Alcatraz: The Final Sentence

This informative and enlightening documentary explodes the myths about Alcatraz, a.k.a. "The Rock" the island federal penitentiary which supposedly housed only "mad dog killers" and total incorrigibles. Using interviews, interspersed with archival film footage, and contemporary shots of the now defunct Alcatraz, the filmmakers paint a fascinating portrait of this heretofore romanticized prison. The main body of historical information is delivered by Phillip Bergen, past Captain of the Guard, who worked at Alcatraz from 1939-1955. And the feelings of being a inmate are conveyed by ex-cons Leon "Whitey" Thompson ("the food was excellent") and Charley Berta. What makes the film so mesmerizing is the stark contrast between the strictly business, no-nonsense running of the prison, and the wild misconceptions of the public augmented by the speculations of the press, and the glamour of Hollywood (Robert "Birdman of Alcatraz" Stroud, for instance, never had his birds on Alcatraz.) Highly recommended for those libraries who can afford it.