Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #2121 in DVD
• Released on: 2004-07-19
• Rating: Suitable for 15 years and over
• Number of discs: 1
• Format: PAL
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 117 minutes

DVD Description
When Henri is caught trying to escape from Alcatraz he is put into solitary confinement for several years emerging as a tortured mad man. In a deluded rage he murders an inmate and then has to convince the jury that his horrific treatment is to blame. Inspired by the true story of Alcatraz inmate Henri Young

Star studded cast with Kevin Bacon, Christian Slater and Gary Oldman

Synopsis
The true story of Henri Young, a 1930's convict who has been sent to prison for stealing five dollars. But when Young and others attempt to escape, they are caught. As punishment, a naked and wet Young is thrown into a dark, damp, rat-infested cell, where he is beaten continuously. He emerges from this hellhole three years later a virtual madman--and promptly kills the inmate who snitched about the escape attempt. Now facing a charge of murder in the first degree, Young is defended by inexperienced go-getter James Stamphill. Although the cards are stacked high against him, the lawyer makes Young plead innocent. Stamphill's plan: to put Alcatraz, and the whole prison system on trial, as both institutions have turned his client into a homicidal maniac.

Customer Reviews

One of Bacon's Best Efforts
Kevin Bacon(wild things) puts up an Oscar worthy performance as an abused occupant of The Alcatraz Prison. Christian Slater(true romance) also does well but is shadowed by Bacon and co star Gary Oldman(the scarlet letter).

The story is chilling and dark and Bacon portrays his character to perfection. Brad Dourif(urban legend, child's play) also stars as another shady character trying to put a stop to the Slater/Bacon appeal.

If there was one thing that the writers could have done to improve the story to appeal to a larger audience was, they could have made the story faster and smoother, to get rid of the inconsistency's. 'Murder In' is however, a great film with worthy performances by the whole cast.

a great movie
murder in the first is a great tale,possibly based on real life events,the film is handled brilliantly and hasnt quite had the acclaim it deserves due to the success of the shawshank redemption and if you liked that then you will like this as well,plain and simply.
The film tells the tale of henri young who is sent to alcatraz prison for stealing five dollars to feed himself and his sister,upon entry to the prison he is sent to solitary confinement for 3 years for trying to escape and becomes insane,upon return to normal prison kills the man who informed on the prison break,he is then tried for a murder on what is a clear cut case but young lawyer christian slater belives that henri is a victim of his surrounding,sterling and high charged stuff,worth your time.

Murder In The First
“Murder in the First” is one of those films that is based on a true story but the film makers cleverly don’t really reveal as to how factual their film is and I always end up questioning how much of the on-screen action is faithful to the reality and how much is dressed up for effect.

Henri Young is a young prisoner incarcerated on the infamous island prison of Alcatraz. Convicted of only stealing five dollars Henri makes an attempt to escape from the prison and is caught in the process. His escapee comrade squeals to the authorities whilst Henri remains stoic, needless to say it doesn’t take the brains of an Archbishop to work out which one is put back on the wing and which one is put in solitary confinement.

For Henri solitary confinement would be enough of a punishment but instead of the maximum 19 days that any inmate should remain there he is forced to endure over three years of being cooped up in an airless, lightless cramped cell. Add to that the beatings and torture his endures at the hands of the warden Milton Glenn, it’s perhaps understandable that when Henri is finally released back into the mainstream prison his mental state is less than stable. At the first opportunity he has he takes revenge on the rat who squealed on his escape and ends up murdering him in the mess hall by stabbing his victim with a spoon.

James Stamphill is the young public defendant attorney who is given the unenviable task of defending Henri, a task that is made doubly hard by the fact the Henri is nearly 100% catatonic and won’t speak to people. With the authorities closing ranks on any wrongdoings in the penal system and a client who won’t take, how will Stamphill put together a legitimate case to defend Henri?

The film is really made via two very well executed factors. Firstly the settings are extremely effective, being both moving and disturbing. Alcatraz is portrayed as the bleak foreboding rock that it is and the solitary cells are scarily depicted in all their frightening glory. The contrast with the urbane and civilised courtroom could be stronger and yet the goings on in this place of justice are staked against Henri and the cruel regime that has made him the killer he is.

Secondly the performances of the leads are quite excellent. Christian Slater is on the surface perhaps too young to play Stamphill and give the lawyer the authority he needs and yet is over eager exuberance and assurity of his position lets him get away with it. Gary Oldman is quite subdued for him and yet this cold and calculating Warden Glenn is a chillingly bad character and very effective. Finally the main plaudits must go to Kevin Bacon who’s portrayal of the pathetic Henri is superb in the sorry state of this broken man and yet is strangely uplifting.

There’s one final scene when Henri re-entered Alcatraz seemingly only for the purpose to hurl one final insult at Warden Glenn whilst the other inmates applaud the bravery of their fellow prisoner which is probably unnecessary and diminishes the final gravitas of the ending but the rest of the film is well worth the watch.