Attica (TV 1980)

The behind the scenes of the 1971 prisoners revolt at the Attica prison.

Director:

Marvin J. Chomsky

Writers:

James S. Henerson, Tom Wicker (book)

Stars:

Henry Darrow, Charles Durning, Joel Fabiani

Won 1 Primetime Emmy. Another 5 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Henry Darrow	...	Herman Badillo
Charles Durning	...	Commissioner Russell Oswald
Joel Fabiani	...	Senator Gordon Conners
Morgan Freeman	...	Hap Richards
George Grizzard	...	Tom Wicker
David Harris	...	T. J.
Roger E. Mosley	...	Frank Green
Arlen Dean Snyder	...	Superintendant Vince Mancusi
Glynn Turman	...	Raymond Franklin
Anthony Zerbe	...	William Kunstler
Andrew Duncan	...	Lieutenant John Driscoll
William Flatley	...	Carl Dudley
Ron Foster	...	Leon Clay
Noble Lee Lester	...	Bobby Seale
Paul Lieber	...	Art Silver

Storyline

A TV-movie re-creation of the tragic events which followed the Attica Correctional Facility rebellion of September 9, 1971. Inmates demanding better food and living conditions took 38 guards as hostage. Negotiations begin immediately, only to continually break down thanks to uncompromising stubbornness on both sides. Four days into the crisis, the rebellion ends in a bloodbath, with state troopers firing on the prisoners, killing several of the guards in the process. Based on the eyewitness reporting of the New York Times' Tom Wicker, who was one of the civilian negotiators during the stalemate.

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Plot Keywords:

attica | guard | prisoner | prisoner revolt | hostage | 

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Genres:

Drama

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

2 March 1980 (USA)

Also Known As:

Attica - Revolte hinter Gittern

Filming Locations:

Lima, Ohio, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

ABC Circle Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

97 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Connections

Version of Attica (1974)

User Reviews

Attica I was an extra in movie 1980

I am curious if they included the nude scene at the end where we were all stripped down and beaten by the guards as we were filed back into the building. It was pretty realistic. It was filmed at the Lima state hospital for the criminally insane which was open for business at the time and we would converse with the inmates. I remember wearing a short haired wig to not cut my long hair.as they did not allow long hair in Attica in the 60's/70's. I wanted to be in it as I had followed the injustice during that time and hitched from Columbus and back to make 5 bucks an hour for really hard work as an extra standing around in the heat with a bunch of other folks. There was actually almost a riot when the director of the institution came out and made remarks about people bringing in drugs,some pot smoking was happening and sharp instruments and that he would bring the highway patrol in to frisk and arrest all involved..hell there was hundreds of us and it was late in the afternoon with no lunch yet so the reply was quite radical towards the man...Q guy next to me quipped they are gonna start a real riot and film it. fortunately the main director got the mike and cooled us down and we in turn threw little things like safety pins and other harmless items into a box to act like we were complying and all was well and our extra work finished up that day and no one was accosted on the way out of the secure environment we had definitely mocked. Pat Adkins Aheville, NC