Buzz
When a film's storyline demands a grim, imposing prison, creating a fake one often feels like a shortcut. Some filmmakers skip the lengthy process of location scouting, securing permits, and adapting old buildings for large crews, opting instead for the raw authenticity of real-world prisons. The eerie atmosphere of both decommissioned and active jails is nearly impossible (and costly) to mimic, which is why many directors prefer using the genuine article. Take a look at these real-life detention centers that have earned their moment in the credits.
1. HER MAJESTY'S PRISON MAZE AND HER MAJESTY'S PRISON CRUMLIN ROAD
Location: Lisburn and Belfast, Northern Ireland | Film: Starred Up (2014)
The British crime drama filmed at two distinct locations in Northern Ireland for its authentic exterior and interior scenes: Her Majesty's Prison Maze (also known as Maze Long Kesh) and the 19th-century Her Majesty’s Prison Belfast (better known as Crumlin Road Gaol). The filmmakers took full advantage of the prison's cramped spaces and intricate gate systems, offering an immersive and realistic experience of navigating the facility, as opposed to relying on artificial cell setups and wide-angle shots of empty hallways. In 2013, the Northern Irish government revealed plans to transform Her Majesty’s Prison Maze into a peace center.
2. JOLIET CORRECTIONAL CENTER
Location: Joliet, Illinois | Film: The Blues Brothers (1980)
Bart Heird, Flickr // CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
In the 1980 classic, John Belushi’s character earned the nickname 'Joliet' Jake due to his time in this facility for armed robbery. The actual Joliet Correctional Center closed its doors in 2002 after 144 years of operation. However, visitors can still visit the site and take photos in front of the famous 'Joliet Jake Gate,' the spot where the character was shown walking out of the prison and toward the Blues Mobile.
3. EASTERN STATE PENITENTIARY
Location: Philadelphia | Films: 12 Monkeys (1995), Animal Factory (2000), Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (2009)
John St. John, Flickr // CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
In 12 Monkeys, Eastern State Penitentiary serves as a mental institution, but in reality, it holds the title of the world's 'first true penitentiary.' Opening its doors in 1829, it was the largest and most costly public building of its time. Since then, its innovative radial floor plan has influenced countless prisons around the world. This iconic facility has appeared in numerous films (including Steve Buscemi's Animal Factory), TV shows, and music videos, with its eerie cell blocks housing notorious figures like Al Capone. Even the penitentiary's outdoor grounds gained fame as the overgrown hideout in Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, filmed in the Industrial yard. Today, Eastern State is a National Historic Landmark and museum, offering daily tours, exhibits, and an annual haunted house.
4. TENNESSEE STATE PENITENTIARY
Location: Nashville, Tennessee | Films: Ernest Goes to Jail (1990),
Brent Moore, Flickr // CC BY-NC 2.0
This high/medium-security facility, located near downtown Nashville, closed in 1992 after the Riverbend Maximum Security Institute opened in 1989. A 1982 class action lawsuit settlement declared that the prison could no longer legally house inmates due to 'unconstitutional conditions,' though the actors portraying prisoners weren’t affected by this ruling. The prison’s striking, castle-like main entrance was featured in the eerie fantasy film The Green Mile, set against a stormy backdrop of lightning and rain on the night of an execution. The Tennessee Film, Entertainment & Music Commission offers the site as a no-cost location for filmmakers, which proved perfect for the productions of Ernest Goes to Jail and The Last Castle, much of which was filmed outdoors in the expansive yard.
5. MLADÁ BOLESLAV PRISON
Location: Mladá Boleslav, Czech Republic | Film: Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol (2011)
Before shooting the 'Russian Prison' action sequence in the first act of the film, Tom Cruise had the production team construct a wooden replica of the cells and hallways of the Czech prison. This temporary set allowed them to rehearse and choreograph the extras' movements and camera angles since they were only permitted to film inside the actual building for a limited time.
6. RAHWAY STATE PRISON
Location: Rahway, New Jersey | Films: Scared Straight! (1978), Malcolm X (1992), Ocean's Eleven (2001)
CBGB_Hoser, Flickr // CC BY-ND 2.0
In the late 1980s, Rahway State Prison was renamed East Jersey State Prison (EJSP) after New Jersey's local communities recognized that distancing themselves from a prison's name would relieve a significant burden on municipal identities. The prison served as the backdrop for the beginning and end of Ocean's Eleven, where Danny Ocean (George Clooney) is released. Spike Lee also utilized EJSP to portray the Charlestown State Prison where Malcolm X converted to Islam. Additionally, the documentary Scared Straight! showcased a program where juvenile delinquents faced off with real inmates at Rahway.
7. HER MAJESTY'S PRISON WANDSWORTH
Location: London, England | Film: A Clockwork Orange (1971)
diamond geezer, Flickr // CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
Wandsworth, the largest prison in the UK, first opened its doors in 1851 as the Surrey House of Correction. Over its long history, more than 130 inmates were executed by hanging within its walls. The gallows were removed in the early 1990s, and the space is now used as a tea room for staff. Known as 'the big house,' it was also used for the exterior shots of Parkmoor Prison in A Clockwork Orange, with interior scenes filmed at Woolwich Barracks Prison.
8. ALCATRAZ ISLAND
Location: San Francisco | Films: Escape from Alcatraz (1979), The Rock (1996), X-Men: The Last Stand (2006), Point Blank (1967)
Todd Lappin, Flickr // CC BY-NC 2.0
Alcatraz is undoubtedly one of the most infamous locations in the world, known for its harsh conditions and reputation as an escape-proof facility. Despite only operating for 29 years, the prison saw 36 escape attempts, with most of the escapees being caught, some shot, and others either drowned or declared 'missing and presumed dead.' Alcatraz is featured in films like X-Men: The Last Stand, The Rock, and Point Blank, but most of these films only show the exterior shots. However, Escape from Alcatraz made use of the prison's interior spaces for numerous scenes, bringing the fortress to life on screen.
9. FRED C. NELLES YOUTH CORRECTIONAL CENTER
Location: Whittier, California | Films: Hancock (2008), Red State (2011), Bad Teacher (2011)
Studio SoCal History, Flickr // CC BY-NC 2.0
After the girls were relocated in 1916, the Whittier-based institution became a reform school solely for boys, remaining open until 2004. Operating for 113 years, the school was designated as a historical landmark in 1982. Indie thriller Red State was predominantly shot at the school, the comedy Bad Teacher took advantage of the educational setting, and the superhero dramedy Hancock used the site for exterior shots of prisoners entering a building.
10. PENITENTIARY OF NEW MEXICO
Location: Santa Fe, New Mexico | Film: The Longest Yard (2005)
killbot, Flickr // CC BY-NC 2.0
In Adam Sandler's 2005 remake of the 1970s prison football film, the men's maximum-security facility served as the backdrop. Director Peter Segal chose the location, saying that the prison itself 'becomes a character in the story.' The prison is infamous for being the site of a deadly 1980 riot that resulted in 33 inmate fatalities.
