Feature / Other Reviews
Review: Death Race 2000

Words: Seth • Posted pre-2010

In the days of 1975, a lot of shit was goin' down. I can't think of anything off the top of my head, but there was. Oh! Wait, that OPEC thing . . . no, that was early 80's. Whatever, stuff happened.

Despite all this, Roger Corman came out with his tour-de-force, titled Death Race 2000.

The tagline for the flick captures the brilliance perfectly: In the year 2000 hit and run driving is no longer a felony. It's the national sport!

The plot is heralded as the most brilliant thing ever known to humans. The aforementioned national sport is a race across the country; five racers drive their specialized cars from New York to Los Angeles in the race of the year. But there's a twist: driving over a person gets a person points (yes, that's where that joke comes from) and the points are put into some sort of complicated matrix with the time trials to figure out who gets first. So whomever comes into L.A. first doesn't necessarily win, if he or she doesn't get enough points.

The race is filled with five racers, all of whom have their fan base and all of whom are the most stereotypical characters out there. Matilda the Hun is a Nazi, Calamity Jane is a cowgirl, Frankenstein is . . . a Frankenstein, Machine Gun Joe Viterbo (played by a pre-Rocky Sylvester Stallone) is a Brooklyn gangster, and Nero the Hero is some sort of Roman. Better yet, the cars match their personas in distinctive ways.

This piece of fine cinema is brilliant for so many reasons:

1. Hilarious foley noises are added when a person is killed. 2. The movie takes place 25 years in the future (made in the year 1975, takes place in the year 2000), but everything still has that early 1900's "futurism" look. 3. David Carradine (Frankenstein) is at his finest. 4. Sylvester Stallone is just as good (better than his performance in Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over) 5. The government people are funny. 6. The ending of this art is the greatest ending to any movie ever.

If you ever hear anyone talking about Roger Corman and not mentioning Death Race 2000, tell that person to shut up and learn what real genius is.

Bottom line: This is B-movie at its finest.

9.5/10

Seth.

Related features

Mike Huguenor

One Question Interviews / What's That Noise? • July 8, 2025

Mike Huguenor Tell us about the primary guitars you used making Surfing the Web with the Alien? Read more

Scene Point Blank's Favorites: The Year So Far (July 2025)

Music • July 6, 2025

We're halfway through the year: when did that happen?! Luckily for you, SPB is on hand to share the music we've enjoyed most in 2025 thus far. Read on to hear about the records that have made our top list for this year as it stands, and also some bonus … Read more

Shane Herrell: A Tribute

Music • July 6, 2025

Shane Herrell: Rest In Power(pop) (1980-2025) The Rocker I try to live my life with as few regrets as possible. Sadly I never got the chance to hear my friend Shane Herrell karaoke Thin Lizzy’s "The Rocker." As a singing bass player we don’t have enough heroes. It might just … Read more

Unseemlier

One Question Interviews • June 27, 2025

Mike Assatly (Unseemlier - guitar/vocals) SPB: Do you have a preferred model of van for touring? Assatly: Chevy G-20 Gladiator! It was my first van, I got it from my uncle with 115,000 on it. He got rid of it for a new van because it was "old" and would … Read more

Dollar Store

One Question Interviews • June 26, 2025

Dave Slaverave (Dollar Store - bass) SPB: This band hits a lot of styles, all kind of overlapping at the same time. How hard was it to find “your sound” when bringing these influences together? Slaverave: Not very hard at all actually. We're all old-ass adults who've soaked in a … Read more

More from this section

Review: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2003

Other Reviews

In 1974, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre was released. The film became known for sparking a myriad of "slasher" films and cheese/camp horror, which is actually rather sad, since the films TCM often gets credit/blamed for are not all that relatable to Tobe Hooper's masterpiece. The comparisons are a mere symptom … Read more

Review: Kill Bill, Vol. 1

Other Reviews

As an employee of Blockbuster, it's easy to see that where moviegoing is concerned, there's always a bold line that separates the Happy Gilmores from the Punch-Drunk Loves. I'm referring specifically to those who think that Adam Sandler's career went downhill by starring in an ironically-labeled "stupid, pointless art film," … Read more

Review: Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind

Other Reviews

WARNING TO READER: Potential spoilers ahead. This is more of an analysis than a review, though I do cover formal elements such as acting, direction, and plot. Just for a moment, engage in a thought process. Revive old memories through seemingly unrelated ones, relate them, and make sense of them. … Read more