Rip-off of 3 films + 1 video game - Death Race (2008) Discussion

It's mostly just a rip off of Death Race 2000.

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Remember the Spyhunter videogame from the 80's

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[–] gnome-5 15 years ago

"It's mostly just a rip off of Death Race 2000."

How can it be a rip off of DR2000 when they bought the rights and Roger Corman was involved in producing this film?

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[–] damongruber 14 years ago

Ditto!!!

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[–] dreamtheater79 14 years ago

way to get the joke

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[–] gnome-5 14 years ago

That's not a joke. It's a snarky comment.

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[–] kmaults27 13 years ago

No it was a joke. The OP clearly didn't realize that this was a remake of an older movie and that his examples of things this movie riped off were probably inspired by the original Death Race.

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[–] gnome-5 13 years ago

"The OP clearly didn't realize that this was a remake of an older movie"

If he didn't know about the original movie, then his comment was serious and not a joke.

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[–] kmaults27 13 years ago

masterofallgoons comment was the joke.

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[–] gnome-5 13 years ago

The joke is that a lot of people on these boards make comments like that, and they're serious. They hear music composed for 28 Days in Kick-Ass and they post breathlessly about the "rip-off." They have no idea how the movie business works.

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[–] robert_lorello 13 years ago

I've been looking for someone who knows how the movie business works, and since you seem to know it all, I'd love to set up a dialogue for you to pour your immense collection of knowledge into my brain so that I could better understand how to be as intelligent as you are.

"Travelling, Swallowing, Dramamine."

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[–] Tales-from-the-Goondocks 12 years ago

gnome-5

You didn't get the joke. The OP didn't know this is a remake, so the guy who replied to him made fun of him by saying this is a rip-off of the original Death Race. You replied to him as if he were seriously saying this is a rip-off of Death Race 2000.

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[–] mikexx 11 years ago

Are you through yanking the wank of the dead horse?

-- As if Roger Corman's entire career hasn't consisted of him "ripping off" his own earlier (usually better) movies.

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[–] 11 years ago

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[–] shelley-max 11 years ago

it's not a joke unless it's funny :P

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[–] Munstrum_Ridcully 13 years ago

It's mostly just a rip off of Death Race 2000.

Actually that is the one film it does not rip off, so why the feck did they tout it as a remake?

Money cannot buy happiness, but it can buy chocolate

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[–] slade-47470 9 years ago

It doesn't even have the same plot as Death Race 2000. Death Race 2000 was a cross country race where the drivers got points for running people over. No one was in prison. Each driver was like a celebrity. Some fans would even sacrifice themselves by standing in front of the cars to help drivers get more points.

This movie is more like Running Man with cars.

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[–] Hotwyre6 15 years ago

Since every one of those films came out after the original Death Race 2000, I find it hard to call it a combination of those three. The only influence from the films I can really see is The Running Man with the idea of victory earning release.

Fear is the Mind Killer

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[–] rsbatty 15 years ago

You have a good point. I thought about Death Race 2000 as the most obvious since this is an alleged remake, but this just seemed to me to share more in common with these three movies than the "original."

1.) Running Man - Set in near, dystopian future America, where people are entertained by prisoners fighting for their lives in an monitored, contained environment, all televised. Fights and battleground are rigged to make sure the prisoners don't really win. Killing the evil leader brings closure at the end (although Killian's death was much more inspired)

2.) Road Warrior - Set in near, dystopian future, where people rely on their highly-modified, weaponized, and armored cars to live, fight and find a way out.

3.) Shawshank - Corrupt warden uses prisoners for his own personal gain, with no regard for their lives, families, etc. Is willing to kill and manipulate them to get what he wants. Has a crooked guard to do his bidding. But in the end the smartest prisoner, who he abused the most, turns the tables and beats him at his own game, using the very tools the warden provided him.

...RC Pro Am - run over icons in the road pick up missiles to shoot at your competitors, while avoiding oil slicks! (a stretch, I know, but I couldn't help but think of this)

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[–] Wu_Da_Ke 15 years ago

In regards to Shawshank, the difference is that the "warden" in Death Race wasn't a public official but more of a corporate director. Remember, prisons belong to the private sector so although she did use criminals for her own personal gain, it was in her job description. The warden in Shawshank kind of used Andy by accident after discovering that his experience in accounting could benefit his side business (as in, he didn't have Andy intentionally sent to prison because he needed someone to fix his books).

