Prison movies are fascinating. They offer a glimpse into people under the most extreme circumstances. It’s like Morgan Freeman says in The Shawshank Redemption (one of the prison escape movies on our list) – “Geology is the study of pressure and time. That’s all it takes really… pressure… and time…”
There have always been prisons. People have been locking one another up probably longer than we’ve been walking upright. Every culture, in every era, has had prisons. Where there are prisons there are bound to be prison breaks. With that in mind, we’ve tried to include more than just Escape From Alcatraz. Prison movies show what the human spirit is capable of, including our ability to not just resign ourselves to our fate. People have a tendency to try and improve their situation at any cost. Which is why there will always be prison escape movies. Here’s our list of some of the best films about breaking out of the big house! You’re sure to find something to love.
Papillon
Papillon has everything you could hope for in a great prison break movie. It’s got a fantastic cast, with Steve McQueen and Dustin Hoffman playing the leads. It’s got a fascinating setting with “Devil’s Island,” a harsh penal colony that the pair have to escape. And, even better, it’s based on a true story! Just remember to stick with the 1973 version. Papillon was remade in 2017 for some inexplicable reason. It’ll leave you formulating a prison break from the movie theater!
The Cross Of Lorraine
The Cross Of Lorraine is noteworthy among prison escape movies for a number of reasons. It’s set during World War 2, for one thing, which isn’t unique on its own. It came out during the war, however. It also shows what the French experienced during WW2, which is often overlooked as well. The Cross Of Lorraine finds Jean-Pierre Aumont and a young Gene Kelly being subjected to the horrors of a Nazi work camp. It also stars Peter Lorre in a supporting role.
The Way Back
Breaking out of prison is only the beginning. You’ve still got to get back to civilization. Then you’ve got to re-integrate back into civilian life. That’s challenging enough at the best of times. It’s nigh-on impossible when you’re talking about a Soviet gulag. The Way Back follows a group of prisoners as they make a daring escape from a Soviet work camp. Getting out’s the easy part. What follows is several months of grueling hardship that truly tests the human spirit.
The Shawshank Redemption
No list of great prison escape movies is complete without The Shawshank Redemption. It manages to transcend genre to become a work of great cinema. Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman’s acting is impeccable, as is their on-screen chemistry. It’s almost hard to believe The Shawshank Redemption is based on a Stephen King story. It’s a sure sign that Stephen King needs a prison break on his own, breaking away from the horror gulag into the realm of real literature. If you’d like to re-enact a prison break movie on your own, you can try your hand at an escape room. Remember to watch a few of these before you go, for some pointers!
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