Plot
In the late 1970s, the United States is no more due to a financial crisis and military coup. Major political parties have collapsed into a single Bipartisan Party, which also acts as a unified national church. The resulting fascist police state, the United Provinces, is headed by "Mr. President" (Sandy McCallum). The country is kept satisfied through a stream of gory gladiatorial entertainment, including the Annual Transcontinental Death Race, a symbol of modern values and way of life. During the coast-to-coast, three-day race points are scored not just for speed, but for the number of innocent pedestrians killed during the race.
Frankenstein (David Carradine) is the most celebrated racer and is the government's champion. He is supposedly part human and part machine, rebuilt after many crashes, and wears a mask because of his disfigured face. He regularly battles with the other drivers and Frankenstein's main foe is "Machine Gun" Joe Viterbo (Sylvester Stallone), who hates always being second and frequently tries to beat Frankenstein.
Each race driver has a theme. Frankenstein drives a Shala Vette, a custom-built car designed by Dick Dean. Joe is a Gangster, and his truck has a giant knife and machine guns mounted on the front. His navigator is the feisty, blonde haired Myra (Louisa Moritz). Nero The Hero, a fan of the Roman Empire, drives "The Lion", a feline-shaped Fiat 850 Spider, and his navigator is Cleopatra. Matilda The Hun, a Nazi, has the "The Buzz-Bomb", a VW Karmann-Ghia shaped like V-1 flying bomb, and her navigator is Herman 'The German' Boch. Cowboy Calamity Jane's car resembles a bull and her navigator is named Pete.
Play-by-play race coverage is provided by Junior Bruce (Don Steele), an egotistical and often annoying sportscaster. Color commentary is given by the fawning Grace Pander (Joyce Jameson) and the stoic "Harold" (Carle Bensen), a character apparently modeled after veteran sportscaster Howard Cosell, who provides historical insight to various parts of the race coverage. In one notable scene, Harold describes the scoring system, with points given for hit-and-run victims ranging by age.
In 2000, during the 20th annual race, a resistance group led by Thomasina Paine (Harriet Medin), a descendant of 1770's American Revolutionist Thomas Paine, wants to assassinate Frankenstein and replace him with one of their agents. The group is assisted by Paine's great granddaughter Annie (Simone Griffeth), Frankenstein's latest navigator. She plans to lure him into an ambush to be replaced by a double. The resistance's disruption of the race is blamed on the French, who are also blamed for ruining the country's economy and telephone system.
It becomes clear that Frankenstein is not a willing government stooge, nor is he the only one. The current Frankenstein is one of many people trained to race in the role. "When one is used up, they bring in another," he tells Annie. The current Frankenstein also has his own plans: win the race and shake hands with Mr. President, detonating a grenade which has been implanted in his prosthetic right hand (he calls it his "hand grenade").
Frankenstein successfully outmaneuvers both the rival drivers and the Resistance, and is declared the winner, although he is wounded and unable to carry out his original grenade attack plan,since Annie used the grenade to kill an attacking Joe Viterbo. Annie instead dons Frankenstein's disguise and plans to stab Mr. President while with him on the podium. Greeting the president as he congratulates Frankenstein (and declares war on the French), Annie is mistakenly shot and wounded by her grandmother. The real Frankenstein finally succeeds in killing the President by ramming the stage with his car.
In an epilogue, Annie and Frankenstein marry. Frankenstein, now President, abolishes the race and the perverse laws of the Provinces. He does make a point, however, of running over sportscaster Junior Bruce as he protests the abolition of the race. As the closing credits roll, Harold can be heard giving a brief narration of the history of violence.
Read more about this topic: Death Race 2000
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