New Kid on the Block: Review of Starred Up

British prison drama are not a common breed of film, but when they are delivered to us, they are forever brutal and uncomfortable viewing. But as Morgan Freeman once narrated “Prison is no fairytale world!” and as movies such as Allan Clark’s 1979 movie Scum demonstrated to us the full horrors of the system and just what inmates are capable of doing behind bars. This year, director David Mackenzie has brought one of the most promising British drama’s in quite some time, about a young man making an early (and very violent) first impression in jail- but this also promised not to be viewing for the faint hearted in his movie, Starred Up.

Young offender Eric Love (Jack O’Connell) is transferred to adult prison from Juvenile Detention, but rather than getting his head down and doing his time quietly- Eric quickly gets into trouble and starts to get a vicious reputation among felons. Despite the best efforts of shrink Oliver (Rupert Friend), the young man refuses to listen to advice. His father Neville (Ben Mendelsohn) is one of the longest serving convicts on the wing, can he get through to his son before it is all too late?

Starred Up is a wonderfully intense and very tenacious prison film which pulges the audience head first into a place of true hell, where violence talks and words fall silent. From the opening sequence, we can see that Eric is going to be a tough customer with his hardened stare and frosty attitude as he is put through the ritual demoralizing prison entrance, behind his eyes is an anger quietly simmering and it doesnt take long to become unleashed and when it does, it is hair-raisingly terrifying! As we watch him cackling with insane joy after his first assault, we feel the face of rebellion is staring at us.

Throughout Mackenzie’s film, it is made clear that Eric is a young man at war with the world and all who occupy it, also he seems able to create mayhem from the most unlike item such as a light bulb, razorblade and a toothbrush- you don’t need a picture to guess what happens next! Volunteer councellor Oliver attempts to stratch the surface of his problems and try and break through his sneers and callous attitude, but Eric is a brick wall to all efforts of psychology. His dad Neville attempts stronger words with his son and makes futile attempts to push him the right way, soon a rather unlikely relationship appears but it still bares a heavy fracture due to past unspoken events.

Refreshingly for a prison movie, there is no trace or redeeming themes of life changing friendships and Mackenzie succeeds in painting a frightenly realistic protayal of prison life. Eric is driving straight into a heap of problems and even though his surrogate brothers in therapy have his best interests at heart, he only succeeds in pushing all who care or wish to help away. Soon there will be no one to aid his cause when the going gets tough! There are some un-neccessary plot divertions, but the central plot is gripping enough to keep us focused throughout.

Jack O’Connell is the driving force of the movie and gives a breakout performance of such raw vigor it is almost uncomfortable to watch! Already an established talent in movies like Harry Brown and as Bobby Charlton in BBC program United, O’Connell is a revalation here and impressively he gives Eric an almost likeable quality in stretches which is noteworthy for a character like this!

Rupert Friend also rings a strong supporting turn as Oliver and gives the perfect impression of a frustrated man trying in vain to make a different but is unwanted by the prison system. Australian actor Ben Mendelsohn is equally brilliant as father Neville, a tough and vigilant man who isn’t afraid to bust heads for his son- ironically the perfect father on the inside but is also aware of his failings in early life that have more than likely led to his son being in the same place!

With its gritty edge and continually tense air, Starred Up is far and away the most impressive British film so far this year and with the talent on display, this could potentially be one of the years best movies. Jack O’Connell is a young man who has now earned a Hollywood shot and likewise David Mackenzie could be going places. But more than anything, there probably won’t be a more awkward family reunion than this one!

 

An American Abroad: Review of Midnight Express

Classic from the Vault

Midnight Express (1978)

Director: Alan Parker

By Alex Watson

Prison movies as a general rule are never pretty viewing but then again they are never meant to be. Even classic’s such as The Shawshank Redemption showed the grim realities of life on the inside as well as the problems that occur for prisoners when released, where as movies such as A Prophet, Papillion and American History X focus on the horrific violence and corruption that nests within the walls. But few have been as claustrophobic as Alan Parker’s, Midnight Express which told the true story of Billy Hayes’ prison sentence in Turkey and brought some of the most memorable and uncomfortable images of years gone by.

American Billy Hayes (Brad Davis) is attempting to smuggle several bars of hashish out of Istanbul, Turkey when he is caught by the authorities at the airport and is thrown into Sağmalcılar prison. Sentenced to life imprisonment he bonds with fellow western inmates Jimmy (Randy Quaid) and Max (John Hurt) but his sentence soon becomes a living hell with violence and torture a regular feature. Billy soon realizes his only hope is to catch the ‘Midnight Express’ (prison code for escape).

Midnight Express is truly a classic of the prison film genre but it doesn’t make for easy watching and will require a strong stomach throughout. The film caused outrage in Turkey upon release and severely affected tourism for some years after its graphic depiction of the ill treatment given to Hayes and co by sadistic guard Hamidou (Paul Smith). But Parker doesn’t strive to make the population an enemy and rather than going for typical racist stereotypes he instead gives a realistic depiction of prison life and the hardship faced.

