IMDb >
Scared Straight! (1978)
Watch It
Buy it at Amazon
Rent it at Blockbuster.com
Discuss in Boards More at IMDb Pro Add to My Movies Update Data
BETA
Discuss in Boards More at IMDb Pro Add to My Movies Update Data
Quicklinks
Top Links
trailers and videosfull cast and crewtriviaofficial sitesmemorable quotesOverview
main detailscombined detailsfull cast and crewcompany creditstv scheduleAwards & Reviews
user commentsexternal reviewsnewsgroup reviewsawardsuser ratingsparents guiderecommendationsmessage boardPlot & Quotes
plot summarysynopsisplot keywordsAmazon.com summarymemorable quotesFun Stuff
triviagoofssoundtrack listingcrazy creditsalternate versionsmovie connectionsFAQOther Info
merchandising linksbox office/businessrelease datesfilming locationstechnical specslaserdisc detailsDVD detailsliterature listingsNewsDeskPromotional
taglines trailers and videos posters photo galleryExternal Links
showtimesofficial sitesmiscellaneousphotographssound clipsvideo clipsScared Straight! (1978) More at IMDbPro »
Overview
User Rating:
Plot:
The filmed depiction of a program where convicts tell troubled kids about the horrors of prison life. full summary | add synopsisAwards:
Won Oscar. Another 2 wins & 1 nomination moreUser Comments:
Unforgettable! more (14 total)Cast
(Credited cast)| Peter Falk | ... | Himself - Host |
Additional Details
Parents Guide:
Add content advisory for parentsRuntime:
USA:52 minCountry:
USALanguage:
EnglishColor:
ColorFilming Locations:
East Jersey State Prison, Avenel, New Jersey, USAFun Stuff
Trivia:
Was broadcast uncensored when aired on television in the late 1970s. For many commercial broadcasters, this was the first time the f-word was willingly allowed on TV. moreQuotes:
Convict: You know if you get up and touch one of them shoes, I'm gonna break my leg off in your ass. moreFAQ
This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.more (14 total)
Message Boards
Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for Scared Straight! (1978)| Recent Posts (updated daily) | User |
|---|---|
| does anyone out there know ? | dero67 |
| Where is scared straight 10 years later??????? | Paula2019 |
Recommendations
If you enjoyed this title, our database also recommends:
Show more recommendations
|
|
|
|
|
| Scared Straight! 20 Years Later | Johnny Handsome | Raising Arizona | The Basketball Diaries | 48 Hrs. |
|
IMDb User Rating:
|
IMDb User Rating:
|
IMDb User Rating:
|
IMDb User Rating:
|
IMDb User Rating:
|
Related Links
| Full cast and crew | Company credits | External reviews |
| IMDb Crime section | IMDb USA section | Add this title to MyMovies |

A documentary that you will never forget once you see it, Scared Straight ought to be required viewing in every high school. As narrator Peter Falk points outs at the being of the film, it at first seems too good to be true that three hours in prison will make young trouble makers change their ways, but the subsequent prison visit shows that it is possible to change young lives in such a short time. The confrontation between the inmates and kids is riveting; you hang on to every word, and feel the tension in the room even while watching it on video. The change in the kids sent on the prison visit is astonishing, as shown in the interviews taped before and after the trip to Rahway. Before the trip, the kids all brag about their crimes and think they will never get caught; the interviews taken after the prison visit shows how effective the program was for each of them. Scared Straight is a powerful film; the setting and language will be offensive to some, but it is exactly those elements which make it such a forceful production. Though made back in the 1970s, it is still important and timely viewing.