Demolition Man is a 1993 American dystopian action film directed by Marco Brambilla, and starring Sylvester Stallone, Wesley Snipes, Sandra Bullock, Nigel Hawthorne and Denis Leary.
The film is a story about two men, one an evil crime lord and the other a risk-taking police officer, who are cryogenically frozen in the year 1996 and reawakened to face each other in 2032. Los Angeles, now called San Angeles, has become part of a planned city where violence is eliminated from mainstream society. Some aspects of the film allude to Aldous Huxley's dystopian novel, Brave New World.[citation needed]
Demolition Man grossed $58,055,768 by the end of its box office run in North America.[2]
Synopsis
Simon Phoenix faces John Spartan in 2032
In 1996, Los Angeles has fallen into chaos, with criminal warlords ruling various sections of the city. The most dangerous of these is Simon Phoenix (Wesley Snipes), who has just kidnapped a busload of people that strayed into his territory. The LAPD mounts a raid on his headquarters, however, John Spartan (Sylvester Stallone) (nicknamed “Demolition Man” for the extensive property damage that occurs when he apprehends criminals) goes in first and alone. He captures Phoenix, but the latter sets off explosives to destroy the building; the bodies of the bus passengers are soon found in the rubble. Phoenix is arrested and sent to "CryoPrison" (A prison where people are placed in suspended animation) for his crimes, but Spartan is likewise arrested for manslaughter, because Phoenix attests that the people were alive before the building was destroyed.
Thirty six years later, in 2032, Phoenix is thawed out for a parole hearing. He finds that he now knows the password for unlocking his restraints, so he frees himself, kills the warden and escapes. He begins a rampage through what is now “San Angeles” (a combination of Los Angeles, San Diego, and Santa Barbara), hacking into the city’s computer network and overpowering police officers with ease. Since San Angeles is a pacifist utopia, the police are helpless to deal with this sort of behavior. However, Lieutenant Lenina Huxley (Sandra Bullock), an officer fascinated with 20th-century culture, suggests that Spartan be brought in to stop Phoenix.
Spartan is revived and reinstated on the force, but he chafes at the enforced tranquility of this society and many of the people he interacts with. In particular, George Earle (Bob Gunton), the commanding Chief of Police/Captain, find Spartan's behavior barbaric. Spartan does, however, still gain respect from some members the San Angeles police (particularly Zachary Lamb, a fellow officer from 1996, as well as Huxley) due to his blue collar nature and anti-authoritarian attitude.
Meanwhile, Phoenix breaks into a now archaic firearms exhibit at a local museum. Spartan correctly guesses that Phoenix will head to the museum, and moves to intercept. Both Phoenix and Spartan arm themselves and fight throughout the building, as Spartan notices Phoenix is more skilled than he was in 1996. Phoenix escapes and briefly encounters Dr. Raymond Cocteau (Nigel Hawthorne), the creator of San Angeles’ society. Phoenix attempts to kill the doctor, but finds himself strangely unable to do the deed. Cocteau suggests that Phoenix has a job to do: kill Edgar Friendly (Denis Leary), leader of the homeless “Scrap” people who live in the underground “Wasteland,” or the ruins of old Los Angeles. Spartan catches up to Phoenix, but Phoenix escapes once again.
Spartan attempts to discern why Phoenix did not kill Cocteau, while Cocteau invites Spartan and Huxley to dinner, under the pretense that Spartan saved his life. At the diner, Spartan and Huxley witness Friendly leading the Scraps in an above ground raid. After a brief fight, Spartan realizes that the 'scraps' are not violent criminals, but are simply attempting to procure food.
The next day, Spartan is amazed that he can knit, a skill he did not posses in 1996. Huxley reveals that, while in CryoPrison, a subject can be given both new skills and desires. Spartan was given the skills and desire to knit. They then find out that Phoenix was given several terrorist based skills, and deduce that he was given the desire to kill Friendly. They then infer that it was Cocteau who did it as this would also explain why Phoenix was unable to kill Cocteau, he could have been programmed not to. Meanwhile, Phoenix confronts Cocteau again and demands the release of several other criminals under the guise of needing additional men to kill Friendly.
