Riot (1969)

A riot in a state prison is staged to cover up an escape attempt, during which many inmates and guards are killed. Shot on location at Arizona State Prison.

Director:

Buzz Kulik

Writers:

Frank Elli (novel), James Poe

Stars:

Jim Brown, Gene Hackman, Mike Kellin

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Jim Brown	...	Cully Briston
Gene Hackman	...	Red Fraker
Mike Kellin	...	Bugsy
Gerald S. O'Loughlin	...	Grossman
Ben Carruthers	...	Surefoot
Clifford David	...	Mary Sheldon
Bill Walker	...	Jake
Jerry Thompson	...	Fisk
Ricky Summers	...	Gravel Gertie
Mr. Gerri	...	Queen #1
John Neiderhauser	...	Queen #2
Frank Eyman	...	The Warden (as Warden Frank A. Eyman)

Storyline

Cully Briston is serving a 5 year sentence in an Arizona prison. He's not getting along well with the Sergeant of the guards who, on finding a bottle of moonshine near Cully, sends him to the isolation block. Arriving there Cully discovers that inmates have taken over the block and have taken the guards as hostages to demand better living conditions. Inmate Red Fraker, leader of the revolt, has a secret plan to escape with a few other inmates and asks Cully to join them. Red explains there's an old tunnel under the prison auditorium of which prison staff is unaware. Cully plans to brew moonshine to get the other inmates drunk while the select few escape.

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Plot Keywords:

corrupt warden | corrupt | stabbing | prison | arizona | 

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Taglines:

They exploded the ugliest riot in prison history to cover their dangerous, desperate break for freedom.

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Thriller

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

12 May 1969 (Denmark)

Also Known As:

Motín

Filming Locations:

Eloy, Arizona, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

William Castle Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

96 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Arizona State Penitentiary warden Frank Eyman and 600 inmates and prison staff appear in the movie.

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Soundtracks

100 YEARS
Lyric by Robert Wells
Music by Krzysztof Komeda (as Christopher Komeda)
Sung by Bill Medley

User Reviews

Jim Brown and Gene Hackman give fine performances in Riot

While I had watched this movie previously in the '90s, I forgot many of the details such as a dream sequence of Jim Brown being surrounded by a bevy of young black women in bikinis at a swimming pool or the following scene of the homosexual prisoners dressing up in drag. Quite exciting especially during the second half when the warden returns from his vacation and decides to fire away, his staff being held hostage damned. And, yes, Gene Hackman is also very good as a fellow prisoner who instigated the whole thing with Brown being a reluctant participant. So on that note, Riot is highly recommended. P.S. That Bill Medley song sure is hauntingly effective every time it plays on the score.