For me, prison movies revolve around two themes. Either war-related or crime-related. So, this issue focuses on war-related prison films. There are a large number of films in this category. Wikipedia only lists 35 such films ("prisoner of war" movies) but interestingly enough does not list the movie Prisoner of War, a 1954 film starring Ronald Reagan.
The Internet Movie Database (IMDB) lists 272 movies under this topic and they missed several I was able to think of. Definitions can be tricky. IMDB lists The Pianist as a "prison" movie - and it was an outstanding film - but the protagonist was "imprisoned" in the Warsaw Ghetto, and doesn't fit my arbitrary line. My definition includes significant movie time inside a POW camp.
My top three movies in this category are:
The Deer Hunter - Vietnam War - I was lucky enough to just miss this war - for real (in the last year of the draft lottery my birthdate was picked number 6, so if they had not canceled the draft a few months later I was going...). Maybe that's why I have always been interested in movies about 'Nam. It won five Oscars, including Best Picture and was nominated for four more. Christopher Walken was phenomenal as Nick. Deer Hunter is on both my best War Movie list as well as this list. Almost certainly on MOST lists of the top 10 films of the 1970's. (Trailer).
The Internet Movie Database (IMDB) lists 272 movies under this topic and they missed several I was able to think of. Definitions can be tricky. IMDB lists The Pianist as a "prison" movie - and it was an outstanding film - but the protagonist was "imprisoned" in the Warsaw Ghetto, and doesn't fit my arbitrary line. My definition includes significant movie time inside a POW camp.
My top three movies in this category are:
The Deer Hunter - Vietnam War - I was lucky enough to just miss this war - for real (in the last year of the draft lottery my birthdate was picked number 6, so if they had not canceled the draft a few months later I was going...). Maybe that's why I have always been interested in movies about 'Nam. It won five Oscars, including Best Picture and was nominated for four more. Christopher Walken was phenomenal as Nick. Deer Hunter is on both my best War Movie list as well as this list. Almost certainly on MOST lists of the top 10 films of the 1970's. (Trailer).
If you want to see the most famous scene from the movie - called the MOW MOW scene - click here. [And, if the subject of Russian roulette fascinates you then you really need to watch the movie 13 Tzameti, one of the most tense movies of all time. Starts slow but then...really tense. Don't watch the trailer if you want to be surprised (Trailer).]
The Great Escape - WWII (Europe) - One of Steve McQueen's best efforts and a great all-around cast. No gore but plenty of edge-of-your-seat suspense. (Trailer). The movie was hardly noticed by the Academy and there weren't that many blockbusters that came out in 1963. Tom Jones won best pic that year so it's hard to see why this film wasn't at least nominated. Highly entertaining movie. It almost makes my best Longest Films list, but at 172 minutes just misses (three hours is the cutoff).
The Bridge on the River Kwai - WWII (Asia) - If you can whistle, you won't get this movie's theme song out of your head. If you can't whistle you'll want to learn. "Bridge" WON seven Oscars, including: best actor, director, writer, music and picture. Although not a great year for movies (12 Angry Men, Sayonara, The Spirit of St. Louis, Witness for the Prosecution, and Three Faces of Eve were the other "big" pictures that year), winning seven is a lot. (Trailer)
Know which movies have won the most Oscars and how many they won? There are three tied for the lead. See below for the answer.
And the rest of the top 10 (somewhat in order) are:
King Rat -WWII (Asia) - Great acting job by George Segal. Film rarely seen on TV. Might not want to see it while eating but this is a really entertaining film.
Rescue Dawn - Vietnam War (Laos) - Christian Bale gets real skinny - again.
The Dirty Dozen - WWII (Europe) - Outstanding all-star cast. Telly Savalas makes a great insane guy.
Stalag 17 - WWII (Europe) - William Holden won Oscar for Best Actor.
The Great Raid - WWII (Asia) - Unsung movie starring Benjamin Bratt and James Franco.
Taxi to the Dark Side - The War on Terror - Documentary, Abu Ghraib and Gitmo. This is a very intense film.
Empire of the Sun - WWII (Asia) - Another Christian Bale movie (he's not the star). A little weird at times but still worth the time.
