IMDb > Ghosts... of the Civil Dead (1988)

Ghosts... of the Civil Dead (1988) More at IMDbPro »


Overview

User Rating:
7.2/10   612 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Up 34% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Writers:
Nick Cave (written by)
Gene Conkie (written by)
more
Contact:
View company contact information for Ghosts... of the Civil Dead on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
1 June 1989 (Australia) more
Genre:
Plot:
Prison gangs clash in a high-tech security jail where there are no rules. full summary | add synopsis
Awards:
2 wins & 8 nominations more
User Comments:
riveting... more (19 total)

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)
David Field ... Wenzil
Mike Bishop ... David Yale
Chris DeRose ... Grezner
Kevin Mackey ... Glover
Dave Mason ... Lilly
Nick Cave ... Maynard
Bogdan Koca ... Waychek
Freddo Dierck ... Robbins
Vincent Gil ... Ruben
M.E. Duncan ... Junkie 1
Nick Seferi ... Junkie 2
Tony Clark ... Simone
Yilmaz Tuhan ... Food King
Ian Mortimer ... Jack
Mick King ... Edwin Neal
more
Create a character page for: ?

Additional Details

Runtime:
93 min
Country:
Language:
Color:
Aspect Ratio:
1.37 : 1 more
Sound Mix:

Fun Stuff

Movie Connections:
Features Forced Entry (1973) more

FAQ

This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.
13 out of 13 people found the following comment useful.
riveting..., 30 January 2004
9/10
Author: melwyn from Australia

As others have said, this is a disturbing and frightening film. For me, it raised questions about exactly who are the barbarians in our "civil" society and at what point can it be said that we are no better than "them".

Some with no knowledge of conditions in modern prisons dismiss this as a brutal movie out for shock value and nothing else, but it is based on a true story. One previous comment says it was filmed in NT (Australia) and based on events that happened in an outback prison. However it was based on the testimony of David Hale, a warder at USP Marion, Illinois, USA, who spoke out about the management tactics and treatment meted out to both prisoners and staff at the prison - tactics which culminated in a lockdown after two people were murdered in one day. When Hale spoke out he was branded a drunk, a drug user and mentally unstable in order to discredit him. (If the soundtrack is still available, it is worth a listen. It features an extensive interview with Hale.)

The cast features four professional actors and two musicians (Cave and The Reels' Dave Mason). The rest are predominantly ex-cons with about a dozen ex-cops, ex-warders and tough types found hanging around in local Melbourne gyms thrown in. It was workshopped for several months before filming began. You will not see a more realistic picture of life in prison - unless you are unfortunate enough to find yourself in one.

Was the above comment useful to you?
more (19 total)

Message Boards

Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for Ghosts... of the Civil Dead (1988)

Recommendations

If you enjoyed this title, our database also recommends:
- - - - -
Ex Drummer Chattahoochee The Basketball Diaries Combat Shock Midnight Express
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
Show more recommendations

Related Links

Full cast and crew Company credits External reviews
IMDb Drama section IMDb Australia section Add this title to MyMovies

You may report errors and omissions on this page to the IMDb database managers. They will be examined and if approved will be included in a future update. Clicking the 'Update' button will take you through a step-by-step process.