any driving games.  Well there might be but they certainly wouldn't look like they do and you wouldn't have had Carmageddon or Grand Theft Auto and if there was no GTA, well... then I don't want video games,  because that style, the satirical tone that the GTA's have was born in this movie.
As if you haven't already gathered, it about a race where the drivers get points for killings. There is a bit more to it...  but not so much more that it gets in the way of explosions or racing cars or killings. That might sound like I'm trying to be light but i'm sincere, I generally think it's a good idea to keep a plot small so you can do other stuff and you don't have to worry about exposition weighing down your thing.
David Carradine plays mysterious masked driver and national hero, Frankenstein singularly focused on the race- he's essentially a cyborg in a gimp-suitablity (think about it)  and Sylvester Stallone plays a wannabe gangster, who's the panto villain of the film. It's a real shame, Sly never went into or had the chance to play more bad guys- he's great. He's nasty enough to love, which a great villain should be. I literally can't think of any other films, he's played a baddie. Oh wait-Spy Kids 3D. Thanks brain, you made me think about bloody Spy Kids 3D.
Death Race 2000 was directed by Paul Bartel, who is equally famous for a film called Eating Raoul, which is about infidelity, class and cannibalism. My point is that Bartel, seemed to have a great sense how to communicate very base but provocative subjects yet make fun without being over-the-top. A little more realistic than is likely. I mean the tone of the film is never mean- more anarchic and mischievous; there is a bit where they mentioned points for running over children but that never comes to fruition and i can't help but love a film that celebrates killing old people. Stop sucking down MY air, Pops. It's my time, now.
So I'm not saying this is a great film but it made the way a lot great genre pics in its wake....

I watched Death Race 2000 (1975), via LoveFilm Online.
My 2011 in Movies will return with Carlos The Jackal (2010)...