Animal Factory *** (2000, Willem Dafoe, Edward Furlong, Danny Trejo, Mickey Rourke) – Classic Movie Review 1467

Director Steve Buscemi’s janglingly edgy 2000 movie stars Willem Dafoe as a shaven-headed old lag takes drug-dealing rich lad Edward Furlong under his wing. Furlong ‘s slight, privileged kid Ron Decker has landed up in San Quentin jail on marijuana charges. The lad brings out paternal feelings in Dafoe’s 18-year prison veteran, Earl Copan, who takes Ron under his wing.

Earl introduces Ron into his own gang and first helps him out when three Puerto Ricans try to lure him into a cell block to rape him,

Based on the novel by Edward Bunker, this intense, hard-hitting, intelligent prison drama, which explores life in jail and the relationship between Ron and Earl,  is extremely well made by director Buscemi, with fine acting all round by the talented, quirky ensemble.

Worryingly, Mickey Rourke plays Furlong’s transvestite cellmate. Seymour Cassel, Tom Arnold, John Heard, Danny Trejo and Mark Boone Jr also star and, unsurprisingly, Buscemi gives himself an acting role as A.R. Hosspack. Bunker co-writes the screenplay with John Steppling, and plays the small part of Buzzard. Bunker co-starred alongside Buscemi in Quentin Tarantino’s Reservoir Dogs.

Animal Factory was filmed over 30 days at Holmesburg Prison in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Buscemi employed hundreds of prisoners from Curran-Fromhold Correctional Facility, which replaced Holmesburg Prison in 1995.

It had great reviews, was a hit at the Sundance Film Festival but took a tiny amount of money. It wasn’t released in the UK till July 2003.

Tragically, it is so far the talented Furlong’s last important role as his career declined due to arrests and court cases, substance abuse and alcoholism.

© Derek Winnert 2014 Classic Movie Review 1467

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