3. Escape From New York
In 1981, John Carpenter and Kurt Russell brought us one of the most iconic action heroes of all time, Snake Plissken, in Escape from New York. The low budget film was a substantial hit upon its release, making 25 million dollars off a budget of 6 million, and went on to be a cult sensation. Fans clamoured for more Plissken exploits but MGM, the studio that produced Escape from New York, had to wait until 2003 to release a special edition of the feature because the original negatives disappeared. Years at the film's initial release, a workprint containing missing footage that had been deleted from the final cut of the film surfaced in the Hutchinson, Kansas' Salt Mine Film Depository. In 2003, MGM finally released Escape from New York's special edition, including the recently discovered lost footage. Plissken fans were treated to a scene introducing the character, Plissken robbing a bank, and more Plissken backstory.