Review Damnation Alley (1977)

[Doctor Omega]

A poor adaption of a great book?

Or an under-rated gem?

 

[Doctor Omega]

It was good hokey fun, I thought.

And that scene with the bugs in the car gave me the creeps at the time.

Okay, but in no way a classic.

 

[alpha128]

It was good hokey fun, I thought.

And that scene with the bugs in the car gave me the creeps at the time.

Okay, but in no way a classic.

I haven't seen this film in years, but from what I remember, I agree your statements.

I read the original novel more recently, and it was good. I was particularly struck that "Hell" Tanner seemed to be the model for "Snake" Plissken in Escape from New York.

 

[alpha128]

I read the original novel more recently, and it was good. I was particularly struck that "Hell" Tanner seemed to be the model for "Snake" Plissken in Escape from New York.

I was poking around on my computer and found the "Hell" Tanner bits that reminded me of "Snake" Plissken in Escape from New York:

"Have a seat," he said to Tanner, and to the others, "Wait outside."

"You know this guy's dangerous, Mr. Denton," said the man with the pistol as Tanner seated himself in a chair situated five feet in front of the desk.

...

"I know."

"Well, he's handcuffed, anyway. Do you want a gun?"

"I've got one."

"Okay, then. We'll be outside."

They left the room.

...

"Okay," (Tanner) said, I'll run Damnation Alley for you. I won't leave without a piece of paper with some writing on it, though."

"I've got it here."

...

Hell studied it for several minutes, then said, "This says that if I make it to Boston I receive a full pardon for every criminal action I've ever committed within the nation of California."

...

"You're Hell Tanner."

"Huh?"

"Your last name's Tanner, ain't it?"

"That's right. Who told you?"

"I heard about you. Everybody thought you died in the Big Raid."

 

[Doctor Omega]

 

[Doctor Omega]

Based on the Roger Zelazny (1937–1995) novel** of the same name (G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 1969; itself based on his novella of 1967), the plot of Damnation Alley follows convicted murderer Hell Tanner [ostensibly the inspiration for Spikes Harvey Rotten] on a suicide mission to deliver a plague vaccine, in exchange for a full pardon, from the police states of Los Angeles to Boston through Damnation Alley, a post-nuclear wasteland of violent, unpredictable weather that prevents air travel.

The Judge Dredd story included a toy tie-in with Matchbox (now owned by Mattel, Inc.) of their K-2001 Raider Command vehicle (1976), and the artists were given the toy as a model for the combined K-2001 Land Raider [front] and Killdozer† [rear] vehicles – so yes, the toy came first.