Starring the Rock: Alcatraz in Hollywood Movies

Recently Alcatraz has made the headlines. Will it be reincarnated as a prison once again? For now, let’s take a theatrical deep dive and reacquaint ourselves with its fabled history.  

Shortly after Alcatraz opened as a federal prison in 1934, its role as a setting for movies began. From Alcatraz Island (1937) through Birdman of Alcatraz (1962), Hollywood depicted life on the isolated island. After the prison closed in 1963, a new era began. Point Blank (1967) was the first movie to film in the deserted facility, followed by such memorable titles as The Enforcer (1974), Escape from Alcatraz (1979), The Rock (1996), and X-Men: The Last Stand (2006). This 36 clip-filled program – featuring both comedies and thrillers – depicts how the notorious prison has appeared on screen and became one of the bay area’s most popular tourist attractions.   

Jim Van Buskirk is a major movie buff, retired librarian, and public speaker. He is the co-author of Celluloid San Francisco: The Film Lover’s Guide to Bay Area Movie Locations as well as other books, articles, blogs and radio broadcasts on San Francisco and film history.