Riot - Gene Hackman

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S E A R C H D V D B e a v e r

Directed by Buzz Kulik
USA 1969

While the warden (real-life warden Frank A. Eyman) of a state prison is away, the isolation block erupts and 35 of the most violent criminals (led by Gene Hackman) stage a riot and take over their portion of the prison. Cully Briston (Jim Brown), in for five years and awaiting his eventual parole, wants no part of the riot. He impulsively gets involved, defending a prison guard and protecting him from the maniacs in the block. This tense drama is based on a Frank Elli’s novel, which chronicled an actual riot that took place in a Minnesota prison. A prison break is planned as knives slash, fists fly and blood is spilled. Directed by Buzz Kulik (Brian’s Song).

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Theatrical Release: January 15th, 1969

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DVD Review: Olive Films - Region 1 - NTSC

DVD Box Cover		CLICK to order from:
Distribution	Olive Films - Region 1 - NTSC
Runtime	1:54:48
Video	1.78:1 Aspect Ratio Average Bitrate: 7.29 mb/s NTSC 720x480 29.97 f/s
	NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes.
Bitrate:
Audio	English (Dolby Digital 2.0)
Subtitles	None
Features	Release Information: Studio: Olive Films Aspect Ratio: Aspect Ratio 1.78:1 Edition Details: • none DVD Release Date: February 8th, 2011 Keep Case Chapters: 8

Comments:

Hey - who doesn't like a prison picture? Especially one of the 'escape' variety - and this has Hackman and Jim Brown. Other than that it doesn't distinguish itself much - but there is enough here for some viable entertainment. 'Riot' is a bit of a leading title although the film isn't particularly exploitive or violent. Conflicts are more with each other than the guards.

It has what we have come to expect from Olive Films - a Paramount movie - not yet released on DVD - in a dual-layered, anamorphic + progressive transfer that looks about as good as the format can produce for a 40-year old film. It's clean - maybe a shade saturated but produces a decent presentation. Audio is unremarkable but close, I'll wager, to the way it was produced. There are no subtitle nor supplements of any kind.

Jim Brown is the central character - and, along with Hackman, the most reasonable of the group of bad apples. I was in the mood for this genre of film and I liked it well enough. I believe this is 'Riot's DVD debut and fans of Hackman may wish to indulge. It's no masterpiece but a decent ride.