“Death Race 2000” The reason why this super cult work that foresaw the future is loved is because of its “black comedy”! ?

A skill that dared to turn human's "violence" into a black comedy

Aside from the intense story and overly quirky characters, another element that enhances the appeal of this film is its unique worldview. At the time of production, the 1975 staff envisioned the future of "2000." As it was made on a low budget, the background is a clear "picture," and the image of a packed stadium is actually a completely different image. As various B-grade tricks swirl around, we gradually come to understand the dystopia that this film depicts.

The truth is revealed there. Apparently, this transcontinental race is a government-sponsored event, and at the beginning, the president appears and gives a speech saying, "My children! My beloved people! Throughout history, humankind has always sought entertainment. Now, let us give you what you want!" It seems that the world is different from the year 2000 that we know, and the United States, the country of freedom and equality, has become a complete dictatorship. Spectators, organizers, and race participants all love violence more than they love food. Every time they open their mouths, they all shout, "Violence! Violence!" Who on earth could have put such a world in such a state?

The original work is a short story written by Eve Melchior. The idea came to Melchior when he was watching a car race. At that moment, a car racing in front of him crashed violently. While the racer was in flames and dying, the spectators did not panic, but cheered loudly at the situation in front of them. He incorporated the despair-like realization he felt there, "Do humans really love violence..." into the theme of the short story.

However, at this point, the film had a very serious flavor. It was none other than producer Roger Corman, the “king of B-movies,” who turned it into a black comedy. When Melchior saw the finished film, he was initially dissatisfied with Corman, saying, “You’ve done my original story like this!” But later, he felt, “Wait, this might actually be a good movie.” Even though the style changed, the theme of “human violence” remained strong. He was very happy that the filmmakers, including Corman, had grasped his intentions.

Indeed, this is where Roger Corman's skill shines. This film is filled with various extreme elements such as instinctive human violence, eroticism, political criticism, and social satire, but Corman never confronts these realistically or directly. By using his secret weapon of "black comedy," he lightens the style so that it doesn't become oppressive, and provides the audience with a perspective from which to "overlook" the situation.

This allows Corman to rebuke those who say, "That's insensitive!" by saying, "Come on, it's a comedy." If they say, "That's a criticism of the government!", he can escape by saying, "No, it's a story set in the future." But even so, the audience's imagination is constantly stimulated, and through this absurd story, we end up thinking about universal themes. This is Corman's most powerful film technique.

That is why, even 40 years after its release, the movie continues to attract enthusiastic audiences at theaters, as in this revival screening. The unique taste of this black comedy gives it a universality that never gets old. With just this one idea, despite the low budget, Roger Corman may have found a way to survive the test of time. Whether it's 10 years from now or 50 years from now, this film will continue to reign as a reliable and trustworthy B-grade cult film.

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