- The Shawshank Redemption
- The Hurricane
- American Me
- Blood In Blood Out
After sharing this post with a coworker, now I feel I must watch Stalag 17 and Cool Hand Luke.
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.
Is Runaway Train. Great movie about actual prisons and mental prisons.
There’s already been a remake of sorts: The Man Who Broke 1,000 Chains.
RIOT IN CELL BLOCK ELEVEN (1954)
Directed by Don Siegel, starring Neville Brand.
Stir Crazy. Richard Pryor and Gene Wilder. Nuff said.
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]
This should be - “Now, what we got here…is a failure to communicate.”
[/splitting hairs]
Like Regis says, I’m going with the first thing that came to mind: “Cool Hand Luke”.
“Cool Hand Luke”
“Escape from Alcatrazz”
& “Pappilon”
…get my votes.
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.
I think Shawshank Redemption is great, but my first choice is Chicken Run, no doubt about it.
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.
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.
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)