With Escape Plan out today, we look back at the strange prominence of prisons in Sylvester Stallone movies…
In his blockbuster movies, Tom Cruise likes to ride motorcycles and run with his fingers outstretched.
Jean-Claude Van Damme likes to wear tight lycra and do the splits a lot.
Arnold Schwarzenegger likes to make that sort of guttural graargh noise when he gets into fights.
Sylvester Stallone, on the other hand, has his own set of interests and habits.
He likes to fire machine guns one-handed, scream while flying helicopters, and making a hurgh!
noise when he does something athletic.
Also, he has a tendency to star in films that involve prisons.
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It was inFirst Bloodthat Stallone first had a brush with jail.
This meant that Stallone could star in a sequel, which was even more popular than its predecessor.
Whats the jail like?
Of course you do, Rambo.
How does Sly get out?No startling escape attempts here.
And no, it isnt a copy ofPenthousemagazine.
And besides, Rambo would miss not having Trautman around.
British sitcom Porridge this is not.
How does he get out?you’re free to probably guess.
It involves guns and high explosives.
Whats the jail like?As we said, its hideous.
Someones clearly trying to save on the electricity bill, because its a dark, dank, sorry place.
Oh, and Drumgoole also has his own pet antique electric chair, which he strokes with suggestive fondness.
In a satisfyingly neat conclusion, Drumgoole is humiliated by his beloved pet electric chair.
He probably should have bought a cat instead.
As wedetailed fairly exhaustively last year,Tango & Cashis one of the weirdest films of the 80s.
Kurt Russell plays his opposite, the scruffy, loud mullet wearer, Lieutenant Cash.
Whats the jail like?Its Hades with bars and white bricks.
Its all over for you!
while blazing Andrex rains down in the distance.
Worse is yet to come.
How do they get out?This is the best bit.
The police bimble around the place talking like Ned Flanders (Mellow greetings.
What seems to be your boggle?
Whats the jail like?We dont get to see the penal colony Dredds supposed to be sent to.
How does Sly get out?
Oh, the irony.
Whats the prison like?Its a futuristic, dystopian nightmare.
From the safety of the prison control room, Hobbes watches his captives squirm in the dreadful heat.
Interestingly, Escape Plan marks Schwarzeneggers first visit to a movie jail since 1987s The Running Man.
How does Sly get out?That would be stumbling into spoiler territory.
