News

Universal Pictures has created a cool, interactive Web feature to help promote its forthcoming action thriller Death Race, an updated remake of the 1973 film about violent racing. Cruise on over to www.deathracemovie.net and spend a little time playing in the "Death Race Workshop," where you can pimp your ride.

All you need to do is upload a photo of your own vehicle or choose one of the default cars on the website. You can customize the ride with your choice of weapons, decals, insignias, and other assorted accoutrements. Once you've tricked out your car, you can save it to be your desktop wallpaper or send it to your friends.

It's a creative way to "kill" some time at work and get yourself psyched for the film, featuring action hero Jason Statham as Jensen Ames. In the film, Ames is a prisoner navigating an over-crowded correctional facility that thins out the population's herd by forcing inmates to race to the death, freeing up cell space while providing some bloody action. Ames dons a Frankenstein mask and is forced to compete in bloodsport racing, driving a monster car outfitted with machine guns, flamethrowers, grenade launchers, among other car accessories. The prison's warden, played by the usually conservative Joan Allen, offers Ames an ultimatum: shut up and drive or rot in your cell. Ames accepts the challenge and sets out to win the most dangerous spectator sport known to man. Death Race hits theaters on August 22.

—The ARTISTdirect Staff
07.25.08