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Frame from ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK : SNAKE PLISSKEN FLIGHT ON TWIN TOWERS Plays via YouTube's privacy-enhanced embed

ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK : SNAKE PLISSKEN FLIGHT ON TWIN TOWERS

Hacene Benmamar
Other
YouTube
Cited on HN 3 times, 2020–2023, never outright recommended score 0
Years with an HN recommendation, 2007–2026

HN uses it to illustrate how the film's wireframe skyline effect was made with practical miniatures and as an example of retro computer-display aesthetics.

A scene from John Carpenter's 1981 film Escape from New York in which Snake Plissken glides in over Manhattan between the Twin Towers. It features the film's wireframe green laser-grid visuals built from miniatures.

“it was cheaper to build a miniture New York skyline and attach fluorescent tape to the edges” (HN, 2020)

3 citations · Other

3 Hacker News comments

From the HN archive; up to 20 kept per video, favoring different commenters. Recommendations first.

@rkachowski Sep 2020 Cites it
on HN thread It was more efficient to blow up a real 747 than to use miniatures or CGI
It seems like we have come full circle, in Escape from New York (1981) it was cheaper to build a miniture New York skyline and attach fluorescent tape to the edges rather than create a CG wireframe model for the "computers" in the main characters glider.[1][2] [1] [link] [2] [this video]
Clip showing miniature skyline with wireframe effect.
@morkalork Sep 2023 Cites it
on HN thread Index of Aesthetics
I don't have anything to add to the argument just that I happened to watch Escape from New York this weekend and there's an epic "green laser grid" sequence as he flies in to the city! [this video]
Green laser grid sequence from the film.

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