Plot: What’s it about?
Martel Gordone (Leon Isaac Kennedy) is in the middle of a world where brutality and animalistic nature is the norm. Human life doesn’t mean that much in this place and neither do personal rights or much of anything else, to be truthful. Gordone is a prisoner in a harsh penitentiary where there is little space to breath and even few ways to survive until your sentence has been served. He was placed here after a fight with some bikers turned lethal and one of them was left dead. This lands him where he is now and he has picked up the nickname Too Sweet, because of his love for candy bars. The prison is brutal and tough, but soon Too Sweet becomes harder and is able to make it through each day. In an effort to secure an early parole he joins the prison boxing team, which means he can get out of here by doing the same thing he was put in for. With several other boxers in line for the same prize the road won’t be easy for Too Sweet, but his desire for freedom just might be enough to push him to victory.
If you’re a fan of exploitation movies then this one release I wager you’ve waiting for, Jamaa Fanaka’s cult classic Penitentiary. With the intense boxing scenes and almost documentary style approach, this movie is a powerful one that also manages to entertain. This is a low budget masterpiece that overcame the odds and became a staple of fans of the blaxploitation and overall exploitation genres. The performances are realistic for the most part and the camera work is very effective, this is how low budget films should be done. A major selling point for this film is the atmosphere Fanaka creates within the prison, which makes you feel like you’re right in there with these desperate men. This makes the tension that much more tense and the action seems even more brutal. The storyline has some small hiccups but is solid for the most part, with the characterizations being the finest portion of script. I recommend this movie to fans of exploitation movies of all types, but those into blaxploitation will be most interested.
This film was written, produced, and directed by Jamaa Fanaka, who delivered a solid movie that defies the low budget origins it was created in. I had seen this movie before and was pleased to see released on our beloved format, but I was unsure how much I would like it since it had been years since the last time I viewed it. While some will scoff at the production values and acting at times, if you’re an exploitation fan like me, this is pure heaven on a shiny disc. The boxing scenes seem to be the most powerful shots, but Fanaka has turned out a solid movie overall with this film. If you want to see more of Fanaka’s films make sure look up the two Penitentiary sequels as well as Welcome Home Brother Charles, Street Wars, and Emma Mae. As far as acting goes this movie doesn’t have any awards on the shelf, but given the nature of the film I feel the actors do acceptable turns. Leon Isaac Kennedy (Too Scared To Scream) plays the lead with passion and energy, which is vital to a movie like this. Kennedy returned to this role in the follow up films and brought a sense of stability to the casts in those films as well. The supporting cast includes Chuck Mitchell (Porky’s, Better Off Dead), Badja Djola (A Rage In Harlem, The Hurricane), Wilbur “Hi-Fi” White, and Hazel Spears (Disco Godfather).
Video: How does it look?
Penitentiary is presented in a 1.85:1 widescreen transfer, which is not enhanced for widescreen televisions. This is a low budget movie that is over twenty years old, so don’t miracles but this transfer does look solid in all aspects. There is some print wear and grain evident at times, but this is never a distracting factor in my opinion. The colors are natural and never bleed or smear and flesh tones seem normal and without flaws. The contrast is solid although some scenes appear a little too bright. I didn’t see any serious compression errors either, fans will be very pleased with this visual presentation.
Audio: How does it sound?
This release uses a stereo track to replicate audio and it does an acceptable turn, though some of the more action driven scenes would sound fantastic in a full surround track. Even so this track handles the audio very well and no serious issues seem to emerge. This movie was made in 1979 and given the low budget nature involved, I expected the audio to be dated and possible distorted. But that is not the case at all as this track sounds very good, though not as clear and sharp as a more recent track would be, of course. The effects sound good and never muddle together and the dialogue is loud and clear, not much more I could expect.
Supplements: What are the extras?
This release contains the original trailer for both Penitentiary films as well as a running commentary by writer/director/producer Jamaa Fanaka. The track makes for an interesting listen as Fanaka reveals a wealth of behind the scenes information that should please fans of the movie. The package claims that production stills and outtakes are included on this disc, but I was unable to locate them.
