Ripping off popular American films and making cheaper, sleazier, gorier, more exploitative and violent cash-ins was very popular among some Italian filmmakers in the late 70s and 80s, and the results were often vastly entertaining. And while Sergio Martino "2019 - Dopo La Caduta Di New York" aka. "2019 - After the Fall of New York" of 1983 is not the only Italian Post-Apocalyptic Sci-Fi film that was not only obviously inspired by, but shamelessly rips off John Carpenter's "Escape from New York", it is one of the most entertaining and violent and simply bad-ass ones. Some people seem to be bothered by films of this kind copying American classics. And I won't deny that this film does so very obviously. What these people seem to forget is that many American cult-cinema genres were clearly inspired by typically Italian genres. This film, "2019 - After The Fall of New York", is criticized for ripping off Carpenter's "Escape From New York". Carpenter is most famous for factually creating the Slasher-genre with "Halloween" (1978), which was strongly influenced by the (superior) Italian Giallo, a genre of which director Sergio Martino is one of the supreme masters. Particularly Martino's film "I Corpi Presentano Tracce De La Violenzia Carnale" aka. "Torso" (1973) was a very obvious influence for the Slasher genre; yet I have never heard anyone bitching about how Slasher films 'rip off' Martino's films. Thus much for those who can't stop whining about "2019" ripping off a Classic.
As a Giallo-fan, I will always admire Sergio Martino most for masterpieces like "Your Vice Is a Locked Room and Only I Have the Key" (1972), "The Strange Vice of Mrs. Wardh" (1971) or "Torso" (1973), but, even when he operates outside the Giallo/Horror genre, Martino delivers, as proved by films like his violent latter-day Spaghetti Western "Mannaja" (1978), or this highly entertaining film. While "2019" is by no means a stroke of genius, and not nearly one of Martino's most memorable films, it definitely ranks among the better Post-Apocalyptic Italian Sci-Fi/Action flicks from the early 80s.
2019: A nuclear war has extinguished a large part of the world's population and left the surviving women infertile. In fifteen years, no baby has been born. The winning party, a European/Asian/African federation called Eurax have proclaimed themselves the winners, whereas its enemies from the Pan-American Confederacy keep operating secretly from Alaska. Both parties are keen on finding fertile women in order to rescue mankind from its doom. When a fertile woman is spotted in New York, Parsifal, a tough and solitary race-driver and drifter, is sent by the Confederacy in order to recover her. The former American Metropolis, however, has become a post-apocalyptic wasteland reigned by the occupying Eurax and violent gangs, and once one is in there, it is impossible to get out... As admitted above, the similarities to "Escape From New York" are numerous (even the hero looks like Kurt Russell as Snake)and it also rips off other films such as the first two "Mad Max" films, but, as long as one isn't bothered by that, "2019" is a very cool little flick of its own right. As usual for Italian Exploitation rip-offs, this is quite a bit gorier and nastier than "Escape from NY" and includes some very gory scenes. Contrary to my expectations, there was hardly any sex or nudity, however. The post-apocalyptic scenario is done with style, and the action sequences are very well-done. My fellow Italian exploitation fans will be glad to see cult-actor George Eastman in a supporting role. Overall, "2019 - After the Fall of New York" is certainly no must-see, but it is definitely fun, and especially recommended to fans of Post-Apocalyptic Sci-Fi Action.
As a Giallo-fan, I will always admire Sergio Martino most for masterpieces like "Your Vice Is a Locked Room and Only I Have the Key" (1972), "The Strange Vice of Mrs. Wardh" (1971) or "Torso" (1973), but, even when he operates outside the Giallo/Horror genre, Martino delivers, as proved by films like his violent latter-day Spaghetti Western "Mannaja" (1978), or this highly entertaining film. While "2019" is by no means a stroke of genius, and not nearly one of Martino's most memorable films, it definitely ranks among the better Post-Apocalyptic Italian Sci-Fi/Action flicks from the early 80s.
2019: A nuclear war has extinguished a large part of the world's population and left the surviving women infertile. In fifteen years, no baby has been born. The winning party, a European/Asian/African federation called Eurax have proclaimed themselves the winners, whereas its enemies from the Pan-American Confederacy keep operating secretly from Alaska. Both parties are keen on finding fertile women in order to rescue mankind from its doom. When a fertile woman is spotted in New York, Parsifal, a tough and solitary race-driver and drifter, is sent by the Confederacy in order to recover her. The former American Metropolis, however, has become a post-apocalyptic wasteland reigned by the occupying Eurax and violent gangs, and once one is in there, it is impossible to get out... As admitted above, the similarities to "Escape From New York" are numerous (even the hero looks like Kurt Russell as Snake)and it also rips off other films such as the first two "Mad Max" films, but, as long as one isn't bothered by that, "2019" is a very cool little flick of its own right. As usual for Italian Exploitation rip-offs, this is quite a bit gorier and nastier than "Escape from NY" and includes some very gory scenes. Contrary to my expectations, there was hardly any sex or nudity, however. The post-apocalyptic scenario is done with style, and the action sequences are very well-done. My fellow Italian exploitation fans will be glad to see cult-actor George Eastman in a supporting role. Overall, "2019 - After the Fall of New York" is certainly no must-see, but it is definitely fun, and especially recommended to fans of Post-Apocalyptic Sci-Fi Action.