#704: SIEGEL, Don: Riot In Cell Block 11 (1954)

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SIEGEL, Don (United States)
Riot In Cell Block 11 [1954]
Spine #704
Blu-ray


Early in his career, Don Siegel made his mark with this sensational and high-octane but economically constructed drama set in a maximum security penitentiary. Riot in Cell Block 11, the brainchild of producer extraordinaire Walter Wanger, is a ripped-from-the-headlines social-problem picture about inmates' rights that was inspired by a recent spate of uprisings in American prisons. In Siegel's hands, the film, shot on location at Folsom State Prison, with real inmates and guards as extras, is at once brash and humane, showcasing the hard-boiled visual flair and bold storytelling for which the director would become known.

80 minutes
Black & White
Monaural
1:37:1 aspect ratio
Criterion Release 2014
Director/Writer


Don Siegel was 42 when he directed Riot in Cell Block 11.

Other Siegel films in the Collection:

#176: The Killers (1964)

The Film

Film Rating (0-60):

60

The Extras

The Booklet

Commentary

Video tribute

Documentary 1

Documentary 2

Documentary 3

Controversial altered ending

Theatrical trailer

Extras Rating (0-40):

39

60 + 39 =

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