Entering the Wasteland in search of Phoenix, Spartan, Huxley and sidekick Alfredo Garcia (Benjamin Bratt) meet Friendly face to face. Friendly exposits that the reason for his defiance is that he is a free thinking individual who only wants to be left alone to live his life as he chooses. Phoenix shows up at that moment to kill Friendly, and sees Spartan. Spartan and Phoenix fight, which leads to a car chase through the San Angeles streets. During this fight, Phoenix reveals that the bus passengers he kidnapped in 1996 were already dead before Spartan arrived, so the latter went to prison for a crime he never committed.
Phoenix eventually gets away, but Spartan and Huxley pursue him in a 1970 Hurst Oldsmobile Cutlass 442 to the CryoPrison. Along the way, they find the body of Cocteau, shot dead by one of Phoenix’s men, and learn that Phoenix is thawing out the prison’s worst offenders. Spartan renders Huxley unconscious with a 'stun baton' for her own safety, and goes after Phoenix alone. Spartan and Phoenix have a climactic battle in the CryoPrison, which eventually results in Phoenix being frozen completely solid, his head being shattered, and the complex exploding. Spartan barely escapes to the sight of Earle and Friendly. He tells the two of them to compromise on making a new society, one that is less restrictive. Then Spartan kisses Huxley and the two walk off as the credits start to roll.
Setting
The film depicts a future society in which crime and violence are rare and seen as remnants of the 20th century.
Hints are dropped throughout the movie that the United States underwent a period of anarchy before it was stabilized. In particular, Taco Bell is the only restaurant available, because it won the "Franchise Wars". In some versions in Australia, Europe and the Arab World this was changed to Pizza Hut, another PepsiCo (now Yum! Brands) franchise that is more popular in those countries. In some television edits, the restaurant name was removed altogether.[citation needed]
Several distinctive euphemisms and neologisms are used in the film: homicide is referred to as a "non-sanctioned life termination" and as "Murder Death Kill" or "MDK". A homicide has not taken place in 16 years, and the police are initially confused when the reports come in, having forgotten the code. In addition, even the mildest profanity is a violation of the Verbal Morality Statute, and punishable by police reprimand or a fine of one half to one credit per violation, which is automatically deducted from a citizen's finances. The perpetrator is dispensed a ticket by a machine. Perhaps to suggest the infantilisation of the 21st-century population, the favorite songs of the time are old 20th-century children's commercial jingles and many words have gained redundant, childish repetitions: to be happy is to experience "joy-joy" feelings, the policemen's stun batons are referred to as "baton-tons"; Edgar Friendly acknowledges, perhaps ironically, that Spartan has "ball-balls".
It is explained that anything "not good for you" is deemed "bad" and therefore illegal, including alcohol, caffeine, contact sports, non-educational toys, meat, spicy and unhealthy food, table salt and tobacco. Firearms can only be seen in museums. Physical contact was recognized as causing the spread of disease and is now seen as unusual. Even high-fives have been replaced with energetic waving. "Sex" is no longer a physical act for the same reasons, and even kissing is not condoned. Instead, "Vir-Sex" is performed by using sex simulators worn on the participants' heads to replace physical intercourse. Procreation is carried out in a laboratory; abortion is illegal, but so is unlicensed pregnancy. Toilet paper has been replaced by a set of seashell-like items, though their method of use is left unexplained in the movie (though Stallone later suggested a possible method in an interview as told to him by one of the film's writers[3]).
During a conversation with Spartan, Huxley reveals that Arnold Schwarzenegger had become president, as his popularity led to the elimination (via the 61st Amendment to the Constitution) of the requirement that the U.S. President be a natural-born citizen.
Props
Filming locations
The new Los Angeles Convention Center is used in an establishing shot, with superimposed matting of futuristic buildings composited in the background.
The building used for exterior shots of the SAPD building was the California Headquarters of GTE in Thousand Oaks.
The police station in the background the first time Stallone goes outside as an officer is The Baxter building in Westlake Village, CA.
The Pacific Design Center, in West Hollywood is used for the exterior shot of Lenina Huxley's apartment building.
More filming locations can be seen here.[6]
Cast
Steven Seagal and Jean Claude Van Damme were the original choices for the role of John Spartan and Simon Phoenix respectively. But Van Damme refused to play the character of Phoenix and asked for the role of John. When Steven Segal refused to play the villain, both men left the project. Jackie Chan was offered the role of Simon Phoenix but he turned it down saying he never wants to play a villain.
