‘Prison’ (1987) - Renny Harlin.

Renny Harlin’s visually-twisted, remarkably well acted, cerebrum-shocking penitentiary-set splatter-sickie has tumbled inexplicably through cracks of horror history. Not long after its initial VHS release Prison was wrongfully accused of felonious crimes against terror cinema. Long overdue parole, as even upon its original release, and certainly no less so today, enjoyed in newly burnished HD, Harlin's riotously entertaining Prison remains a thrillingly cinematic, shockingly splattery 80s sensation!!

C. Courtney Joyner’s muscular script remains a spry affair, wasting little time in putting his desperately beleaguered inmates in the direst jeopardy. Fulminating evilly within the hastily re-opened, dangerously derelict Creedmore Prison, the cracked, mildewed walls contain the murderous spirit of wrongfully executed convict, Charlie Forsythe. Forsythe's squalling evil is unleashed by prisoner, Burke (Viggo Mortensen) and fellow inmate, Sandor (André De Shields) smashing through the execution chamber's long-cemented in walls! In one fateful blow, Burke's sledgehammer turns the entire ill-fated Creedmore Prison into Death Row! As the inventively murderous, Forsyth tightens the steel-barbed noose around the wretched throat of corrupt warden, Sharpe (Lane Smith), his gruesomely engineered, hell-spawned vengeance gorily provides a wealth of vividly realised set-pieces! Renny Harlin’s stylish, uniquely electrifying horror film still takes absolutely no prisoners!

 

 

 

‘Renny Harlin’s stylish, uniquely electrifying horror film still takes absolutely no prisoners! 'Prison’ (1987) remains a no holds barred, barbed wire-taut, high-voltage terror-trip into the darkest recesses of a demoniacally vengeful soul!’ - Tor Bronson.