Demolition Man

References and trivia

The film runs for 110 minutes, and is available on VHS and DVD. The film is heavily shown on US cable television networks, partly because several of its cast members (Snipes, Bullock, Bratt) became more famous after the film's initial release.

Related Topics:
VHS - DVD

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The future world portrayed in the movie, where human reproduction has been entirely relegated to medical science, and humanity was kept from its own bloody past in the interests of society, is strongly reminiscent of Aldous Huxley's Brave New World. Bullock's character is a reference to this - "Lenina Huxley" combines Huxley's surname with the first name of a major character in the book. Additionally, both Chief Earle and Huxley refer to John Spartan as a "savage" - making him "John the Savage" (another character from Brave New World). In one scene, Phoenix comments that it is a "brave a new world".

Related Topics:
Aldous Huxley - Brave New World - John the Savage

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Certain distinctive terms and neologisms are used in the film; for example, a homicide is referred to as a "non-sanctioned life termination" in one sequence, and as "Murder Death Kill" in several others. In addition, the use of even the mildest profanity is a violation of the Verbal Morality Statute, and is punishable by a fine which is automatically deducted from a citizen's finances (with an automated printer dispensing the ticket).

Related Topics:
Neologism - Homicide - Profanity - Fine

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There are some hints dropped throughout the movie about how the United States may have undergone a period of anarcho-capitalism before it was stabilized. In particular, Taco Bell is the only restaurant available, because it won the "Franchise Wars". (In some European versions of the film, this was changed to Pizza Hut; in some television edits, the restaurant name was removed altogether, in a rather clumsy fashion.)

Related Topics:
Anarcho-capitalism - Taco Bell - Pizza Hut

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General Motors allowed the movie's producers to use many of their prototype automobiles on the condition that the movie feature their Oldsmobile brand. This was requested to show that the brand had a future - which was in question even in 1993. Ironically, eleven years later, the Oldsmobile marque would be retired - long before the movie's fictional 2032 setting.

Related Topics:
General Motors - Oldsmobile - Marque

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In one scene, the "Arnold Schwarzenegger Presidential Library" is mentioned. Although the idea was clearly intended as satire in 1993 (particularly in a film starring Stallone), some fans (of the film or Schwarzenegger) have speculated that such a thing could become possible in the near future if Schwarzenegger's political career is successful and the U.S. Constitution is subsequently amended to allow foreign-born citizens to serve as President - indeed, this is also mentioned in the same scene. While Schwarzenegger is unlikely to become President (the necessary change in U.S. law would take too long to complete), Schwarzenegger has become governor of California, so the reference could be considered indirectly prophetic in that Schwarzenegger has since become a U.S. politician.

Related Topics:
Arnold Schwarzenegger - Satire - U.S. Constitution - President

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In another scene satirizing Stallone, Phoenix breaks the glass surrounding a museum's gun exhibit by hurling a guard into it, then takes the guns. As he takes them, he says, "Sorry, Rambo, I'm gonna need these" -- an obvious reference to Stallone.

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A subplot that was shot but not included because of time limits was that Lenina Huxley was the daughter of John Spartan. Also cut was a scene of Phoenix killing Spartan's old friend, helicopter pilot Zachary Lamb.

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The theme song to the film is also called Demolition Man and is played over the end credits. It is a remix of the song originally written by Sting and recorded during his time as frontman for The Police. The song was first released in 1981, as the fifth track on the band's fourth album, Ghost In The Machine.

Related Topics:
Sting - The Police - 1981 - Ghost In The Machine

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The mid-movie rant of Edgar Friendly (Denis Leary) against life in San Angeles is reminiscent of Leary's stand-up comedy routine.

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