Alcatraz: The Whole Shocking Story (1980)
Overview
Filmed on location at Alcatraz Island, this two-part "whole story" actually concentrates on a handful of the denizens behind the cold grey walls of "The Rock". Michael Beck plays the real-life Clarence Carnes, an Oklahoma Choctaw Indian said to be the youngest man ever incarcerated in the notorious maximum security prison. Serving a 99-year sentence for a gas station holdup and murder, Carnes makes periodic attempts to escape, the final attempt being the most violent. Many of the subordinate characters are fictional (as are most of the details concerning Carnes' escape efforts); the one exception is Robert Stroud, the "Birdman of Alcatraz", here portrayed by Art Carney as a gentle, kindly philosopher. Telly Savalas, a costar of the Burt Lancaster vehicle Birdman of Alcatraz, also guest starred in the 1980 film. Originally titled Alcatraz and Clarence Carnes, this made-for-TV movie wavers between gritty realism and "I'm bustin' outta here!" artifice.
Where to watch Alcatraz: The Whole Shocking Story
| Country | Stream | Rent | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | Amazon Prime Video | Amazon Video | Amazon Video |
| United Kingdom | Amazon Prime Video | Amazon Video | Amazon Video |
Streaming availability from JustWatch via TMDB, which also lists Alcatraz: The Whole Shocking Story in 1 more countries. Catalogues change often, so check the provider before subscribing.
What is Alcatraz: The Whole Shocking Story about?
Filmed on location at Alcatraz Island, this two-part "whole story" actually concentrates on a handful of the denizens behind the cold grey walls of "The Rock". Michael Beck plays the real-life Clarence Carnes, an Oklahoma Choctaw Indian said to be the youngest man ever incarcerated in the notorious maximum security prison. Serving a 99-year sentence for a gas station holdup and murder, Carnes makes periodic attempts to escape, the final attempt being the most violent. Many of the subordinate characters are fictional (as are most of the details concerning Carnes' escape efforts); the one exception is Robert Stroud, the "Birdman of Alcatraz", here portrayed by Art Carney as a gentle, kindly philosopher. Telly Savalas, a costar of the Burt Lancaster vehicle Birdman of Alcatraz, also guest starred in the 1980 film. Originally titled Alcatraz and Clarence Carnes, this made-for-TV movie wavers between gritty realism and "I'm bustin' outta here!" artifice. Alcatraz: The Whole Shocking Story is a Crime, Drama, Action, TV Movie movie, released on 1980-11-05, runtime 196 minutes.
Is Alcatraz: The Whole Shocking Story worth watching?
There are not enough ratings yet to summarize how viewers feel about Alcatraz: The Whole Shocking Story.
Where can I watch Alcatraz: The Whole Shocking Story?
In the United States, Alcatraz: The Whole Shocking Story streams on Amazon Prime Video and can be rented from Amazon Video. The table on this page lists 1 more country. Movie World also lists online streaming sources and links to external sources on this page.
Directed by
Paul Krasny
Cast
- Michael Beck as Clarence Carnes
- Art Carney as Robert Stroud
- Alex Karras as Jughead Miller
- Telly Savalas as Cretzer
- Will Sampson as Clarence's Father
- Ronny Cox as Bernard Coy
- Richard Lynch as Sam Shockley
- Robert Davi as Hubbard
- John Amos as Bumpy Johnson
- James MacArthur as Walt Stomer
- Ed Lauter as Frank Morris
- Joe Pantoliano as Ray Neal
More like this
Sources
Details and the 5.5/10 rating from Alcatraz: The Whole Shocking Story on TMDB, also on IMDb. Back to Movie World.