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List of the Best Prison Movies of All Time

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Though what specifically makes a movie a "prison movie" might differ from viewer to viewer, for the purpose of this list, a movie is eligible if one of the film's major characters spends some time in the slammer and that jail time is shown in the film. In addition, the film's plot must revolve around that prison time or the attempt to avoid going back to the pokey. Here's the list of what we consider to the best prison movies of all time in no particular order:

Shawshank Redemption
The Shawshank Redemption (1994) - Tops on any list.

The Blues Brothers (1980) - Of course they'll never get caught. They're on a mission from Gyod! Also features one of the best soundtracks in film.

Papillon (1973) - Steve McQueen and Dustin Hoffman at their best. "Hey you bastards, I'm still here".

Cool Hand Luke (1967) - Stars Paul Newman, but the star of the show is George Kennedy with his Oscar winning performance as best supporting actor.
The Longest Yard
The Longest Yard (1965 - TV) - The 1974 version starring Burt Reynolds, not the 2005 version starring Adam Sandler.

Escape From Alcatraz (1979) - Clint Eastwood plays Frank Morris, the only man believed to have escaped from the rock.

American History X (1983) - Powerful film that tackles racism and hatred head on.

Bad Boys (1983) - The version with Sean Penn not the one with Martin Lawrence and Will Smith.

The Birdman of Alcatraz (1962) - John Frankenheimer direction that features Burt Lancaster as Robert Stroud, a prisoner who was probably the most famous inmate ever to reside on Alcatraz.
The Deer Hunter
The Deer Hunter (1978) - Robert DeNiro and Christopher Walken in the 5-time Academy Award winner.

O Brother Where Art Thou (2000) - Coen brothers interpretation of The Odyssey that stars George Clooney, John Turturro, and John Goodman.

Bridge on the River Kwai (1957) - One of the best war movies as well.

Midnight Express (1978) - Suggestion - never try to smuggle hash out of Turkey.
The Great Escape
The Great Escape (1963) - Steve McQueen makes the list again in this 1963 epic that featured an ensemble cast of near heroes.

The Green Mile (1999) - A Stephen King product that featured the breakout performance of Michael Clarke Duncan.

Dead Man Walking (1995) - Say what you will about Sean Penn, but he's good in this one!

Chicago (2002) - Yes, it's a prison movie.

48 Hours (1982) - Prison movies can be funny too.

Chicken Run (2000) - Well, not prison as we know it, but it is chicken prison.

Stalag 17 (1960) - A Billy Wilder film with William Holden as a prisoner in a WWII German POW camp. Inspired the hit television series, Hogan's Heroes (1965)

The Hurricane (1999) - Another gripping performance by Denzel Washington as Rubin "Hurricane" Carter, a boxer wrongly imprisoned for murder

My Cousin Vinny (1992) - In case you need more proof that prison movies can be funny. Stars Joe Pesci and Marisa Tomei.
Stir Crazy
Stir Crazy (1980) - One of Richard Pryor's funniest movies. Who would have imagined the chemistry between Pryor and Gene Wilder? Directed by Sydney Poitier.

Alien 3 (1992) - Sigourney Weaver's space pod crashes on a remote prison planet. Let the mayhem begin.

The Life of David Gale (2003) - One of the most controversial films on the list. Stars Kevin Spacey and Kate Winslet

25th Hour (2002) - A Spike Lee joint. What goes on in a man's life as he spends his final day before doing a seven year prison term.

21 Grams (2003) - While questionable as to whether or not it qualifies as a prison movie, it does feature Sean Penn and Naomi Watts in one of the best performances by Naomi Watts' nipples.

Parasise Lost: The Child Murders at Robin Hood Hills (1996) - No fiction writer would dare make an attempt at presenting such an unbelievable story of inept police work and plot implausibility.

The Great Raid (2005) - John Daul film based on the William B. Breuer book of one of the bravest acts in military history that no one knows about.

Brubaker (1980) - Starring Robert Redford as the titular warden, this film won a Best Original Screenplay Oscar for its writer, W.D. Richter. Yes, it's that good.


Have some to add to this list?
Don't agree with the ones we've included?

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