Oliver Stone’s Oscar winning script contributes to the engaging and tense story line and Billy’s journey is one hell of a ride as he sees the problems faced by Westerners in 1970’s Turkey as his faith in the legal system turns on his head midway through when his early release is cruelly denied! After his hopes are tarnished he turns to trying to escape and this where the real tension creeps in and as his optimism crumbles, so does Billy mental state. But it provides an uplifting yet heart stopping finale and aided by Giorgio Moroder’s pulsating electronic score it ends the film of a high note.

The images in Midnight Express are at times hard to swallow such as a gruesome scene where Billy in a moment of madness bites out the tongue of a fellow inmate, but it’s the moments that go un-seen which are by far the worst to imagine as we hear Max’s cat killed off screen and see Billy about to be raped by Hamidou at the films early stage. But as difficult as they are, these images ensure the film stays in our minds long after the finale credits have rolled.

The late Brad Davis (who died of AIDS in 1991) gives a heartbreaking and real performance as Billy and through the film we are drawn to his struggle and have the upmost sympathy for his plight. Davis’ career never quite matched the heights of this performance and it is tragic that he was so little seen after his terrific performance here. Randy Quaid also does well as cocky American inmate Jimmy whose repeated escape attempts make him a target for the guard. But its John Hurt who proves the memorable as heroin addicted prisoner Max, a man who has a spent perhaps too long behind bars and whose mind seems to be deteriorating and through Hurt’s quiet brilliance, he more than matches Davis.

Alan Parker is one of the under-rated director’s of years gone by and was deservedly awarded the BAFTA Fellowship at this year’s ceremony. Midnight Express is a prime example of the movies he has been capable of making and his able to bring suspense on screen that is rarely matched. For a movie that will truly stick your mind for a variety of reason then this is recommend. Also it will teach you a valuable lesson on avoiding prison abroad!

Crime and Punishment: Review of Into The Abyss

Into The Abyss

Director: Werner Herzog

By Alex Watson

When going to see a Werner Herzog film the audience should be prepared for anything. Over the last three decades the German director has not only baffled us with his films such as Heart of Glass and Stroszek, but also shocked us with tales of on-set tension in Fitzcarraldo and threats of death whilst making Aguirre: the Wrath of God (both starring Klaus Kinski) to finally tugging at our heart strings with his documentary Grizzly Man. Herzog is one of the more unique directors in the world today and he is never afraid to tackle a subject, no matter how controversial. In his new film he returns to documentary and poses some difficult questions on the subject of death and accuracy of the legal system in new film, Into the Abyss.

Into the Abyss shows Herzog travelling to Conroe, Texas to examine a triple homicide that occurred in 2001 when young men Michael Perry and Jason Burkett were convicted for brutally murdered a 50 year old woman and two young men in order to steal a car! In this film Herzog speaks to people on both sides of the event, from the families of the deceased, to the men inside the system that not only convicted them but eventually kill one of them, to finally the killers themselves. But all the while asking the big question, why do people kill and why does the law feel compelled to do the same thing?

Herzog’s film stays away from the usual shock doc clique’s and delivers us a haunting depiction of people who have paid a terrible price with their lives at the cost of murder.  As we meet the men for the first they come across as almost likeable. In Herzog’s conversations with Michael Perry (who was executed in July 2010), we see a man who is more or less still a boy. But in a few short days after his interview his life will be terminated.

Another surprising element is the absence of Herzog from the screen. In his previous efforts we have always seen him interact with the camera and at times seen the effect the subject has on himself. For instance in Grizzly Man when the viewer saw first-hand how disturbed the man was when he listened to the tape of Timothy Treadwell’s death. But with Into the Abyss, Herzog takes a back seat to proceedings and lets the images speak of themselves.

Into the Abyss treads a fine line and Herzog’s never portrays the men as neither guilty nor innocent.  He leaves the big questions to the audience themselves and here we ask ourselves what any man’s breaking point can be?

All the way through there is a haunting feeling hovering over the film.  As we see the killers sat behind the glass in jail we see men who have been stripped of a life before it has really begun. In one interview, Herzog speaks to Burkett’s father who has spent a life incarcerated. Here he reveals that he gave a testimony at his son’s murder trial and in doing so might have spared his son from Death Row.   His life behind bars has alienated him from the world and as a result, he has never truly known his family. So this one gesture meant so much to the man and through his tears we see his regrets in life.

The most fascinating element of the Into the Abyss is Herzog’s interactions with the men within the system itself. This segment will leave the audience with a heavy heart as we see men who are troubled by the ghosts of dead inmates and in some ways are struggling to cope.

A prominent example of the emotional struggle faced is when Herzog interviews a former captain of a Death House (the last place a convict spends before being executed). The man talks of a female prisoner who simply thanked him for his kindness. After this he experienced a minor break down and was unable to do this job anymore. The Death House graveyard shows us grave stones with contain no names, just numbers. We are shown that some prisoners upon death are just statistic of the state rather than people.

Into the Abyss is one of the more powerful messages of the year because it asks intelligent questions on the accuracy of the capital punishment system and if taking a life for a life is really the answer we seek. Herzog is a great director and although this might not hits the emotional height of Grizzly Man, it’s certainly another interesting and ghostly picture.