Fella_shibby Review of The Hole

The Hole (1960)

Gripping, claustrophobic, suspenseful n tension filled prison break film.

[10/10 · 4 April 2017]

I first saw this in the mid 90s. Was on my radar for a long time to revisit n finally revisited it recently. I was dying to see this again. This is one of the most realistic, minimalist n detailed prison escape movie. Surprisingly the acting by all the actors who played the inmates are very good considering most of em r non actors. The direction is superb. The movie is totally unpredictable with lots of suspense n tension throughout without any music. The tension in the film is sublime and at times unbearable. Every detail is properly shown. The black n white cinematography is top notch. I started this movie around 2 am n i never felt like yawning or fiddled with my phone. This movie took away my sleep n i felt like writing a review immediately aft finishing it around 4 am. This movie is intense, claustrophobic n captivating. Folks who haven't seen this shud avoid reading bah the plot. Jus knowing that it is a prison movie n inmates r planning to escape shud b suffice. One of the best thing in this movie is the camaraderie between the inmates. Its about loyalty, bond, boldness, cooperation, hard work n friendship. The film lacks most prison film clichés. There are no sadistic prison guards, and all the prisoners seem like regular guys. In one scene i was shocked to see Jean Keraudy's hand. His thumb is amputated, telling us right away that he has lived a tough life. Definitely for fans of A Man Escaped, Brute Force, Shawshank Redemption, The Great Escape, etc.