Two others get Honorable Mention
Life is Beautiful or La Vita e Bella (subtitle alert) takes place in a Nazi concentration camp so it isn't really about POW's. But this is an incredible film and certainly worth mentioning. Very powerful, sad, poignant and even funny at times. I would be amazed if it doesn't move you. It was nominated for seven and won three Oscars. If you can stand the subject matter it is well worth the time. (Trailer)
Andersonville - I don't usually include "Made-for-TV" movies which is why this doesn't technically make the list, but as far as POW camps go, this movie worked for me. The real place must have been a living hell. Couldn't find a working trailer. Movie directed by John Frankenheimer (Birdman of Alcatraz, The Manchurian Candidate, French Connection II). One of the few really good Civil War movies.
Only a few others were very close to the top 10 for me as lots of this genre are films like Rambo, First Blood and Missing In Action (Sly Stallone and Chuck Norris pics). But, a couple of near misses:
La Grande Illusion - French film (duh) - WWI, directed by Jean Renoir; a classic.
Hart's War - Bruce Willis plays his standard hero's role, just not so unbelievable as Die Hard series.
Slaughterhouse Five - Vonnegut story goes to the movies. And, it doesn't work like the book but is still entertaining.The Great Escape - WWII (Europe) - One of Steve McQueen's best efforts and a great all-around cast. No gore but plenty of edge-of-your-seat suspense. (Trailer). The movie was hardly noticed by the Academy and there weren't that many blockbusters that came out in 1963. Tom Jones won best pic that year so it's hard to see why this film wasn't at least nominated. Highly entertaining movie. It almost makes my best Longest Films list, but at 172 minutes just misses (three hours is the cutoff).
The Bridge on the River Kwai - WWII (Asia) - If you can whistle, you won't get this movie's theme song out of your head. If you can't whistle you'll want to learn. "Bridge" WON seven Oscars, including: best actor, director, writer, music and picture. Although not a great year for movies (12 Angry Men, Sayonara, The Spirit of St. Louis, Witness for the Prosecution, and Three Faces of Eve were the other "big" pictures that year), winning seven is a lot. (Trailer)
Know which movies have won the most Oscars and how many they won? There are three tied for the lead. See below for the answer.
And the rest of the top 10 (somewhat in order) are:
King Rat -WWII (Asia) - Great acting job by George Segal. Film rarely seen on TV. Might not want to see it while eating but this is a really entertaining film.
Rescue Dawn - Vietnam War (Laos) - Christian Bale gets real skinny - again.
The Dirty Dozen - WWII (Europe) - Outstanding all-star cast. Telly Savalas makes a great insane guy.
Stalag 17 - WWII (Europe) - William Holden won Oscar for Best Actor.
The Great Raid - WWII (Asia) - Unsung movie starring Benjamin Bratt and James Franco.
Taxi to the Dark Side - The War on Terror - Documentary, Abu Ghraib and Gitmo. This is a very intense film.
Empire of the Sun - WWII (Asia) - Another Christian Bale movie (he's not the star). A little weird at times but still worth the time.
Two others get Honorable Mention
Life is Beautiful or La Vita e Bella (subtitle alert) takes place in a Nazi concentration camp so it isn't really about POW's. But this is an incredible film and certainly worth mentioning. Very powerful, sad, poignant and even funny at times. I would be amazed if it doesn't move you. It was nominated for seven and won three Oscars. If you can stand the subject matter it is well worth the time. (Trailer)
Andersonville - I don't usually include "Made-for-TV" movies which is why this doesn't technically make the list, but as far as POW camps go, this movie worked for me. The real place must have been a living hell. Couldn't find a working trailer. Movie directed by John Frankenheimer (Birdman of Alcatraz, The Manchurian Candidate, French Connection II). One of the few really good Civil War movies.
Only a few others were very close to the top 10 for me as lots of this genre are films like Rambo, First Blood and Missing In Action (Sly Stallone and Chuck Norris pics). But, a couple of near misses:
La Grande Illusion - French film (duh) - WWI, directed by Jean Renoir; a classic.
Hart's War - Bruce Willis plays his standard hero's role, just not so unbelievable as Die Hard series.
The Road to Guantanamo - Another intense movie - unusual in that it is a dramatization-documentary about the so-called Tipton Three. The film is certainly biased, but regardless, it is a strong indictment of US foreign policy under the Bush administration.
Answer: Titanic, LoTR - Return of the King and Ben-Hur each won ELEVEN Oscars.
Next Issue: Prison Movies, Part II
