Jul
22
Alcatraz: Visiting The Past
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The island was discovered by a man by the name of Juan de Ayala and was named after a seabird. Alcatraz has served as both a military stockade as well as a maximum-security prison in the past. Currently, Alcatraz is a historic site that is overseen by the National Park Service. The island is open to public tours for those that would like to visit the island for educational or personal interest reasons. People come from all over the world to visit the famous prison and are usually shocked that the island is beautiful and contains more than just a big, ominous prison!
Those that would like to visit can do so by taking a short ferry ride from Fisherman’s Wharf in San Francisco. Some of the things that visitors find most interesting when they visit Alcatraz is the abandoned prison, one of the oldest operating lighthouses in the United States, military walls and defensive structures, rock pools, a seabird colony, as well as breathtaking views of the San Francisco Bay.
Alcatraz was first used as a military installation as early as 1850, and became a maximum-security prison by 1933 when the United States Disciplinary Barracks on the island were obtained by the United States Department of Justice. The prison became a federal prison in the summer of 1934. The prison was in use for 29 years and was known to house some of the most infamous criminals such as Al Capone, Alvin Karpis, and Robert Franklin Stroud. Alvin Karpis is known as the inmate that served the longest sentence at Alcatraz prison.
The prison was not the only thing located on the island during the 29 years that the prison was in operation. On the island was also housing for the Bureau of Prison staff as well as their families. Many people grew up calling Alcatraz island home, and those that called it home have formed the Alcatraz Alumni Association. This Association actually holds an annual celebration in which the staff and family gets together to commemorate the opening of the prison and to share stories of growing up on what has become known as the “rock”.
After 29 years of operation the doors to the prison closed to prisoners. The reason for the closure is not because the prison hadn’t been successful, but because it was far more expensive than more traditional prisons. There were also some environmental concerns about the prison as the San Francisco Bay was being polluted from the sewage of more than 300 people that were living on the island. Authorities agreed that it would be cheaper in the long run to build a more traditional land bound prison instead of continuing to pay for the Alcatraz prison, so the doors were ordered shut and the prisoners were sent to other prisons in the area.
The island was inhabited again in the late 1960s by a group of American Indians known as the Indians of All Tribes. Unfortunately, during this group’s occupation of the land many of the original buildings were destroyed such as the recreational hall, the warden’s home, some apartments, as well as the Coast guard quarters. After just a year and a half the government forced the group to leave, though many American Indian groups still hold ceremonies on the island today such as on Columbus Day. The island offers a beautiful setting for such gatherings and since there is a Native American history on the island, it seems to be the perfect setting.
Alcatraz Island has become known as “The Rock” and was actually shown in a movie by the same name. That is not the only movie that has been filmed there though; several movies have been filmed there as early as 1937.
Alcatraz was considered prime land for a prison because escaping was not simple during the days of its operation. Being surrounded by water, few prisoners were even willing to consider an escape attempt. The prison never reported any successful escapes, as most of those that attempted were shot dead or would drown in the ice-cold San Francisco Bay water. In all, it’s known that 36 prisoners were involved in escape attempts of those, seven were shot and killed, two drowned, five are unaccounted for, and the remaining number were recaptured. The most famous escape attempt is the escape of Frank Morris and John and Clarence Anglin. These men disappeared from their cells in 1962 and made their way away from the island with raincoats and plywood paddles. The men were never seen again, so it is not known if the men survived their escape or not. There have never been any reported sightings of the men, and the FBI found some of their equipment, but the men were never found. Though it was thought that escape from Alcatraz was impossible, the escape of these men has prompted plenty of trials and experiments that have proved with the right resources, proper planning, cooperating weather, and a desire to escape that it is possible.
When visiting Alcatraz there are plenty of souvenirs that you can take away with you to remember your visit. Though the island was once the home to prisoners, now it welcomes visitors from all walks of life to talk a walk through history and see where some of the most infamous criminals were housed during their prison sentences. Many report that even all this time later that the prison has a very ominous and dark feeling to it. The prison remains in remarkably good condition, providing visitors with the opportunity to step into a cell to experience the confines that the prisoners did during their stay.
For some reason, The Rock continues to be one of the most fascinating parts of modern United States history. Alcatraz Island has an almost mystical quality about it. Thousands of people continue to visit the abandoned prison each year, which is why the prison continues to be kept up.
