Prison (1988)

The spirit of a long-dead prisoner returns for revenge, haunting the prison's new governor.

Director:

Renny Harlin

Writers:

Irwin Yablans (story), C. Courtney Joyner (screenplay),

Stars:

Viggo Mortensen, Chelsea Field, Lane Smith

1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Viggo Mortensen	...	Burke / Forsythe Electrocution
Chelsea Field	...	Katherine Walker
Lane Smith	...	Warden Eaton Sharpe
Lincoln Kilpatrick	...	Cresus
Tom Everett	...	Rabbitt
Ivan Kane	...	Lasagna
André De Shields	...	Sandor
Tommy 'Tiny' Lister	...	Tiny (as Tom 'Tiny' Lister Jr.)
Stephen E. Little	...	'Rhino' Reynolds
Mickey Yablans	...	Brian Young
Larry Flash Jenkins	...	Hershey
Arlen Dean Snyder	...	Captain Horton
Hal Landon Jr.	...	Wallace
Matt Kanen	...	Johnson
Rod Lockman	...	Kramer

Storyline

After Charles Forsyth was sent to the electric chair for a crime he didn't commit, he forever haunts the prison where he was executed. Flash forward several years when the prison is reopened, under the control of its new warden Eaton Sharpe, a former security guard who framed Charlie. When prisoners are ordered to break down the wall to the execution room, they unknowingly release the angry spirit of Charles Forsyth, a powerful being distributing his murderous rage to all, leading up to the Warden himself.

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Plot Keywords:

prison | prisoner | electric chair | haunting | revenge | 

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Taglines:

In 1956, Charles Forsyth was sent to the electric chair. Now he's back...

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Horror | Thriller

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

14 April 1989 (Finland)

Also Known As:

Börtönhalál

Filming Locations:

Rawlins, Wyoming, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$1,300,000 (estimated)

Gross:

$354,704 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Empire Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

102 min

Sound Mix:

Ultra Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The posters on some of the prison cells, are from movies made by Irwin Yablans, Charles Band, and in one case - Linda Blair, that poster is really autographed by her, as she was on set from time to time visiting a friend who worked on the crew.

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Quotes

Lasagna: I hear you can take anything on four wheels, man, and fly it away to heaven.
Burke: Well don't believe everything you hear.

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Connections

References Rocky (1976)

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Soundtracks

"Love will be Hurrying to You"
Written by Margaret Connell and Melissa Connell

User Reviews

Easily rises above expectations ...........

As prison movies go, "Prison" easily rises above expectations. Competent acting by Lane Smith, Viggo Mortensen, and a cast of prison stereotypical character actors carries the movie into above average territory. The abandoned Wyoming prison where it was filmed is interesting, and lends authenticity. Although the horror prison aspect has been done more recently, there is a certain quality to "Prison" that has not been replicated. I'm not sure what it is, but the combination of likable characters that have some development fighting an unleashed spirit is depicted quite well, in the tradition of great films like "The Keep". - MERK