John Carpenter takes on the role of writer, composer, and director in Escape from New York, a post-apocalyptic sci-fi film where a large portion of New York City is converted into the biggest prison in the world, with all criminals in the United States sentenced there. When the President is kidnapped and taken abruptly into the heart of the prison, the government will turn to former soldier turned convict Snake Plissken to rescue him within twenty-four hours in exchange for a full pardon of his crimes.