One of the most well-known and significant uprisings of the Prisoners’ Rights Movement, the Attica Prison riot happened at the Attica Correctional Facility in Attica, New York, in 1971, as prisoners demanded political rights and better living conditions. On September 9, 1971, two weeks after the killing of George Jackson at San Quentin State Prison, about 1,000 of the Attica prison’s approximately 2,200 inmates rioted and seized control of the prison, taking 42 staff hostage. The state police eventually took back control of the prison, with at least 43 people were killed, including correctional officers, civilian employees, and inmates.
An new book on the uprising written by Heather Ann Thompson, titled “Blood in the Water: The Attica Prison Uprising of 1971 and Its Legacy,” has been optioned by TriStar Pictures, for producer Amy Pascal. Hitting book stores just yesterday, August 23, published by Pantheon, the non-fiction tome is described as the first definitive account of the infamous 1971 uprising, the state’s violent response, and the victims’ decades-long quest for justice – including information never released to the public – published to coincide with the forty-fifth anniversary of this historic event.
At least 3 TV movies of the riot have been produced since it occurred: “Attica” (1980) which Morgan Freeman co-starred in; John Frankenheimer’s “Against The Wall” (1994), with Samuel L. Jackson and Clarence Williams III; and “The Killing Yard” (2001), directed by Euzhan Palcy, with Morris Chestnut and Alan Alda.
This TriStar Pictures option is one of at least 3 new films on the uprising that have been announced in recent years, but have yet to be produced. Geoffrey Fletcher was working on a script on the subject, which Doug Liman was attached to direct. The other film in the works hails from Good Fear Film who acquired life rights to Elizabeth Fink and Frank “Big Black” Smith, to tell the story of the 1971 prison riots and its aftermath via the lives of the Fink, the lawyer, and ex-con Smith, who work together to uncover the massive state cover-up following the riots.
Smith, who died in 2004, was the coach of the prison football team and because of that was designated to be chief of security during the uprising, to protect outsiders like hostage negotiators. Fink waged a 26-year court case on behalf of Smith and other injured prisoners, which finally resulted in a $12 million legal settlement.
Pick up a copy of “Blood in the Water: The Attica Prison Uprising of 1971 and Its Legacy” here.
