Review of Penitentiary (1979) by Allan C — 22 Jan 2017

Leon Isaac Kennedy is sent to prison after accidentally killing a biker in a fight protecting a prostitute. Once in jail he then has to fight to survive and his fights catch the eye of a guard who runs an illegal boxing tournament where the winner can win an early release.

This film is kind of set apart from other blaxploitation films because I think writer/director Jamaa Fanaka brings a level of grit and genuine character development to the story that elevates the film above mere exploitation.

It's a smart script that has some interesting politics beyond simply about "the man" holding people down. Fanaka alludes to the history of slavery and smartly uses the prison setting to strong metaphorical effect.

However, at the same time, the fight scenes are nothing compared to "Raging Bull" and in terms of straight up entertainment value has nothing on Walter Hill's boxing prison drama "Undefeated.

" Still, this film is a something of a unique blaxploitation film and certainly worth checking out for fans of the genre. On a side note, I spent a fair amount of time trying to figure out where I'd seen the prison guard to organizes the illegal fights, Chuck Mitchell, but finally had to look up that he was Porky in the Porky's films.