Sandra Bullock's character's name 'Lenina Huxley' is a reference to Aldous Huxley, the author of Brave New World, and Lenina Crowne, a character in Brave New World.[7]
Jack Black played one of the "Wasteland Scraps" in the underground scene, who flinches when Spartan shoves the gun out of his face and says "And Cocteau's an asshole!" [8]
Jesse Ventura, former WWE wrestler and later Governor of Minnesota, played one of Simon Phoenix's Cryocon allies.
Rob Schneider played Erwin, one of the operators in the Los Angeles Police control room; he would also play opposite Stallone in the 1995 movie Judge Dredd.[9]
Sandra Bullock replaced original actress Lori Petty in the role of Lt Lenina Huxley after a few days filming.[10]
Then-football player Bill Goldberg, who would later become a famous professional wrestling superstar, appears in the film in a cameo[citation needed].
At one point in the movie, John Spartan is seen protecting an unknown female Scrap from Phoenix and his revived gang. Going by the novelization, this is likely his daughter (now the same age he is), who was mentioned several times in passing but never actually seen in the movie. In the novel, she reintroduced herself to her father moments before Phoenix's attack occurred. This would suggest that the scenes featuring her were filmed or written in the shooting script, but subsequently cut.
Trivia
- Warden William Smithers is named after the actor William Smithers who played the sadistic Warden Barrot in Papillon (1973).
- A poster for Lethal Weapon 3 (1992) can be seen in Lenina Huxley's office. Both films had Mark Poll as a set designer and Joel Silver as producer. Steve Kahan portrays Stallone's Los Angeles police department Captain, much like the commanding officer of Mel Gibson and Danny Glover's characters from the Lethal Weapon movies.
- Benjamin Bratt's character, "Alfredo Garcia", is named after the Sam Peckinpah’s film Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia (1974).
- Lenina Huxley tells John Spartan about the Arnold Schwarzenegger Presidential Library, explaining that, based on the sheer popularity of his movies, a Constitutional amendment was passed in order for Schwarzenegger to run for president, which, according to Huxley, he did. In 2003, ten years after this film's release, Arnold Schwarzenegger was elected governor of California and shortly after his election, three senators separately proposed amendments to the US Constitution to allow naturalized citizens to become president. Additionally, Stallone, along with Schwarzenegger, Bruce Willis, and Demi Moore backed the opening of the Planet Hollywood restaurant chain.
- In the scene where it is discovered that Phoenix has escaped from CryoPrison, the name Scott Peterson can be seen above Phoenix's in the inmate parole listings. Ironically, Scott Peterson is an American who was convicted of the 2002 murder of his wife, Laci Peterson, and their unborn child in 2005.
- The original name of the movie was "Future Cop".
- During a scene where Spartan and Huxley surface up through the floor of an auto dealer's showroom in an old freight elevator, you can see a futuristic logo for the now defunct Oldsmobile brand of General Motors.
- Sandra Bullock's costume during the Taco Bell sequence was made of stones and gems weighing approximately 40 pounds. After the fight scene outside the restaurant when her character gleefully jumps and replays the action, her dress actually started to rip, which is why she is holding her arms to her sides after Stallone walks away.
- "Lenina Huxley" is a reference to the character "Lenina Crowne", a character in "Brave New World" by Aldous Huxley. At one point she says to John Spartan, "You are a savage creature, John Spartan" thus alluding to the Brave New World character John the Savage. Also, when Phoenix picks up the ray gun after it has finally charged, he says "It's a brave new world."
- According to the commentary found on the RC1 DVD, there were some scenes deleted from the movie including a subplot involving Spartan's daughter and the murder of Zachary Lamb by Phoenix.
- Sylvester Stallone wanted the Simon Phoenix character to be played by Jackie Chan. Chan declined, since Asian audiences do not like the idea of actors who have always played heroes suddenly playing evil characters.
- During TV replays, the computer announcing the reanimation of Jeffrey Dahmer and Simon Phoenix's line "I love that guy!" is deleted. Dahmer was killed in "normal" prison after release of the movie so the line became anachronistic.
Reference to popular culture
- 2001: A Space Odyssey - After breaking out of the cryogenic prison and using the information booth, Wesley Snipes refers to the booth as HAL from this 1968 film by Stanley Kubrick.
- Rambo - In the museum armory, Simon Phoenix (Wesley Snipes) referred to one of the mannequins as Rambo, a character played by Sylvester Stallone in these three earlier movies.
