Riot in Cell Block 11 (Blu-ray)

Early in his career, Don Siegel made his mark with this sensational and high-octane but economically constructed drama set in a maximum-security penitentiary. Riot in Cell Block 11, the brainchild of producer extraordinaire Walter Wanger, is a ripped-from-the-headlines social-problem picture about inmates rights that was inspired by a recent spate of uprisings in American prisons. In Siegels hands, the film, shot on location at Folsom State Prison, with real inmates and guards as extras, is at once brash and humane, showcasing the hard-boiled visual flair and bold storytelling for which the director would become known. BLU-RAY SPECIAL EDITION FEATURES 2K digital restoration, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack Audio commentary by film scholar Matthew H. Bernstein Excerpts from the directors 1993 autobiography, A Siegel Film, read by his son Kristoffer Tabori Excerpts from Stuart Kaminskys 1974 book Don Siegel: Director, read by Tabori Excerpts from the 1953 NBC radio documentary seri