Time in Prison
Or, "Life in The Big House". The prison film has proved to be a popular subject for cinema and many superb titles are represented in this canon of work. Here the human spirit is often shown to thrive in what are generally hostile and oppressive settings. There are the tales of the 'wrongly accused man' protesting his innocence, the 'race against time' thrillers to save the condemned from execution, and the 'prison as hell' where your worst nightmares have come true. There are also the comedies where the familiar prison 'cliches' are parodied, and the science-fiction variants that show the possible shape of things to come...
Now, go directly to jail. Do not pass Go. Do not collect $200.
Pictured: Morgan Freeman and Tim Robbins in "The Shawshank Redemption".
The Shawshank Redemption (1994)
9.3/10
Director: Frank Darabont
Starring: Morgan Freeman, Bob Gunton, Tim Robbins, William Sadler, Clancy Brown, Gil Bello...
Director Frank Darabont's powerful adaptation of the novella by Stephen King stars Tim Robbins as a man serving two life sentences in New England's Sh... Read more
The Shawshank Redemption ( Blu-ray ) (1994)
9.3/10
Director: Frank Darabont
Starring: Bob Gunton, Clancy Brown, Gil Bellows, James Whitmore, Morgan Freeman, Tim Robbi...
Director Frank Darabont's powerful adaptation of the novella by Stephen King stars Tim Robbins as a man serving two life sentences in New England's Sh... Read more
The Testament of Dr Mabuse (1933)
7.9/10
Director: Fritz Lang
Starring: Rudolf Klein-Rogge, Otto Wernicke
In this sequel to "Dr Mabuse, The Gambler", Dr Mabuse has been in prison for ten years, plotting his master crimes of chaos and destruction, while hi... Read more
The Thin Blue Line (1988)
8/10
Director: Errol Morris
Starring: Randall Adams, David Harris, Edith James
An extraordinary film that expands all notions of film documentaries as director Errol Morris ('A Brief History of Time') personally investigates the... Read more
The Trials of Darryl Hunt (2006)
7.7/10
Director: Ricki Stern, Anne Sundberg
In 1984, copy editor Deborah Sykes was raped and murdered. Three suspects leapt out, but one was settled on very quickly, 19-year-old, black youth, D... Read more
Trailer Park Boys: The Movie (2006)
7.3/10
Director: Mike Clattenburg
Starring: Robb Wells, John Paul Tremblay, Mike Smith, John Dunsworth, Patrick Roach, Lucy...
Taking their trailer trash antics to the big screen, Ricky, Julian and Bubbles have the perfect job lined up, the job to end all jobs - The Big Dirty.... Read more
True Crime (1999)
6.6/10
Director: Clint Eastwood
Starring: Clint Eastwood, Isaiah Washington, James Woods, Denis Leary, Frances Fisher
A gripping story about a down-and-out reporter (Clint Eastwood) who is sent to cover the execution at San Quentin of convicted murderer Isaiah Washing... Read more
Two Way Stretch (1959)
7/10
Director: Robert Day
Starring: Peter Sellers, Wilfrid Hyde-White, Liz Fraser
A fast and funny British farce about three convicts who break out of jail to rob a Maharajah and then break back in again, all in the same night. Star... Read more
Wedlock (1991)
5.9/10
Director: Lewis Teague
Starring: Rutger Hauer, Mimi Rogers, Joan Chen, James Remar
Aka "Deadlock". Rutger Hauer and Mimi Rogers escape a high-tech prison but are bound by a security device that will explode if they stray more than 10... Read more
Women In Prison Collection (2004)
Director: Jack Hill, Steve Carver, Gerry De Leon
Starring: Margaret Markov, Pam Grier, Lucretia Love, Paul Muller, Daniel Vargas, Judy Brow...
In the 1970s cult filmmaker Roger Corman produced a series of highly successful, groundbreaking 'Women In Prison' movies that hit paydirt on the drive... Read more