Escape From Alcatraz: Suspense And Freedom

Escape from Alcatraz  deals with one of the most remote and harshest scenarios in the world. Alcatraz was a place where “the most dangerous criminals in the world” had been sentenced to prison. The Escape from Alcatraz  is based on a true story, and was directed by Don Siegel in 1979. Most people can’t watch other prison movies without thinking about this.

The cold and hostile environment, captivity, and most of all, the suffocating excitement make this an amazing film. It glues the viewer to the bench and the eyes stick to the screen. Eastwood’s enigmatic face is the key to the success of this film, as is the exceptional location and the fact that the film is based on a true story. For some reason, films based on true stories generate more interest in the audience.

The purpose of the maximum security prison on the island was to ensure that the prisoners remained closed. Still, some of the prisoners fled the island successfully. However, no one knows whether they survived or not, and that’s why Alcatraz is so well known in the world. This film made this image a myth, and allowed the collective imagination to make its own assumptions.

Don Siegel has provided us with an unparalleled prison film. He brought drama and distress to the cinema, and made us feel empathy for the prisoners imprisoned there. We can understand that what they lived there for was freedom.

Alcatraz, behind bars

Alcatraz Island is located in San Francisco Bay, California. Prior to prison operations, there was a garrison on the island, but it is best known e.g. accommodation of notorious prisoners such as Al Capone. After 29 years in prison, the prison closed its doors, after which Alcatraz served as the residence of several different indigenous tribes. Currently, the island of Alcatraz is part of a national park.

During the federal prison, Alcatraz also provided a home for many prison workers and their families. Alcatraz was intended to hold extremely dangerous prisoners. Prisoners who had already been prisoners in other prisons and whose reintegration into society seemed impossible, according to authorities. The island of Alcatraz was almost impossible to reach, and this guaranteed its maximum security. Here the prisoners were not even allowed to talk to each other.

In a way, a halo of mystery and horror was created in prison. After all, there were some of the most dangerous prisoners in the world. In addition, there were many rumors circulating that countless acts of horror were being carried out at Alcatraz. In Alcatraz, suicides increased, while e.g. Rufe Persful chopped his own fingers with an ax, etc.

Alcatraz had a bad reputation for a long time, and what happened there remained a secret. Despite this, the rumors only got stronger. However, there were people who claimed that the prison conditions were not as bad as was believed. There were even prisoners asking for a transfer to Alcatraz, as there was reportedly better food there than in other prisons. Whatever the case, this debate never ceased. Everything seemed to suggest that Alcatraz was a place of hostility.

A true story

During the last years of the prison’s operation, many of the prisoners ’strict rules were diluted or abolished altogether. Attempts have been made to escape this prison several times, but only two cases have gone down in history.

• The “Battle of Alcatraz” was the first. As a result of this battle, five people died: two prison guards and three prisoners. In addition to this, several people were injured.
• The next incident was the only successful escape that took place on June 11, 1962. Don Siegel’s film is based on this.

The brain of this escape was Frank Morris, a thief convicted of drug possession and armed robbery with an above-average IQ. Brothers John and Clarence Angl managed to escape with him. In addition to this, Allen West cooperated with them and he was ready to escape but failed due to a problem in the ventilation duct. Their escape plan was perfect, and they managed to disappear without a trace. The FBI declared them dead, but the mystery still lives on.

There are allegations that after the escape, two bouquets of flowers were sent to the mother of the Anglin brothers every Mother’s Day. There is also a photograph that “proved” that they would still be alive. In 2013, the FBI reopened the case after receiving a letter signed by John Anglin in which he said the escape had been successful and that he was ill. We’ll probably never know what really happened, but it is this mystery that makes the story interesting.

Why do we like stories like this so much?

We like stories like this so much because they feed our imaginations and we can identify with the characters ’common goal: the desire to be free. This film provides images for our imagination, and we can therefore visualize how exceptionally good that escape had to be. It made these criminal heroes as they challenged the hermetic system and achieved something everyone wants: freedom.

Escape from Alcatraz : a claustrophobic path to freedom

The film begins with a rather ghostly description of Alcatraz in the middle of the night. Rain and exciting music keep the viewer alert. We then describe Frank Morris, who is advancing in the darkness, escorted by prison guards towards the prison. At a distance you can see the lighthouse, and little by little we are closer to the island. This introduction is magnificent, and all the elements are in perfect harmony with each other and lead the viewer successfully towards the story.

The film portrays Frank Morris as a silent figure who rarely speaks. His face is cold and distant, and almost expressionless. Clint Eastwood portrays his character perfectly. Siegel makes great use of Eastwood’s enigmatic faces, gestures, and expressions.

We get to know Frank progressively, finding out that he is unusually intelligent. But still we don’t know him more deeply than this. The mysterious aura around him is amazing. Other prison inmates and staff are also creatively exploited throughout the plot.

An escape from Alcatraz  makes the viewer immerse themselves in the gloom of the prison and the difficult lives of the prisoners. It shows the viewer how exceptionally resourceful Morris is. The direct realism and details with which the viewer is allowed to experience all the stages and executions of the escape plan make the film a master’s theory. The excitement grows throughout the film from start to finish.

Tension

It doesn’t matter if the story is already familiar. It doesn’t matter, do you know the whole plan in detail. The excitement of the film starts at the very first minutes and lasts throughout the film. We are in this tense state because we know something, and not the other way around.

For example, if we already know the end of the story, we now want to know how it was achieved. We are able to detect the plight of prisoners, their fears and worries. The film’s characters ’desire for freedom is so strong that not even the fear of getting caught or possible execution stops them.

As we get closer to the end of the movie, we get a break. The waves provide relief. A small ray of hope that is the opposite of that dark, repressive atmosphere we saw at the beginning of the film.

Conclusion

An escape from Alcatraz  offers the opportunity to immerse yourself in one of the greatest mysteries of the 20th century. This mystery remains open, just like any other end of the real story. This film plays with subtleties; with the speechless language, distress, and claustrophobia that that imprisonment brings about. But most of all, the desire to be free. So this film becomes the real thrill, and also the teaching of Cinematography.

Finally, there is only one question left: what exactly is freedom? Maybe they didn’t survive. And maybe they survived, but even if they didn’t survive, they would still be free. For death is always more liberating than life itself. The reason we like this story so much is that it connects us to the feeling that all people want: freedom.