Riot (film)
Encyclopedia
Riot is a 1969
American drama
film directed by Buzz Kulik
and starring Gene Hackman
and Jim Brown
.
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.
by Frank Elli, which chronicled an actual riot that took place in a Minnesota
prison.
In addition to using real-life warden Frank A. Eyman, the production utilized a number of real-life prisoner
s as extras.
The film was partially shot at the Yuma Territorial Prison
.
by Paramount Pictures
in 1969.
The film was given a belated release on VHS
by Paramount Home Video in 1993.
The film was sub-licensed to Olive Films by Paramount and released on DVD
by in 2010.
1969 in film
The year 1969 in film involved some significant events.-Events:* Last year for prize giving at the Venice Film Festival until it is revived in 1980...
American drama
Drama
Drama is the specific mode of fiction represented in performance. The term comes from a Greek word meaning "action" , which is derived from "to do","to act" . The enactment of drama in theatre, performed by actors on a stage before an audience, presupposes collaborative modes of production and a...
film directed by Buzz Kulik
Buzz Kulik
Buzz Kulik was an American film director and producer. He directed 72 films and television shows, including several episodes of The Twilight Zone.-Selected filmography:* The Explosive Generation...
and starring Gene Hackman
Gene Hackman
Eugene Allen "Gene" Hackman is an American actor and novelist.Nominated for five Academy Awards, winning two, Hackman has also won three Golden Globes and two BAFTAs in a career that spanned five decades. He first came to fame in 1967 with his performance as Buck Barrow in Bonnie and Clyde...
and Jim Brown
Jim Brown
James Nathaniel "Jim" Brown is an American former professional football player who has also made his mark as an actor. He is best known for his exceptional and record-setting nine-year career as a running back for the NFL Cleveland Browns from 1957 to 1965. In 2002, he was named by Sporting News...
.
Plot
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 (Gene Hackman) stage a riotRiot
A riot is a form of civil disorder characterized often by what is thought of as disorganized groups lashing out in a sudden and intense rash of violence against authority, property or people. While individuals may attempt to lead or control a riot, riots are thought to be typically chaotic and...
and take over their portion of the prison. Cully Briston (Jim Brown), in for five years and awaiting his eventual parole
Parole
Parole may have different meanings depending on the field and judiciary system. All of the meanings originated from the French parole . Following its use in late-resurrected Anglo-French chivalric practice, the term became associated with the release of prisoners based on prisoners giving their...
, wants no part of the riot. He impulsively gets involved, defending a prison guard and protecting him from the maniacs in the block.
Production
The film is based on a non-fiction novelNon-fiction novel
The non-fiction novel is a literary genre which, broadly speaking, depicts real historical figures and actual events narrated woven together with fictitious allegations and using the storytelling techniques of fiction. The non-fiction novel is an otherwise loosely-defined and flexible genre...
by Frank Elli, which chronicled an actual riot that took place in a Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
prison.
In addition to using real-life warden Frank A. Eyman, the production utilized a number of real-life prisoner
Prisoner
A prisoner is someone incarcerated in a prison, jail or similar facility.Prisoner or The Prisoner may also refer to:* Prisoner of war, a soldier in wartime, held as by an enemy* Political prisoner, someone held in prison for their ideology...
s as extras.
The film was partially shot at the Yuma Territorial Prison
Yuma Territorial Prison
The Yuma Territorial Prison was a prison in the Arizona Territory of the United States and now in present day Yuma, Arizona. The Territorial Prison is one of the Yuma Crossing and Associated Sites on the National Register of Historic Places in the Yuma Crossing National Heritage Area.The site is...
.
Release
The film was given a theatrical release in the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
by Paramount Pictures
Paramount Pictures
Paramount Pictures Corporation is an American film production and distribution company, located at 5555 Melrose Avenue in Hollywood. Founded in 1912 and currently owned by media conglomerate Viacom, it is America's oldest existing film studio; it is also the last major film studio still...
in 1969.
The film was given a belated release on VHS
VHS
The Video Home System is a consumer-level analog recording videocassette standard developed by Victor Company of Japan ....
by Paramount Home Video in 1993.
The film was sub-licensed to Olive Films by Paramount and released on DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
by in 2010.