For today’s Monday Movie Meme The Bumbles asked us to name our favourite prison films. Listing Shawshank Redemption is not allowed! LOL
* Following links is at your own risk — beware of spoilers in plot descriptions! *
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One of the first films I thought of is Martin Scorsese’s recent feature Shutter Island. Sort of an oldfashioned B-movie that is real fun to watch! With ‘future hero‘ Leonardo DiCaprio playing an US Marshall called in to solve the mysterious disappearance of a psychic resident out of Shutter Island prison — yes, which is of course set on an isle :) Bringing to mind that other famous escape from a prison island: Escape from Alcatraz, with Mr Clint Eastwood. I was 9 at the time and don’t remember much, so I can’t put it in my top-3 ;) Hey, I was 3 years old when Papillon came out, so I dare not even mention that classic! LOL |
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Another movie I saw this year was the impressive Un Prophète (A Prophet) which was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language film. I would not dare use the word ‘fun’ in this case, because it was quite a depressing experience. If you’re one of those optimists thinking goal will help criminals to get back on the right track, you need to go see this picture and wake up. |
Sandy from You’ve GOTTA read this! threw in American History X and I’ve been thinking about whether to add it to my list too. I love that picture and believe everybody should go see it; it’s SO good. (Who doesn’t love Edward Norton anyway? And why doesn’t he play in more movies? *mope* ;) Still, I don’t really remember it as a prison film, so I’m excluding it with a heavy heart ;)
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If I was allowed to recommend only 1, my absolute favourite film would be the cult classic Birdy by Alan Parker (music by Peter Gabriel). Matthew Modine and Nicholas Cage — God, they’re young! — prove to be high class actors in this mesmerizing movie. Yes, I know we all have doubts about Cage sometimes, but think back to his part in Birdy and you can rest assured ;)
Now of course I’m cheating a little because Birdy is not really locked up in jail but in a mental hospital… Still, he’s in detention and when I think back to it, it really feels like prison. As it did to Birdy! Under Lock and Key ~ Peter Gabriel (2:25) |
Did I miss anything YOU would put in your top list of prison movies?
Graasland 
12 reacties
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maandag 23 augustus 2010 bij 17:27
Lindsey
Your choices greatly intrigue me, as a few of them are independent features, and I love indie flicks! Shutter Island was and is fantastic!
maandag 23 augustus 2010 bij 17:56
gnoegnoe
I’m an indie grrl myself! ;) Although I can’t resist a good blockbuster every once in a while either.
maandag 23 augustus 2010 bij 17:41
Sandy
I should be SHOT for not remembering Shutter Island. That is the problem with doing this meme early in the morning. You are right, it becomes a slippery slope when you try to define what makes a “prison” movie. Do concentration camps count? Do mental hospitals count? I waffled on whether American History X was a prison film, but my lingering memory is Edward Norton sitting in prison. This was a fun week!
maandag 23 augustus 2010 bij 17:55
gnoegnoe
LOL I think going to PRISON would be more humane (for forgetting about American History X)!
maandag 23 augustus 2010 bij 18:55
Amy
Birdy is a terrific choice! I was going to list “One Flew Over the Cukoo’s Nest” in my list of movies but I forgot too.
I haven’t seen Shutter Island (or read the book) but it’s certainly a good movie for this list.
Un Prophete sounds like a movie worth seeing but when I doi, I’ll know not to expect a happy, fun fil.
Loved your list!
~ Amy
dinsdag 24 augustus 2010 bij 00:05
Lulu
we love shutter island… we planned on buying the dvd so that we can watch it anytime we want
dinsdag 24 augustus 2010 bij 00:06
Lulu
we love shutter island… we planned on buying the dvd so that we can watch it anytime we want
My Prison Movie Favorites
dinsdag 24 augustus 2010 bij 05:42
Bumbles
I would have selected Primal Fear for a Norton prison movie. That role that he played was just incredible.
As for Shutter Island, I just finished reading it tonight – blew my mind. I need to see the movie soon to see if they captured everything just so!
donderdag 26 augustus 2010 bij 05:37
Judy
such a great post! Love ideas to see new things. Speaking of prisons, a book I just picked up is Orange is the New Black. Interesting. Check it out.
zondag 29 augustus 2010 bij 10:12
anothercookiecrumbles
Although not a movie, I would go with Prison Break, the tv show! I was hooked on to it from the point I started, and watched four seasons in under two weeks! Pretty impressive, huh? Or, is that just sad?
Not seen Shutter Island, but I do want to. Oh, and I’d’ve gone with One Flew Over The Cuckoo Nest as well.
vrijdag 10 september 2010 bij 01:37
mywordlyobsessions
I would have to say for me it would be ‘Shawshank Redemption’. There’s also ‘Midnight Express’ but I think SR is better.
zondag 12 september 2010 bij 18:39
Novroz
This sounds like my kind of meme…didn’t know there’s a movie meme on the horizon. I should check it out one day.
Why is Shawshank not allowed? I’ve just read this novella few weeks ago.
I love Shutter Island!! But it’s not 100% about prison. I tried hard to think of a good prison movie but my mind went blank.