» Big House Bunny (1950, USA)
I’d like to say that this provides some rare insight into prison life. I’d also like to be able to run 10km. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted on May 15th, 2010 at 9:58 pm. Updated on May 15th, 2010 at 9:58 pm.
» Unspeakable (2002, USA)
Unspeakable necessarily invites comparison with Silence of the Lambs (1991) given that both involve a psychopathic serial killer playing mind games with a pretty woman who wants to get inside his head. None of the comparisons are flattering to this one – which has a speakable mediocrity. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted on May 8th, 2010 at 11:21 pm. Updated on May 9th, 2010 at 11:02 pm.
» Convict 13 (1921, USA)
Not only is this Buster Keaton offering funnier than many more recent prison comedies (including the various Laurel and Hardy prison movies that followed soon after), it has the advantage of only having to sustain itself for 20 minutes… so there is little time for any audience to get restless. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted on May 6th, 2010 at 11:18 pm. Updated on May 6th, 2010 at 11:18 pm.
» Lady in the Death House (1944, USA)
I used to think I could pick a prison movie. This proves I can’t. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted on May 4th, 2010 at 10:46 pm. Updated on May 4th, 2010 at 10:46 pm.
» Doing Hard Time (2004, USA)
This hints at being a straightforward revenge story: grieving father seeks to avenge the death of his son. It starts with a couple of biblical references about vengeance and man being called upon to shed the blood of those who shed blood. Curiously, it then introduces a little-known footnote to Exodus 21: 23-24 (“a life for a life, an eye for an eye..”) along the lines of ‘if your son is shot through the eye, shoot the shooter through the eye’; you are not merely called upon to avenge the death, apparently, but to avenge the death using exactly the same method. In jail, that can add considerably to the degree of difficulty. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted on May 2nd, 2010 at 5:53 pm. Updated on May 2nd, 2010 at 6:07 pm.
» Todos a la Cárcel (1993, Spain)
Translating as ‘Everyone to Prison‘, this is a satire-tinged farce. My guess is that it helps to have an understanding of contemporary Spanish politics; sadly, I don’t. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted on April 26th, 2010 at 6:14 pm. Updated on May 8th, 2010 at 11:31 pm.
» The Mayor of Hell (1933, USA)
The premise is an interesting one: treat reform school delinquents as responsible young men, and they will respond accordingly. It makes for an enjoyable film, but probably doesn’t work quite so well as a blueprint for running reform schools… in 1933 or now. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted on April 25th, 2010 at 10:06 pm. Updated on April 25th, 2010 at 10:06 pm.
» 13 Dead Men (2003, USA)
This is the sort of movie that gives prisons a bad name. And filmmakers a worse one. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted on April 24th, 2010 at 9:00 pm. Updated on April 26th, 2010 at 12:06 am.
» Numbered Men (1930, USA)
While The Big House (1930) is generally credited with being the grand-daddy of the prison movie genre, the corny Numbered Men – released in the same year – is very forgettable. And a bit confused. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted on April 24th, 2010 at 3:39 pm. Updated on April 25th, 2010 at 11:02 pm.
» Ladies They Talk About (1932, USA)
Adapted from a play by Dorothy Mackaye who spent a spot of time in San Quentin herself, this is one of the earliest Women-in-Prison movies. Quite a few actresses have since borrowed heavily from Barbara Stanwyck’s portrayal of a tough gangster moll in prison, while the film Lady Gangster (1942) borrowed heavily from the whole first half of the movie. Well, stole it, actually. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted on April 18th, 2010 at 9:15 pm. Updated on April 18th, 2010 at 9:15 pm.