Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		3.5
Audio		3.5
Extras		0.0
Overall		3.5

Escape from Alcatraz Blu-ray Movie Review

Not the Birdman (Or The Unexpected Virtue of Disappearing)

Reviewed by Michael Reuben October 12, 2015

The fifth and final collaboration between director Don Siegel and star Clint Eastwood was a docudrama ideally suited to both of them. In recreating the notorious 1962 escape masterminded by Frank Morris from the supposedly escape-proof island prison, Eastwood took on an interior role in which stillness said more than dialogue, while Siegel had the task of guiding a cast through the steps of a meticulous procedure in a limited space while maintaining dramatic tension. Although the pair fell out over business dealings, their artistic collaboration was never better.

Morris (Eastwood) is transferred to Alcatraz in 1960 after multiple prison breaks. The Warden (Patrick McGoohan) informs him that no one has ever escaped from the island penal institution. But Morris' sharp eyes are already studying the structure for weaknesses, which he spots in the aging concrete crumbling around the vent beneath the sink in his cell. With the arrival of two acquaintances from his former Atlanta prison, John and Clarence Anglin (Fred Ward and Jack Thibeau), Morris puts his plan into action. Siegel follows it with the attention to detail of John Sturges in The Great Escape.

A fourth participant is the fictionalized Charley Butts (Larry Hankin), who occupies the cell next to Morris. Through Charley's fears and hesitations, Siegel counterpoints the determination of Frank and the Anglin brothers. Other inmates provide key relationships, both friendly and adversarial, that illuminate both Morris' character and that of the Warden. The elderly "Doc" (Roberts Blossom) tried to kindle hope through his painting. The eccentric "Litmus" (Frank Ronzio) keeps a pet mouse and has the ability to obtain items needed by the conspirators. The African-American "English" (Paul Benjamin) works in the prison library and enjoys watching Morris from afar. The vicious "Wolf" (Bruce M. Fisher) plots revenge after Morris beats him to the floor in the prison showers in self-defense. The guards do little to protect Morris; taking their cue from the Warden, they regard the hardships of Alcatraz as just punishment.

The escape itself is an extended and masterfully realized sequence in which the tension never slackens, but Richard Tuggle's script does not rewrite history. The three escapees were never found, but neither were their bodies. No one knows for sure whether they made it, but Tuggle has exercised just enough literary license to dissolve the Warden's smug self-assurance.

Escape from Alcatraz Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The 1080p, AVC-encoded Blu-ray, which is being distributed by Warner, appears to be the same disc released by Paramount over two years ago in various territories overseas. The vintage of the transfer is unknown, but it's a reasonably detailed reproduction of the chilly, often monochromatic photography by Bruce Surtees, who had already become Eastwood's preferred cinematographer. Blacks are solid, although contrast suffers somewhat in the night sequences during the prison break, which may be a limitation of the source. The grain pattern appears to be natural, and the disc has been mastered with an average bitrate of 36.97 Mbps.

Escape from Alcatraz Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The film's original mono soundtrack has been remixed for 5.1 and encoded in lossless Dolby TrueHD. It's a conservative remix that remains front-focused, providing minimal separation for some of the effects and a somewhat wider dynamic range. The score by Jerry Fielding (The Wild Bunch) significantly contributes to the story's tense atmosphere.

Escape from Alcatraz Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

No extras are included.

Escape from Alcatraz Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

As a team, Siegel and Eastwood will best be remembered for their collaboration in creating the character of "Dirty Harry" Callahan, but Escape from Alcatraz is the more accomplished film. Despite the lack of extras, highly recommended.