By: Arthur Vandelay
Those that would like to visit can do so by taking a short ferry ride from Fisherman’s Wharf in San Francisco. Some of the things that visitors find most interesting when they visit Alcatraz is the abandoned prison, one of the oldest operating lighthouses in the United States, military walls and defensive structures, rock pools, a seabird colony, as well as breathtaking views of the San Francisco Bay.
Alcatraz was first used as a military installation as early as 1850, and became a maximum-security prison by 1933 when the United States Disciplinary Barracks on the island were obtained by the United States Department of Justice. The prison became a federal prison in the summer of 1934. The prison was in use for 29 years and was known to house some of the most infamous criminals such as Al Capone, Alvin Karpis, and Robert Franklin Stroud. Alvin Karpis is known as the inmate that served the longest sentence at Alcatraz prison.
The prison was not the only thing located on the island during the 29 years that the prison was in operation. On the island was also housing for the Bureau of Prison staff as well as their families. Many people grew up calling Alcatraz island home, and those that called it home have formed the Alcatraz Alumni Association. This Association actually holds an annual celebration in which the staff and family gets together to commemorate the opening of the prison and to share stories of growing up on what has become known as the “rock”.
After 29 years of operation the doors to the prison closed to prisoners. The reason for the closure is not because the prison hadn’t been successful, but because it was far more expensive than more traditional prisons. There were also some environmental concerns about the prison as the San Francisco Bay was being polluted from the sewage of more than 300 people that were living on the island. Authorities agreed that it would be cheaper in the long run to build a more traditional land bound prison instead of continuing to pay for the Alcatraz prison, so the doors were ordered shut and the prisoners were sent to other prisons in the area.
The island was inhabited again in the late 1960s by a group of American Indians known as the Indians of All Tribes. Unfortunately, during this group’s occupation of the land many of the original buildings were destroyed such as the recreational hall, the warden’s home, some apartments, as well as the Coast guard quarters. After just a year and a half the government forced the group to leave, though many American Indian groups still hold ceremonies on the island today such as on Columbus Day. The island offers a beautiful setting for such gatherings and since there is a Native American history on the island, it seems to be the perfect setting.
Alcatraz Island has become known as “The Rock” and was actually shown in a movie by the same name. That is not the only movie that has been filmed there though; several movies have been filmed there as early as 1937.
Alcatraz was considered prime land for a prison because escaping was not simple during the days of its operation. Being surrounded by water, few prisoners were even willing to consider an escape attempt. The prison never reported any successful escapes, as most of those that attempted were shot dead or would drown in the ice-cold San Francisco Bay water. In all, it’s known that 36 prisoners were involved in escape attempts of those, seven were shot and killed, two drowned, five are unaccounted for, and the remaining number were recaptured. The most famous escape attempt is the escape of Frank Morris and John and Clarence Anglin. These men disappeared from their cells in 1962 and made their way away from the island with raincoats and plywood paddles. The men were never seen again, so it is not known if the men survived their escape or not. There have never been any reported sightings of the men, and the FBI found some of their equipment, but the men were never found. Though it was thought that escape from Alcatraz was impossible, the escape of these men has prompted plenty of trials and experiments that have proved with the right resources, proper planning, cooperating weather, and a desire to escape that it is possible.
When visiting Alcatraz there are plenty of souvenirs that you can take away with you to remember your visit. Though the island was once the home to prisoners, now it welcomes visitors from all walks of life to talk a walk through history and see where some of the most infamous criminals were housed during their prison sentences. Many report that even all this time later that the prison has a very ominous and dark feeling to it. The prison remains in remarkably good condition, providing visitors with the opportunity to step into a cell to experience the confines that the prisoners did during their stay.
For some reason, The Rock continues to be one of the most fascinating parts of modern United States history. Alcatraz Island has an almost mystical quality about it. Thousands of people continue to visit the abandoned prison each year, which is why the prison continues to be kept up.
