Irwin Yablans, who produced the 1978 classic Halloween, was thinking of new ideas for a horror film. Feeling that just about every idea had been exhausted, he started thinking of setting a horror film in a prison. He pitched the idea to Charles Band, and he agreed to produce it under his company, Empire Pictures. They hired C. Courtney Joyner to pen the script, but he decided to make it more of a ghost story. Yablans wanted a young, up-and-coming director to helm the project, someone who could be the next John Carpenter. Off the strength of his debut feature Born American, Finnish filmmaker Renny Harlin was hired for his first American film. With a budget of around $1-$4 million, they went to the former Wyoming State Penitentiary to shoot this horrifying production. Eventually, Prison was released in 1987 in the UK and 1988 in the US.
%
Rating
Synopsis
Despite the objections of inspector Katherine Walker (Chelsea Field), the prison board decides to reopen the recently condemned Creedmore Prison. Eaton Sharpe (Lane Smith), who was a guard back in the day, is hired to be the warden. Several hundred inmates are transferred in, including Burke (Viggo Mortensen), Cresus (Lincoln Kilpatrick), and Joe ‘Lasagna’ Lazano (Ivan Kane). Trouble starts brewing when one of the inmates is burned to death in a solitary confinement cell. Walker is demanding an investigation be conducted, but Sharpe declines and is vehement about reporting to the board. Turns out that back in the day, Sharpe oversaw the execution of a prisoner who was framed for murder. As more prisoners and guards are being killed in mysterious ways, Sharpe is driven mad while trying to maintain control. Soon, the prisoners band together to try escaping before they’re picked off by the vengeful spirits of the prison.
Review
Compared to many of the cheap quickies put out by Empire Pictures around this time, Prison is a hidden gem. Part of what makes this film stand out is the fact that they shot in an actual abandoned prison. The location has a very dark and foreboding presence on its own, enhanced by the excellent cinematography of Mac Ahlberg. For such a low budget and given that this was Renny Harlin’s second film, it looks way better than expected. There are tons of moody lighting, harsh shadows, and dynamic lighting, with some scenes feeling like a warped dream. Acting-wise, everyone does a solid job, Lane Smith in particular making for a great and complex villain. As much as he tries to act tough and stern, you get a sense that he’s haunted by his past. Plus, Hal Landon Jr. of Bill & Ted fame plays a guard.
While he’s not given many lines, Viggo Mortensen has a very cool and charismatic presence to him. It’s easy to see how he became a major star in the Lord of the Rings films and Green Book. Chelsea Field does a good job as the female lead and has great back-and-forths with Smith and Mortensen. Also, there are plenty of notable character actors, including Tommy “Tiny” Lister, Lincoln Kilpatrick, Tom Everett, and Larry “Flash” Jenkins. Like many Charles Band productions, the late great John Carl Buechler did the effects, and it’s easily his best work. From Hal Landon Jr.’s death by razor wire to the zombified corpse played by Kane Hodder, it’s some incredible stuff. Admittedly, the film does take a while to get going, but once they’re at the prison, all hell breaks loose. Overall, Prison is a solidly creepy and atmospheric horror film worthy of rediscovering.
Buy Prison on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3tJgcaD
