A successful prison break is not just a simple escape, is escaping of an exceptional individual, regardless of his moral probity or human. It may sound slightly bombastic, but to be able of that, you need some skills that not everyone has. That come from experience (including prison), they come out of desperation or simply the desire to escape. A film about escape will always be the taste of the free, and especially those who have had nothing to do with a jail in their lifetime.
10. Rescue Dawn
Rescue Dawn, directed by Werner Herzog, with Christian Bale and Steve Zahn, is a film that, no matter how pretentious it sounds, tells the story of a simple escape. Dieter Dengler’s plane is hit, it’s overthrew in Laotian jungle, German-American pilot is captured by local peasants, tortured and sent from a makeshift jail ad-hoc, where he meets five other prisoners with mild mental disabilities. Herzog’s film is primarily supported reconstitution a fight for survival.
09. Escape from Alcatraz
Escape from Alcatraz, directed by Don Siegel, Clint Eastwood in the lead, is, unlike the more complex emotional film of Herzog, a film centered exclusively on Fank Morris’s escape. Historically speaking, although we know that he successfully escaped much dreaded prison that supposed to be impossible to escape, but is not known if he managed to swim to shore, or “succumbed” to go. However, Siegel’s film is pure “entertainment”, Eastwood’s character is the prototype of the individual that no one and nothing breaks down it and the whole escape from meticulous planning to implementation, keeps you in continue suspense.
08. A Man escaped
The film tells the story of Andre Devigny, member of French resistance, captured by the Nazis and sent to a concentration camp, where cold and calculated its mind working hard to ultra-detailed plan of escape. Gumption of film is the twists which gives Devigny’s plans upside down. Even in the day of escape, he is condemned to death and almost impossible to be all perverse, is given a new cell mate. Just as with Siegel’s film, we here are dealing with a very tough guy, very balanced and mentally destroyed seemingly impossible.
07. Le Trou
As in most films of this genre, is fascinating to observe the behavior of individuals in critical circumstances that require absolutely all mental resources to maintain balance and self-control. Four cellmate, an escape plan, and, surprisingly, a new cell mate most inopportune of moments.
06. La Grand Illusion
Although a film about escape, is primarily a fine analysis of the ambiguous relationship can be established between prisoners and “guards”. We are in World War. Captain and Lieutenant Marechal Boeldieu are captured by Captain von Rauffenstein, which develops a sense of friendship from Boeldieu. Although the two prisoners are treated with humanity and “exclusive”. Later, Rauffenstein is injured and incapable of fighting the war, becoming head of the prison in which he transferred to the French duo.
05. Papillon
Steve McQueen and Dustin Hoffman in the main roles, is a classic genre. Henri Charriere, also known as Papillon, is falsely accused of murder, sentenced to jail for life and sent to a penal colony in French Guiana. This is intriguing, Shaffner’s film wants to show us an ingenious escape, but a character so constant desire of liberty that is almost inhuman.
04. Stalag 17
Directed by Billy Wilder, William Holden starring, offers a perspective on war and burlesque “existence” of the prisons surrounding the Second World War. Stalag 17 is a prison for American air forces. Moreover, from Stalag 17 you can not escape, because it’s like guards can see the future. Every escape attempt is aborted in the bud.
03. Cool Hand Luke
It is a film in which the prison break, are incidental. What matters here is Luke’s inability to comply with the legalities imposed by Southern-rural prison. Admired, worshiped even of colleagues suffering, Luke escapes, is recaptured, returned in the same prison, escapes again, is recaptured again sent back into the same prison. Newman’s character became iconic through the visceral decision to spit in the “eye” of conformism.
02. The Great Escape
It is the most epic movie about an escape from the world cinema history. Based on the true story of the most extensive attempt to do so during the Second World War, Sturges’s film can be called without much reserve the right Homeric. The Great Escape is divided into two “chapters”: first is the escape from prison, and after desperate efforts to recapture the Gestapo over 70 escapees.
01. The Shawshank Redemption
Darabont’s film is “talking” about hope, friendship and tenacity. Escape is only the skeleton itself above narrative that apply moticulos and “correct” meaning of existence. Structurally, Darapont’s film is perfectly balanced, and sustained suspense is dosed with maximum efficiency and the acting is masterly. Sounds pompous but it’s true.