By: Arthur Vandelay
Feb
3
The Shawshank Redemption (DVD) Review
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Nominated for seven Academy Awards including Best Picture, The Shawshank Redemption amazingly failed to win a single Oscar. It’s amazing because it’s probably one of the top ten best films ever produced. Based on Stephen King’s short story ‘Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption,’ the film transcends the typical intellectually and spiritually bankrupt Hollywood entertainment of the modern era with an onscreen artistry that is the closest we’ll probably ever see to poetry in moving pictures. With masterful performances by Morgan Freeman and Tim Robbins, audience members will find themselves engrossed in a tragic story wrought with suspense at every turn…
The Shawshank Redemption focuses on the life of Andy Dufresne (Robbins), a prominent banker convicted of murdering his wife and her lover. Sent to Shawshank prison in the summer of 1947, the inmates bet on which of the new arrivals will be the first to crack. Ellis “Red” Redding (Freeman), an institutional fixture and the man who can provide anything for a price, puts his money on Andy. But much to his surprise, Andy doesn’t make a sound…
Over time, Andy and Red develop a close friendship, and Red procures a small rock hammer for Andy. As the years go by, he procures other items as well, the most interesting being Rita Hayworth. Red acquires a poster of the screen siren for Andy, and business continues as usual in Shawshank. Along the way, Andy ingratiates himself with the notorious prison guard Byron Hadley (Clancy Brown) and Warden Samuel Norton (Bob Gunton). Putting his outside skills to good use, Andy provides tax advice and tax preparation services to guards not just at Shawshank, but other prisons as well.
Eventually, in exchange for a comprehensive prison library, he ends up running a massive money laundering operation for Norton leveraging prison labor in exchange for lucrative kickbacks. But all goes awry when Shawshank’s newest prisoner, a young punk named Tommy (Gil Bellows) comes forward with shocking information. Andy, who’s spent twenty years in Shawshank prison, might be innocent after all… The revelation ruins lives and destroys Andy’s prison sanctuary, but it’s Warden Norton and his associates who are ruined when the beautiful pin-up Raquel Welch reveals her hidden secret…
Directed by Frank Darabont, producer of such hit films as The Green Mile (1999) and The Majestic (2001), The Shawshank Redemption is a film of absolute breathtaking perfection that ranks near the top of most lists of the best films ever produced. Thomas Newman’s musical score, reused in countless films in the years since its release, blends together with brilliant casting, memorable screen performance, and masterful set design to create an unmatched and timeless epic. If you haven’t seen The Shawshank Redemption, you aren’t just missing out on a great film, but a great life experience as well. Do yourself a favor and see this movie…
By: Britt Gillette
The Shawshank Redemption focuses on the life of Andy Dufresne (Robbins), a prominent banker convicted of murdering his wife and her lover. Sent to Shawshank prison in the summer of 1947, the inmates bet on which of the new arrivals will be the first to crack. Ellis “Red” Redding (Freeman), an institutional fixture and the man who can provide anything for a price, puts his money on Andy. But much to his surprise, Andy doesn’t make a sound…
Over time, Andy and Red develop a close friendship, and Red procures a small rock hammer for Andy. As the years go by, he procures other items as well, the most interesting being Rita Hayworth. Red acquires a poster of the screen siren for Andy, and business continues as usual in Shawshank. Along the way, Andy ingratiates himself with the notorious prison guard Byron Hadley (Clancy Brown) and Warden Samuel Norton (Bob Gunton). Putting his outside skills to good use, Andy provides tax advice and tax preparation services to guards not just at Shawshank, but other prisons as well.
Eventually, in exchange for a comprehensive prison library, he ends up running a massive money laundering operation for Norton leveraging prison labor in exchange for lucrative kickbacks. But all goes awry when Shawshank’s newest prisoner, a young punk named Tommy (Gil Bellows) comes forward with shocking information. Andy, who’s spent twenty years in Shawshank prison, might be innocent after all… The revelation ruins lives and destroys Andy’s prison sanctuary, but it’s Warden Norton and his associates who are ruined when the beautiful pin-up Raquel Welch reveals her hidden secret…
Directed by Frank Darabont, producer of such hit films as The Green Mile (1999) and The Majestic (2001), The Shawshank Redemption is a film of absolute breathtaking perfection that ranks near the top of most lists of the best films ever produced. Thomas Newman’s musical score, reused in countless films in the years since its release, blends together with brilliant casting, memorable screen performance, and masterful set design to create an unmatched and timeless epic. If you haven’t seen The Shawshank Redemption, you aren’t just missing out on a great film, but a great life experience as well. Do yourself a favor and see this movie…
By: Britt Gillette