Vice Press have just released the next their Vice Press Home Video VHS series, John Carpenter’s Escape From New York.
“1997. New York City is a walled maximum security prison. Breaking out is impossible. Breaking in is insane.”
First released in 1981, in John Carpenter’s Escape From New York the year is 1997, and in a police state future the island of Manhattan has been turned into a maximum security prison. The rules are simple: once you’re in, you don’t come out. But when the President of the United States (Donald Pleasance) crash lands an escape pod into the centre of the city after fleeing a hijacked plane, a ruthless prison warden (Lee Van Cleef) bribes ex-soldier and criminal Snake Plisskin into entering the hazardous Manhattan and rescuing the distraught president from the twisted world of New York and from the demented clutches of its new ruler The Duke (Isaac Hayes) in John Carpenter’s cyber-punk, action, suspense spectacular…
The Vice Press Home Video release – the latest in this retro line, which also includes John Carpenter’s The Fog and They Live, comes in two versions: a Limited Slipcase Edition, featuring new cover art by Phantom City Creative, with a screenprinted tape design, limited to an edition of 1000; and the Collector’s Edition with double sided cover, the front including art by Matt Ferguson. This edition is printed with silver foil, and the reversible, alternate side includes the original key-art fully remastered by Matt Ferguson.
Both Editions have been designed by Matt Ferguson and Florey… And yes, it plays. Each release includes the full film in widescreen, and runs at approximately 99 minutes in PAL format. (Not compatible with US NTSC players, of course, but you can enjoy the art and design regardless).
To accompany the VHS, Vice Press have also be release two new poster editions, a 24×36 inch set of posters by Phantom City Creative, and a 27×40 inch one-sheet of the original theatrical poster, fully remastered by Matt Ferguson.
John Carpenter’s Escape From New York will be released on VHS by Vice Press Home Video, along with Phantom City Creative and the Original Theatrical One Sheet posters at 6pm GMT on Thursday 15th of May at Vice-Press.com. All orders ship from the United Kingdom.
• Escape From New York (Limited Slipcase Edition) | Art By Phantom City Creative
Limited Edition Of 1000 | Red Screen Printed Design On Black Tape | Designed By Matt Ferguson & Florey | PAL Format | £29.99 Each
• Escape From New York Collector’s Edition
Cover Art By Matt Ferguson | Double Sided | Cover That Features Original Key Art On The Reverse | Designed By Matt Ferguson & Florey | PAL Format | £29.99
• Escape From New York Poster Art By Phantom City Creative | Edition Of 250 | 24×36 Inches | Hand Numbered, Fine Art Lithograph Print | Poster – £39.99 / $55 | Framed Poster – £99.99 / $135
• Escape From New York (Variant) Poster | Art By Phantom City Creative | Edition Of 250 | 24×36 Inches | Hand Numbered, Fine Art Lithograph Print | Poster – £44.99 / $60 | Framed Poster – £104.99 / $140
• Escape From New York (Variant) Poster | Original Art By Barry E Jackson | Fully restored by Matt Ferguson | Edition Of 250 | 27×40 Inch One Sheet | Hand Numbered, Fine Art Lithograph Print | Poster – £49.99 / $70
Escape From New York © 1981 STUDIOCANAL S.A.S. All Rights Reserved. © 2025 Vice Press Ltd
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John is the founder of downthetubes, launched in 1998. He is a comics and magazine editor, writer, and Press Officer for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He also runs Crucible Comic Press.
Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine and Overkill for Marvel UK, Babylon 5 Magazine, Star Trek Magazine, and its successor, Star Trek Explorer, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics; and has edited several comic collections and graphic novels, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”, and Hancock: The Lad Himself, by Stephen Walsh and Keith Page.
He’s the writer of comics such as Pilgrim: Secrets and Lies for B7 Comics; “Crucible”, a creator-owned project with 2000AD artist Smuzz; and “Death Duty” and “Skow Dogs”, with Dave Hailwood.
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