RIOT (1969)

[The Burgomaster]

Here's a pretty good prison movie starring Jim Brown and Gene Hackman.

Hackman leads a group of prisoners who manage to escape from solitary confinement and take a few guards hostage.  The escapees start digging an escape tunnel while Hackman creates a diversion by making prison officials believe the convicts just want a meeting to negotiate better living conditions. 

This movie was filmed in a real prison in Arizona and the cast includes some actual inmates and prison employees, including the warden.  Also in the cast are Mike Kellin (as a rapist who claims he didn't do it), Ben Carruthers (as a blade-wielding Indian Native American), and Gerald S. O'Loughlin (as a sadistic guard who ends up p**sing his pants).  Bill Medley from the Righteous Brothers sings the theme song.

This isn't a great prison movie, but it is a pretty good one that's worth watching if you're a fan of the genre.  Complete with a big "raisin jack" party and male prisoners dressed as women (what would a prison movie be withut these familar elements?)

[Trevor]

I remember reading the book by one Frank Elli in high school: suffice to say that (a) the librarian was horrified and (b) I learned some strange facts, like chewing the filter inside a nasal inhaler can make you fly.