Escape from St. Louis… I mean, New York.

*NOTE - This article was originally written in March of 2007 for the newsletter.

Hollywood seems quite fond of remaking classic, and not so classic, films. When I heard that “300” star Gerard Butler was going to star (allegedly) in a remake of the cult classic, Escape from New York (1981), I just couldn’t pass up on the opportunity to share my thoughts.

For those unfamiliar, the original movie was a John Carpenter film starring Kurt Russell as felon Snake Plisskeen. In a post-apocalyptic future (1997 in the film), New York had become a maximum security prison and it looks a little worse for wear. When an airplane carrying the President of the United States crashes on the island, Snake is charged with rescuing him in exchange for his freedom.

You are probably wondering how this is relevant to the St. Louis real estate market. After all, I’m not a film critic. The reason it is relevant is because the movie was filmed in St. Louis. For most films this would be considered an honor, but for this particular film it was anything but. St. Louis was chosen as the filming location, not for its scenic skyline or spacious urban park, but for its barren and desolate landscape. This was an era prior to the loft conversions of Washington and Locust; prior to the building of the Edward Jones dome; even prior to the renovation of the Fox Theatre and Union Station. A careful viewing of the film reveals these structures for the dilapidated structures they once were.

We might still have our fair share of problems in St. Louis, but we sure have come a long way in 26 years. We might move slow in some regards, but you can’t argue that we haven’t made any progress.

In determining a filming location for this remake, scouts visiting St. Louis would be met with an entirely different landscape than during the filming of the original. What was once a dangerous eyesore has become a desirable residential and commercial area.

So the next time you feel frustrated with the City for its poor schools or its blighted areas, pop in a copy of Escape from New York. It’ll put a smile on your face.