- After the car chase when John Spartan frees himself from the 'Secure Foam', Lenina Huxley is concerned about his injuries. He comments, "All I need is a needle and thread. I really didn't say that did I?". An obvious reference to John Rambo.
- Star Wars - When John Spartan throws Alfredo Garcia's handy computer in order for Spartan to singlehandedly arrest Phoenix, John Spartan says: "Hey Luke Skywalker, use the Force!".
- Scarface - When Simon Phoenix is fighting John Spartan in Lenina Huxley's car, he says "Say hello to my little friend!" a quote from this 1983 film starring Al Pacino.
- Jackie Chan - At one point Lenina Huxley surprises John Spartan by showing her karate moves. John Spartan asks Lenina Huxley where did she learned that. Lenina Huxley states that she learned it from Jackie Chan movies. In reality, Stallone and this famous martial arts actor are good friends.
- Jeffrey Dahmer - During some television replays, the computer announcing the reanimation of this real-life serial killer and Simon Phoenix says: "I love that guy!" is deleted. In real life, this serial killer was killed in "normal" prison after release of this movie so the line became anachronistic.
- Star Trek - When looking around the museum armory, Simon Phoenix says "Wait a minute. This is the future. Where are all the phaser guns?"
Soundtrack
The theme song to the film is titled "Demolition Man" and is played over the end credits. It is a remix (heavier version) of the song originally written by Sting and recorded during his time as frontman for The Police. The song was first released in 1981, as the fifth track on the band's fourth album, Ghost in the Machine. Sting released an EP featuring this song and other live tracks, entitled Demolition Man.
Acclaimed composer Elliot Goldenthal composed the score for the film; it was his second big Hollywood project after the Alien³ score.
Toy line
Main article: Demolition Man (Toy Line)
Demolition Man toys were released in 1993. The Mattel toys for the movie were based on their "New Adventures of He-Man" style of figures.
Wave One Figures
- Battle Baton Spartan
- Bazooka Attack Spartan
- Kick Fighting Spartan
- Battle Hook Friendly
- Cryo-Claw Tech
- Blast Attack Phoenix
- Flame-Throwing Phoenix
Wave One Vehicles
- Bolajet
- Fast Blast 442 (re-used for the LAST ACTION HERO toy line)
Under the Mattel Hot Wheels banner, they released 9 die-cast Hot Wheels of the vehicles from the film.
1993 Hot Wheels Demolition Man Collection
- GM Ultralite
- Corvette Sting Ray III
- GM Lean Machine
- Pontiac Salsa
- Pontiac Banshee
- Chevrolet AAC Camaro
- Olds 442
- Buick Wildcat
- Oldsmobile Aurora
Game adaptations
Virgin Interactive released Demolition Man on various home video game systems. The 16-bit versions were distributed by Acclaim. The 3DO version of the game was a first-person shooter that incorporated Full Motion Video scenes, with both Sylvester Stallone and Wesley Snipes reprising their roles as their characters.
In April 1994, Williams released a widebody pinball game, Demolition Man (based on the movie). It is designed by Dennis Nordman. This game features sound clips from the movie, as well as original speech by Stallone and Snipes. This game was part of WMS' SuperPin series (Twilight Zone, Indiana Jones, etc.).
References
- ^ http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=demolitionman.htm
- ^ "Demolition Man (1993) - Box office / business". Imdb.com. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0106697/business. Retrieved 2009-05-08.
- ^ "Round Two With Stallone: Rocky, Beverly Hills Cop, Rambo 4, Elvis, Poe, Horror, Incredibles 2 & Seashells... - Ain't It Cool News: The best in movie, TV, DVD, and comic book news". Aintitcool.com. 2006-12-02. http://www.aintitcool.com/node/30865. Retrieved 2009-05-08.
- ^ http://www.hkpro.com/g11.htm
- ^ http://imcdb.org/vehicle_3338-GM-Ultralite.html
- ^ "Demolition Man (1993) - Filming locations". Imdb.com. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0106697/locations. Retrieved 2009-03-09.
- ^ James, Caryn (1993-10-24). "FILM VIEW; 'Demolition Man' Makes Recycling an Art - The". New York Times. http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9F0CE2D71239F937A15753C1A965958260. Retrieved 2009-03-09.
- ^ IMDB:Black http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0085312/
- ^ IMDB:Schneider http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001705/
- ^ http://tv.yahoo.com/lori-petty/contributor/31686/bio
External links
