Hey man, this is where the bottom of the whole damn world drops out.
Wyoming State Penitentery has been shut down for some time and is in dire need of repairs for it is to house a whole lot of prisoners. Hard-as-nails, pain-in-the-ass warden, Eaton Sharpe(Lane Smith) is still haunted by nightmares regarding an inmate put to death, via electric chair. In an attempt to soothe his guilty conscience(his role in the execution of an innocent man), Sharpe wishes to place a crucifix where the execution took place, having two prisoners break down a cemented door which led to the electric chair. In doing this, Sharpe contributes to the release of Forsythe's vengeful spirit. No one is safe from Forsythe's wrath. Chelsea Field is Katherine Walker, one of those prison reformers who fights for better institutions and rehabilitation for convicts. Katherine will have her hands full with Eaton who doesn't adhere to her philosophy in better living conditions for those who have broken the law. Viggo Mortensen, in one of his first starring roles, is Burke, a car thief who shares an eerie resemblance with Forsythe which sends chills to Sharpe. Lincoln Kilpatrick is elderly con Cresus, whose past history regarding Forsythe torments him, he had a role in the execution as well. Tom Everett has a memorable small part as a prisoner who tries to drive a bus out of the prison after most of the cons had unloaded, later suffering a grisly fate when he attempts a second escape (he narrowly survives a harrowing ordeal while locked in solitary as Forsythe's spirit set the water-logged cells a blaze with fervent heat). Ivan Kane is an Italian nicknamed Lasagna who befriends Burke, Tommy "Tiny" Lister is a seemingly mellow(but very scary)mountain of muscle actually named Tiny, and Stephen E Little is especially detestable as a rotund, scraggly homo brute, Rhino(he orders around a young man, a sort of lackey who probably services his sexual needs as well since they share a cell together).
I can't really argue against those who would call PRISON essentially a special effects & light show, it is pretty much all style and little substance. But, I still thought it delivered for the crowd who enjoys movies about prisons containing evil presences. I can certainly see why director Renny Harlin landed the NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET IV gig because there are some wild and effective supernatural murder sequences such as the "killer barbwire" scene and the exploding prison doors off their hinges, not to mention the computer monitors which eviscerate right before our eyes.
Around this time, many filmmakers were using light as an effects tool and in PRISON we see electrical current controlling objects to destroy it's victims. This idea derives from the fact that the killer was executed in the electric chair..it's only natural that the condemned spirit would use this very power which ended his life to decimate others. And, anyone, including prisoners, who try to flee the penitentiary are denied thanks in part of a guard tower machine gun operated by the aforementioned electrical current. I loved the 80's because of the use of blood squibs and PRISON has plenty of moments where bullets blast through bodies, allowing make-up wizards a chance to show the damage of a shot gun or pistol.
Probably the corniest scene involves Forsythe himself, making his grand appearance as Sharpe is trying to drive out of the penitentiary. There's a dandy of make-up effect regarding a prisoner being burned alive and the light optical effects are stunning visually.
While the film spends a great deal of time with the prisoners and Sharpe(and his guards), Field's part is a bit underwritten in that she witnesses strange goings-on, but factors little in the grand scheme of things other than driving her car to the prison(and researching the history of Forsythe's execution, more than a bit motivated by his tricks to gain her attention )at the very end.
Wyoming State Penitentery has been shut down for some time and is in dire need of repairs for it is to house a whole lot of prisoners. Hard-as-nails, pain-in-the-ass warden, Eaton Sharpe(Lane Smith) is still haunted by nightmares regarding an inmate put to death, via electric chair. In an attempt to soothe his guilty conscience(his role in the execution of an innocent man), Sharpe wishes to place a crucifix where the execution took place, having two prisoners break down a cemented door which led to the electric chair. In doing this, Sharpe contributes to the release of Forsythe's vengeful spirit. No one is safe from Forsythe's wrath. Chelsea Field is Katherine Walker, one of those prison reformers who fights for better institutions and rehabilitation for convicts. Katherine will have her hands full with Eaton who doesn't adhere to her philosophy in better living conditions for those who have broken the law. Viggo Mortensen, in one of his first starring roles, is Burke, a car thief who shares an eerie resemblance with Forsythe which sends chills to Sharpe. Lincoln Kilpatrick is elderly con Cresus, whose past history regarding Forsythe torments him, he had a role in the execution as well. Tom Everett has a memorable small part as a prisoner who tries to drive a bus out of the prison after most of the cons had unloaded, later suffering a grisly fate when he attempts a second escape (he narrowly survives a harrowing ordeal while locked in solitary as Forsythe's spirit set the water-logged cells a blaze with fervent heat). Ivan Kane is an Italian nicknamed Lasagna who befriends Burke, Tommy "Tiny" Lister is a seemingly mellow(but very scary)mountain of muscle actually named Tiny, and Stephen E Little is especially detestable as a rotund, scraggly homo brute, Rhino(he orders around a young man, a sort of lackey who probably services his sexual needs as well since they share a cell together).
I can't really argue against those who would call PRISON essentially a special effects & light show, it is pretty much all style and little substance. But, I still thought it delivered for the crowd who enjoys movies about prisons containing evil presences. I can certainly see why director Renny Harlin landed the NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET IV gig because there are some wild and effective supernatural murder sequences such as the "killer barbwire" scene and the exploding prison doors off their hinges, not to mention the computer monitors which eviscerate right before our eyes.
Around this time, many filmmakers were using light as an effects tool and in PRISON we see electrical current controlling objects to destroy it's victims. This idea derives from the fact that the killer was executed in the electric chair..it's only natural that the condemned spirit would use this very power which ended his life to decimate others. And, anyone, including prisoners, who try to flee the penitentiary are denied thanks in part of a guard tower machine gun operated by the aforementioned electrical current. I loved the 80's because of the use of blood squibs and PRISON has plenty of moments where bullets blast through bodies, allowing make-up wizards a chance to show the damage of a shot gun or pistol.
Probably the corniest scene involves Forsythe himself, making his grand appearance as Sharpe is trying to drive out of the penitentiary. There's a dandy of make-up effect regarding a prisoner being burned alive and the light optical effects are stunning visually.
While the film spends a great deal of time with the prisoners and Sharpe(and his guards), Field's part is a bit underwritten in that she witnesses strange goings-on, but factors little in the grand scheme of things other than driving her car to the prison(and researching the history of Forsythe's execution, more than a bit motivated by his tricks to gain her attention )at the very end.