B-MOVIE OF THE MONTH - GULAG (TV 1985)

This month B-Movie Gazette dives into the prison genre and who doesn't like a good prison flick? Gulag is an extremely well-produced TV movie originally made for HBO before wandering out to obscurity-land. David Keith is in top form as a sportscaster and while covering an event in Moscow is framed by the KGB. Unable to prove his innocence a prison escape is now inevitable, just how will he do it? Malcolm McDowell co-stars, this is a good one folks! 2.75 stars/2.75

Tuesday, October 31, 2023

I ESCAPED FROM DEVILS ISLAND (1973) - ROGER CORMAN'S SHAMELESS TAKE ON 'PAPILLION'

 

Can anyone tell me what in this picture relates to Papillion? 

I suppose it should be mentioned first that I consider the original Papillion with Steve McQueen and Dustin Hoffman to be the greatest prison movie ever made, second only to Cool Hand Luke. So, I'm probably going to be even more critical towards a Roger Corman version, especially one starring Jim Brown, the worst of the blaxploitation big name actors. (He's no Fred Williamson.)

A clunky stitch of scenes, Devils Island replicates just about every trope from the original - the officer, the guillotine, the jungle, lepers, etc. It's pretty pitiful stuff, bordering on "should never been made" territory. 

An obscurity up until recently,  Devils Island is now on Tubi, available for anyone to see, warts and all. It's worth at least one watch for B-movie lovers but expect to have that "I don't want to look at the car accident but I have to" feeling.   1.75 stars/2.75 

Link to a 3 min clip

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