British filmmaker Vadim Jean first explored the story of the so-called "Angola 3" in his 2010 documentary In the Land of the Free. His new film offers greater depth and an update to this harrowing story of justice gone haywire. In 1972, three African American convicts at Louisiana’s Angola Prison--Robert King, Herman Wallace, and Albert Woodfox--were accused of murdering a prison guard. Convicted on flimsy eyewitness testimony and without physical evidence, the trio were subjected to long-term solitary confinement--imposed by the state’s Department of Corrections--that appeared to violate constitutional law. King was released from prison in 2001 after his conviction was overturned, Wallace died from liver cancer three days after his 2013 release (which was ordered by a state judge), and Woodfox remained in solitary until a plea deal release in 2016 despite having his conviction overturned three different times. Vadim was denied access to Angola, and was therefore forced to rely on photographs and archival footage to provide insight into the physical aspects of the four-decade solitary confinement sentences. Yet even without setting foot in Angola, Vadim brilliantly captures the soul of the three men and their refusal to be crushed by endless years in isolation. King and Woodfox provide eloquent testimony about their suffering--Wallace was too ill to be interviewed--in this film that offers a harsh rebuke aimed at the casual cruelty dished out by a penal system that arrogantly refuses to answer for its actions. A disturbing and provocative documentary about punishment and the indefatigable spirit to survive, this is highly recommended. Aud: C, P. (P. Hall)
Cruel and Unusual
(2017) 102 min. DVD: $19.95, Blu-ray: $24.95. FilmRise (avail. from www.amazon.com). Volume 33, Issue 3
Cruel and Unusual
Star Ratings
As of March 2022, Video Librarian has changed from a four-star rating system to a five-star one. This change allows our reviewers to have a wider range of critical viewpoints, as well as to synchronize with Google’s rating structure. This change affects all reviews from March 2022 onwards. All reviews from before this period will still retain their original rating. Future film submissions will be considered our new 1-5 star criteria.
Order From Your Favorite Distributor Today: