# Ok What Was The Best Prison Movie? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 20, 2001, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-what-was-the-best-prison-movie/58714 "2001-03-20T14:23:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![todaystomsawyer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/59ef9b/32.png) [@todaystomsawyer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/todaystomsawyer)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2001, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-what-was-the-best-prison-movie/58714/41 "2001-03-21T17:39:12Z")
1. The Shawshank Redemption 2. The Hurricane 3. American Me 4. Blood In Blood Out After sharing this post with a coworker, now I feel I must watch Stalag 17 and Cool Hand Luke. ---
**Author:** ![bouv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bc8723/32.png) [@bouv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bouv)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2001, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-what-was-the-best-prison-movie/58714/42 "2001-03-21T19:23:09Z")
I think it was a Showtime original I saw a while back, I think it was called **Cellblock Sisters**. Definitly a great movie. But I have to put up a vote for **Shawshank Redemption.** ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2001, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-what-was-the-best-prison-movie/58714/43 "2001-03-23T14:38:58Z")
Is Runaway Train. Great movie about actual prisons and mental prisons. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2001, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-what-was-the-best-prison-movie/58714/44 "2001-03-23T15:34:48Z")
> [@](#): > > - Originally posted by betenoir\* > > > [@](#): > > > > - > > > > ``` > > Originally posted by RealityChuck * > > "I am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang" -- not only a great film, but highly influential, not only as a film, but as a social document. > > > > ``` > > ``` > Damn. You beat me to it. Yeah, if a film changes society that should count for something. > > Of course now chain gangs are back. Time for a remake? > > ``` There’s already been a remake of sorts: [The Man Who Broke 1,000 Chains](http://us.imdb.com/Details?0093485). ---
**Author:** ![kawliga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ea666f/32.png) [@kawliga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kawliga)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2001, 6:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-what-was-the-best-prison-movie/58714/45 "2001-03-24T06:58:02Z")
RIOT IN CELL BLOCK ELEVEN (1954) Directed by Don Siegel, starring Neville Brand. ---
**Author:** ![tclouie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/838e76/32.png) [@tclouie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tclouie)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2001, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-what-was-the-best-prison-movie/58714/46 "2001-03-24T15:26:31Z")
Stir Crazy. Richard Pryor and Gene Wilder. Nuff said. ---
**Author:** ![Gazoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ce73a5/32.png) [@Gazoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gazoo)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2001, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-what-was-the-best-prison-movie/58714/47 "2001-03-24T19:38:17Z")
Having seen it over 200 times, I have to vote for _Cool Hand Luke_ as not only the best prison movie, but my favorite movie of all time. _Shawshank Redemption_ and _Stalag 17_ would round out my top three. [splitting hairs] > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by \*\*plnnr \*\*\* > Obviously “what we have here is a failure…to communicate.” This should be - “Now, what we _got_ here…is a failure to communicate.” [/splitting hairs] ---
**Author:** ![kniz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c37758/32.png) [@kniz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kniz)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2001, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-what-was-the-best-prison-movie/58714/48 "2001-03-24T21:20:38Z")
Like Regis says, I’m going with the first thing that came to mind: “Cool Hand Luke”. ---
**Author:** ![Silo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ac91a4/32.png) [@Silo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silo)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2001, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-what-was-the-best-prison-movie/58714/49 "2001-03-25T03:13:58Z")
“Cool Hand Luke” “Escape from Alcatrazz” & “Pappilon” …get my votes. ---
**Author:** ![DAVEW0071](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e19b73/32.png) [@DAVEW0071](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DAVEW0071)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2001, 1:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-what-was-the-best-prison-movie/58714/50 "2001-03-25T13:06:10Z")
Haven’t seen a lot of prison movies, but _Cool Hand Luke_ is, IMO, one of the best movies around. It really hits me at gut level the way few movies do. But there’s a lot to think about, too. Someone mentioned _Shawshank’s_ use of color. I’ll take your word for it, but that, to me, is partly technical and partly a director’s choice. _Luke_ is meant to be washed out and dusty. That’s part of the point, and it makes a statement about all of these men, the bosses included (they are mostly black and white, aren’t they?) The cutting, camera angles and choices of shots in _Luke_ are intelligent and forceful. Plus, I keep getting blown away by all the Christ imagery in that movie. It keeps surprising me. _Cool Hand Luke_ is more than just a prison movie, therefore it gets my vote. ---
**Author:** ![Pies\_R\_Squared](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/d78d45/32.png) [@Pies\_R\_Squared](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pies_R_Squared)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2001, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-what-was-the-best-prison-movie/58714/51 "2001-03-25T13:18:42Z")
I think _Shawshank Redemption_ is great, but my first choice is _ **Chicken Run** _, no doubt about it. ---
**Author:** ![Gazoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ce73a5/32.png) [@Gazoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gazoo)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2001, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-what-was-the-best-prison-movie/58714/52 "2001-03-26T01:15:18Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by DAVEW0071 \* > \*\*Plus, I keep getting blown away by all the Christ imagery in that movie. It keeps surprising me. > > _Cool Hand Luke_ is more than just a prison movie, therefore it gets my vote. \*\* I agree. _Luke_ is much more than a prison movie. It’s a story about a guy who rebels against _any_ authority. The scene after he ate the eggs and is lying on the table is moving. As are the songs being song in the back ground as he digs, fills in, digs, etc., the grave. I’ve had several copies of the movie on tape. In one, taped from TV, there is something that doesn’t appear on the others. It’s probably an error, but it makes that tape my favorite. When Luke comes back after the second escape (after the boys have the picture), he’s beat to hell. After scolding the men to “get after yourselves, stop feedin’ off me!” He stumbles, raises his arm in anticipation of assistance and says “Where are you?\* Where are you now!!??” This one tape has a pre-echo of the “where are you now?” line right where the \* is. ---
**Author:** ![Randy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2acd7d/32.png) [@Randy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Randy)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2001, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-what-was-the-best-prison-movie/58714/53 "2001-03-26T04:42:40Z")
Some of you, gonna hafta get your minds right here. **Cool Hand Luke** That’s it. I don’t think anyone has mentioned “The Great Escape” yet. That was a good one too. ---
**Author:** ![exchicagoan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/0ea827/32.png) [@exchicagoan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/exchicagoan)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2001, 5:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-what-was-the-best-prison-movie/58714/54 "2001-03-26T05:43:40Z")
Hey----all you COOL HAND LUKE guys out there—be truthful----If that “blonde washing the car” scene hadn’t been in there; would you STILL hold this film in such high regard? LOL!! My choice-----BRUTE FORCE!!! Head and shoulders above everything else. Impressed THIS kid in 1947. Distant 2nd was RIOT IN CELLBLOCK 11-----Neville Brand ( his Chester in the original D.O.A has never been equaled in the “psycho” department) Honorable mention to CAGED (for us gals) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-what-was-the-best-prison-movie/58714.md?page=2)