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[–] Megalloyd645 15 years ago

What about a movie called the condemened
Spoilers

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[–] TheJoker35 11 years ago

The Condemned was basically WWE's version of Battle Royale, but with prisoners instead of students.

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[–] Vladimir_Horowitz 15 years ago

Don't forget the "older prisoner who doesn't know what to do on the outside, so chooses to stay in the prison" Shawshank/prison movie deal. Not to mention the obligatory sadistic head prison guard.

And whoever said something about Joan Allen getting a "BIG check" for this movie is confused, as she apparently jumped at the chance to do this movie as a chance to break up her image.

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[–] grey_outlaw 15 years ago

ROFL you missed one crucial film The Longest Yard. How I came up with it? A prison warden pulls all the strings to bring in a talented player (in this case murder the family and suck in a race driver) to her prison in order to play a key role. The player refuses so his life is made hell until he finally gives in but not without giving a finger to the warden at the end of it. When I saw it at first up until Frank meets the prison warden I thought, Longest Yard!!

" It's The Fourth Of The Trilogies!"
Lord Of The Ringtones, Orange Net.

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[–] rsbatty 15 years ago

AAAAHhhhhh blast. Good call. Completely. I probably missed it because I saw the original as a rerun when I was a kid, and had no interest in seeing the remake. In fact, Shawshank and Running Man take a big back seat when you consider Longest Yard. Well met, my friend.

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[–] quixoticroger 15 years ago

Why is it every prison-based movie in the last 15 years has to be labled a rip-off of The Shawshank sodding Redemption? There were thousands of prison movies made before '94, and Shawshank is one of the least original movies ever made... a good 30% of it was copied directly from Escape from Alcatraz (homage my arse).

And there is a difference between being inspired by a film, sharing themes and ideas with a film, and being a rip-off. This is a film of a similar nature to The Running Man, but a rip-off? Hardly.

"I left my heart to the sappers round Khe Sanh"

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[–] Megalloyd645 15 years ago

I /think it resembles a movie called "The Condemned" with Steve Austin.

Spoilers

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[–] mmusicmann007 15 years ago

It also shares some semblances with "Stir Crazy" with Richard Pryor and Gene Wilder.

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[–] rsbatty 15 years ago

I don't argue that Shawshank might take some cues from Alcatraz, it certainly does, but that wasn't my point on this board. And perhaps my use of the term 'rip-off' was a bit much if you really want to drill down. But either way, one thing is certain - you must chill.

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[–] rsbatty 15 years ago

I don't argue that Shawshank might take some cues from Alcatraz, it certainly does, but that wasn't my point on this board. And perhaps my use of the term 'rip-off' was a bit much if you really want to drill down. But either way, one thing is certain - you must chill.

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[–] robert_lorello 13 years ago

Shawshank is a complete rip off of, (or an 'adaptation' as they say in the movie business) of a beautiful short story by Stephen King called 'Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption,' which I suggest you check out, If you get the book Four Seasons, which has this story in it, you'll also find an equally as incredible story called, 'The Body' which also has a film adaptation, (look at me getting fancy with these industry terms) called Stand By Me. Yessir, Stephen King does have a knack for writing good stories, and I wouldn't be surprised if he ripped off (or was influenced by) a whole variety of different pieces of film, literature, music, and even his own life experience. Now I think the real crime here, in this entire meaningful and fresh argument, is that Stephen King knowingly, and quite brashly, ripped off his own life. Who would have thought?!?

"Travelling, Swallowing, Dramamine."

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[–] SurvivalHorror 15 years ago

Yo forgot Twisted Metal

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[–] scottandann1195 15 years ago

As far as this film's relation to other movies, everything has been done. For the most part any movie that comes out will be similar to 1 or movies in some way. Though some may not be so apparent as others, (Star Wars vs Eragon).

As far as the reference to a game..

Check out Car Wars. Steve Jackson Games 1980, table top game that used dice.
Which was also ported to a computer game for the TI-94a computer in the same year. This game also had an uncanny resemblance to Pac Man that would not be released until the next year. (remember, everythings been done)

It appeared before the Bally Miday coin-op arcade game, Spy Hunter. (1983)
Which at the time was considered to be more of a James Bond themed video game than a reference to the origional Death Race film.

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[–] beezleborg 15 years ago

don't forget rock n' roll racing for snes

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[–] 15 years ago

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[–] Monk-ish 15 years ago

Yeah...no.

Having a smoking section in a restaurant is like having a peeing section in a pool

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