» Guru, the Mad Monk (1970, USA)
Guru has two redeeming features. It is mercifully short, at around 56 minutes. And it is unapologetically dotted with anachronisms, if you like spotting such things; things like light switches and heavy passing traffic that are just slightly at odds with its 15th Century setting. To tell the truth, they don’t redeem it at all; it is schlock-horror tripe that could be enjoyed only by masochists who are fans of other people’s children’s school productions. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted on January 21st, 2012 at 5:32 pm. Updated on January 21st, 2012 at 5:32 pm.
» De hel van Tanger / Hell in Tangier (2006, Belgium)
Prison hell is a bit subjective: just look at In Hell (2003), or Bangkok Hell (2002) or Hell in the City (1959). The only thing that’s certain is that it is a worse hell in someone else’s prison system. Like Midnight Express (1978) or Brokedown Palace (1999). Hunger (2008), even. Or Hell in Tangier. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted on January 9th, 2012 at 9:28 pm. Updated on January 14th, 2012 at 7:34 pm.
» House of Women (1961, USA)
The collective wisdom seems to be that this is a remake of Caged (1949). Even my Warner Bros DVD says so, and I guess they should know, having made both movies. But maybe they didn’t watch past the first few scenes. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted on January 1st, 2012 at 6:52 pm. Updated on January 1st, 2012 at 6:52 pm.
» I’m Going to Get You… Elliott Boy (Canada, 1971)
It’s forty-odd years since I’m Going to Get You… was released. Maybe it was brave and ground-breaking in its day by virtue of its depiction of homosexuality and corruption in prisons. But my guess is that it was a tawdry, poorly-made film back in the 70s… and it remains so today. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted on December 28th, 2011 at 10:20 pm. Updated on December 28th, 2011 at 10:20 pm.
» Bloodfist III: Forced to Fight (1991, USA)
It appears, to my surprise, that some people actually enjoy watching kickboxing movies. They may even like Don ‘The Dragon’ Wilson, who was apparently a kickboxing champion of some note. That, of course, makes neither Wilson an actor of any ability, nor this film which features him a movie of any merit. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted on December 12th, 2011 at 9:24 pm. Updated on December 12th, 2011 at 9:24 pm.
» Mery Per Sempre / Forever Mary (1989, Italy)
To say that this is To Sir, With Love (1967) in a juvenile prison does not tell the whole story of this film. But it does tell half of it, I suspect… even if my Italian is itself very suspect. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted on December 2nd, 2011 at 10:21 pm. Updated on December 3rd, 2011 at 8:19 pm.
» Experiment Alcatraz (1950, USA)
You could be forgiven for thinking that this film has something to do with Alcatraz. Sadly, if you are looking for Alcatraz action, you’ll be bitterly disappointed - Alcatraz is as incidental to Experiment Alcatraz as… well, Alcatraz is to the true story of Robert Stroud, the Birdman of Alcatraz. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted on November 26th, 2011 at 8:44 pm. Updated on November 26th, 2011 at 8:44 pm.
» Nor Chor / Bangkok Hell (2002, Thailand)
Nor Chor (The Prisoners) tries to cram a lot into the one film. It attempts to provide a balanced view of prison issues, to draw attention to some inequities in the criminal justice system, to educate the masses about imprisonment… and to combine it with some high-action drama. They’re honourable goals to have. Well, maybe not the last when you try to blend it with the others. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted on November 20th, 2011 at 6:21 pm. Updated on November 20th, 2011 at 6:21 pm.
» Love Child (1982, USA)
You would think that a film about a young prisoner fighting for the right to keep her child with her in custody would have no trouble in having you cheering her on from the sidelines. And no doubt many people have… but she’s so unsympathetically drawn, it’s possible to be quite indifferent to whether she wins or loses. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted on November 16th, 2011 at 9:55 pm. Updated on November 16th, 2011 at 9:55 pm.
» Screwed (2011, UK)
There aren’t many prison movies like this one, where the action is seen from the point of view of a Prison Officer, or even where a humble correctional officer is at the centre of the story: The Quare Fellow (1962), Against the Wall (1993), Fast-Walking (1982), Cell 211 (2009) and not many more… Having said that, it seems unlikely that the British Prison Service will use this one as the centrepiece of its recruitment campaigns. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted on November 7th, 2011 at 9:47 pm. Updated on November 7th, 2011 at 10:02 pm.