Screen legend Clint Eastwood (Coogan’s Bluff, Dirty Harry) and director Don Siegel (Two Mules for Sister Sara, The Beguiled) re-team for their fifth and final film in this fascinating account of the only three men ever to escape from the infamous maximum-security prison at Alcatraz. In 29 years, the seemingly impenetrable federal penitentiary, which housed Al Capone and “Birdman” Robert Stroud, was only broken once—by three men never heard of again. Eastwood portrays Frank Morris, the cunning bank robber who masterminded the elaborately detailed and, as far as anyone knows, ultimately successful, escape. Patrick McGoohan (Ice Station Zebra, TV’s The Prisoner) is a superb counterpoint as the suspicious warden. Filmed on location in Alcatraz, this gritty and realistic reenactment of a true story has all the power one expects of an Eastwood/Siegel movie. The stellar cast includes Fred Ward (Remo Williams), Roberts Blossom (Deranged), Jack Thibeau (Sudden Impact), Paul Benjamin (Across 110th Street) and Larry Hankin (Running Scared). Screenplay by Richard Tuggle (Tightrope), based on a book by J. Campbell Bruce.
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Video Quality
Kino Classics presents Escape From Alcatraz with a pretty strong 2160p/Dolby Vision transfer for the first time on 4K UHD Blu-Ray sourced from a 4K scan of the Original Camera Negative conducted by Paramount. While this may have Dolby Vision, you should not expect vibrant colors flowing out of the screen thanks to the most unrepentant dourness of the picture. Outside of a handful of elements, the film is devoid of anything that would be classified as “beautiful” colors. Director of Photography Bruce Surtees, the so-called “Prince of Darkness” according to the commentary track, keeps things really shadowy and devoid of light, and this is where the Dolby Vision really comes in handy. Black levels are deep and nuanced with little left to be desired in shadow detail and in resolving crushed blacks. This is especially helpful in discerning minute facets of the escape. When things are a bit brighter, white levels are solid as a rock with no evidence of blooming as the highlights dazzle.
The level of detail and clarity is very impressive, but there is little doubt that some of the natural film grain has been managed in spots. Some of the grain resolves very well with it looking sharp and compact, but then you will see some shots that look a bit unnatural. The texture on display in the costumes and within the interior settings are favorable. Facial details such as dripping sweat present with impressive clarity. This transfer barely features any stray specks after being restored with such care. There does not appear to be much in the way of jarring digital anomalies such as compression artifacts, banding or any other such nuisances. While we wish Paramount would have stayed away from some of their grain management tools, this presentation is a lovely effort from the good people at Kino Classics, and it serves as the definitive version of the film on the market.
Audio Quality
The 4K UHD Blu-Ray disc comes with both a DTS-HD 5.1 and 2.0 Master Audio track in English that handle this material well. The 5.1 surround track is pleasing enough for those looking to engage all of their speakers, and the 2.0 stereo track appears to capture the original intention of the film. The environmental sounds such as the opening torrential rain and the clanging of prison cell doors closing are rendered well alongside everything else. There does not seem to be any majorly noticeable instances of age-related wear and tear. The track does not feature constant kinetic activity, but it comes alive when it makes sense in a nuanced manner. The memorable score from Jerry Fielding is used perfectly to establish the mood of the story, and this track handles it purposefully throughout the duration of the film. There is never a moment where it threatens to overwhelm competing sounds, and it maintains a good balance so that dialogue comes through clearly. Kino Classics has given this film a well preserved audio presentation that brings the movie to life in an exciting manner. There are optional English SDH subtitles provided.
Special Features
- Audio Commentary: Film Historians Steve Mitchell and Nathaniel Thompson provide an incredibly informative commentary track in which they discuss the how this fits into the career of Clint Eastwood, the visual aesthetic of the picture, how the screenwriter schemed his way into getting the script read, the concerns over having Don Siegel direct, the themes of the film, the backgrounds of the performers, the legacy of the feature and more.
- The Ghosts Of Alcatraz – Interview with Screenwriter Richard Tuggle: A new 12-minute interview with the screenwriter in which he discusses making Alcatraz a character in the story, the inspiration for writing the story, how he transitioned into the movie business, changes from the script, the difficulties in writing believable moments for the characters, the actual shooting locations and more.
- Tales From The Cellblock – Interview with Actor Larry Hankin: A new 14-minute interview with the actor in which he discusses his early days getting into the business, his frustrating audition process, his dedication to being on set even when he was not required, Clint Eastwood’s shooting philosophy, how he feels about his work and more.
- Trailers: The two-minute trailer for Escape From Alcatraz is provided here. There are also trailers provided for A Fistful Of Dollars, For A Few Dollars More, The Good The Bad and The Ugly, Two Mules For Sister Sara, The Beguiled, Play Misty For Me, Joe Kidd, High Plains Drifter, Thunderbolt and Lightfoot and The Eiger Sanction.
Final Thoughts
Escape From Alcatraz is another incredibly entertaining outing from the team of Don Siegel and Clint Eastwood. These two work together like a well-oiled machine to bring some old-school heft to the studio drama. The storyline is very straightforward, but it is executed with such precision that it shoots up the rankings of best prison films ever created. Patrick McGoohan provides a solid foundation as the warden to this colorful cast of inmates. Eastwood is as steely and cool as you have come to expect, and he is very believable with every turn of his character. This is simply a film that hooks you in every time it is on screen. Kino Classics has released a 4K UHD Blu-Ray featuring a solid A/V presentation and a decent array of new supplemental features. If you are a fan of Eastwood or prison narratives in general, this is worth a spin. Recommended
Escape From Alcatraz is currently available to purchase on 4K UHD Blu-Ray.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the 4K UHD Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: Kino Classics has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.

Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.