Hard Time, the Making of Prison (2013 Video) User Reviews

Another Winner From Shout Factory

[Michael_Elliott · 19 March 2015]

Hard Time: The Making of 'Prison' (2013)

*** 1/2 (out of 4) Another great documentary from Shout Factory! takes a look at the making of PRISON, the 1988 horror film that was overlooked at the time of its release but has gained a cult following over the years. Among those interviewed include director Renny Harlin, producer Irwin Yablans, screenwriter C. Courtney Joyner, stunt coordinator Kane Hodder, Make-up artist John Carl Buechler, executive producer Charles Band and actor Tom Everett.

Harlin starts off talking about coming to America and wanting to start in horror films. From here he openly talks about some of the difficulties in shooting in America and how it's different from Europe. He also talks the low-budget as well as his disappointment in the box office results. Yablans also talks about the disappointing box office as well as how the film originally came together. Some of the most interesting stuff comes from Hodder and Buechler who of course would end up doing Friday THE 13TH PART VII together. The two of them talk about the various stunts in the film as well as the monster that shows up at the end.

Clocking in at 37-minutes, this documentary covers a lot of ground so fans of the film are certainly going to be happy with it.

An excellent and informative retrospective documentary

[Woodyanders · 8/10 · 1 September 2016]

This 38-minute retrospective documentary covers a lot of ground on the making of the superior supernatural horror picture "Prison." Director Renny Harlin reveals that he was living in his car at the time he got the gig and candidly discusses the difficulties he encountered in adjusting to the American way of making movies. Screenwriter C. Courtney Joyner notes that an earlier draft of the script was more in the slasher vein and that he suggested to change the plot to a ghost story instead. Producer Irwin Yablans talks about how he came up the initial premise of a horror film set in a penitentiary and some of the problems the cast and crew faced shooting the picture in an actual abandoned penitentiary in Wyoming. Among the other topics brought up are that Thom Matthews was considered for the lead role, the casting of Viggo Mortensen in his first starring part (Mortensen also did the bulk of his own stunts and was given an honorary stuntman's t-shirt by stunt coordinator Kane Hodder after production had wrapped), female lead Chelsea Field visiting a prison in order to research her character, star Lane Smith keeping to himself and remaining in character throughout the filming of the movie, using real-life convicts as extras, and building a prison gate for the picture. In addition, both Mac Ahlberg's striking cinematography and Richard Band's simple rattling score get the props that they richly deserve. Essential viewing for fans of the film.