Wednesday, February 17, 2010

Riot Control

Director Doug Liman will helm a feature about the 1971 Attica Prison riot says The Hollywood Reporter.



Geoffrey Fletcher ("Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire") writes the script chronicling the four-day confrontation between prisoners and guards in the New York correctional facility when 1,000 prisoners rioted and seized control of the prison.

Taking thirty-three correction officers hostage, the prisoners began a negotiation for better living conditions Gov Nelson Rockefeller ordered, the state police to mount an assault and retook control of the prison, where 43 people were killed including ten guards and civilians.

The retaking of the prison has been described as the bloodiest one-day encounter between Americans since the Civil War

Liman's father Arthur L. Liman, served as chief counsel on the commission investigating the incident and co-authored the report critical of the Governor and how the incident was handled.

"As a young lawyer, my father ran the investigation into the prison uprising. I grew up hearing the name Attica and seeing a hacksaw, with a note attached to it, always displayed in my father’s office".

Liman and Fletcher took a tour of the prison: "The tour was astounding. We followed the steps the prisoners took as they overwhelmed the guards..."

David Bartis, Elliot Abbott, Avram Ludwig and Liman will produce the picture.

Looking forward to this one already

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