Pop quiz: what do Miley Cyrus, Zac Efron, Zendaya, and Kurt Russell all have in common? The answer: they all kicked off their careers as Disney kids! That’s right, as hard as it is to believe, Kurt Russell didn’t just come out of the gate being the badass we all know him as today; once upon a time he was one of Disney’s biggest stars, appearing in gimmicky comedies like The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes, The Barefoot Executive, and Now You See Him, Now You Don’t. He shared such a close, personal relationship with Disney, that the last words he ever wrote was the name “Kurt Russell” on a piece of paper. To this day, nobody including Russell is quite sure what he meant.
But after being given a shot to play Elvis Presley in a TV movie made by a young up-and-comer named John Carpenter, Kurt made the transition from goofy boy-next-door to certified leading man. He didn’t leave the charm behind though. That charisma combined with his good looks and some of the best hair a man could ask for have ensured Kurt’s still a much sought-after movie star.
While we can go on all day about his incredible filmography, we’re here to focus on two of his most iconic performances. Quickly following his impressive turn as Elvis, Kurt re-teamed with Carpenter for the thriller ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK, in which he played stone-faced convict Snake Plissken. Some years later, and following another team-up for the horror classic The Thing, Russell and Carpenter reunited for the decidedly different action-comedy BIG TROUBLE IN LITTLE CHINA, where Kurt plays lovable trucker Jack Burton. The two movies, and characters, couldn’t be more different, but they’re perfect showcases for the one-of-a-kind former Disney Kid, who we’d want on our side no matter what the situation. So now it’s up to us to tackle a very difficult showdown between these two indelible characters. It’s a Snake Plissken/Jack Burton FACE-OFF!
This episode of Face Off is written by Eric Walkuski, narrated by Shawn Knippelberg, and edited by Lance Vlcek. Watch previous episodes below and let us know in the comments which Kurt Russell character you prefer — Snake Plissken or Jack Burton!