Ghosts... of the Civil Dead

Manages to instill in the viewer a true sense of claustrophobia and unease. The violent scenes are some of the most graphic i've ever seen and especially the scene with the guard in the cage gives me the shivers of impending dread whenever i watch it. Also the use of tattoo as punishment is another horrible thought. Cave is brilliantly unhinged in his role and the scenes of him drawing on the walls in his own blood will be oddly believable to anyone who ever saw some of the more ferocious birthday party gigs of the early 80s.

A truly original movie that is only half the film that Cave's script was meant to portray........

The soundtrack (by Cave etc) is also brilliantly effective Can we have a DVD release please?

As others have said, this is a disturbing and frightening film. For me, it raised questions about exactly who are the barbarians in our "civil" society and at what point can it be said that we are no better than "them".

Some with no knowledge of conditions in modern prisons dismiss this as a brutal movie out for shock value and nothing else, but it is based on a true story. One previous comment says it was filmed in NT (Australia) and based on events that happened in an outback prison. However it was based on the testimony of David Hale, a warder at USP Marion, Illinois, USA, who spoke out about the management tactics and treatment meted out to both prisoners and staff at the prison - tactics which culminated in a lockdown after two people were murdered in one day. When Hale spoke out he was branded a drunk, a drug user and mentally unstable in order to discredit him. (If the soundtrack is still available, it is worth a listen. It features an extensive interview with Hale.)

The cast features four professional actors and two musicians (Cave and The Reels' Dave Mason). The rest are predominantly ex-cons with about a dozen ex-cops, ex-warders and tough types found hanging around in local Melbourne gyms thrown in. It was workshopped for several months before filming began. You will not see a more realistic picture of life in prison - unless you are unfortunate enough to find yourself in one.

I saw this movie years ago when it was shown as part of Channel 4's "Down Under" season. I don't think it has been shown on UK TV since - to be honest I am surprised it was shown even once.

A great movie to be sure, brilliantly scripted, and of course Nick Cave's manic performance is truly astonishing.

This movie is notoriously hard to get hold of, especially in the UK, however! I have recently purchased a (new) copy of the Collectors Edition DVD from an Australian retailer (EzyDVD). It is all-region PAL format so I can play it no problem on my UK player. Dirt cheap it was as well. There are a whole host of extras too so all-in-all a top DVD.

I thought I would pass the information on as I had been trying to buy the film on Ebay for ages but the prices were going too high when there were any copies on there. Then lo and behold the Net came to the rescue. I got it shipped from Oz in just over a week.

This is one of those films that come along very infrequently. It's incredibly powerful and profoundly disturbing. It has a clear message, but never preaches. It is very involved, yet oddly distant. And it is the most extreme, unpolished depiction of prison life that you will ever see, should you be lucky enough to find it.

Co-written by acclaimed singer/songwriter/musician/novelist Nick Cave, this film carries his mark. It is every bit as dark, gritty, chaotic, and brutal as his music (or his novel, the cult favorite "And the Ass Saw the Angel"). The story itself is quite loosely plotted, but extremely layered. It's hard to take it all in with one viewing...and each repeat viewing is an experience unto itself.

Cave also plays a pivotal role in "Ghosts" as Maynard, an unconscionable psychotic whose violent raving pushes the already worsening conditions of the prison to full-scale chaos. Cave's performance is searing, bringing every bit of rage and hatred and bile to the surface...and his entrance into the film is truly unforgettable.

The film-making here is top-notch, from a cinematic point of view. It certainly wouldn't meet Hollywood's "standards," but I mean that as an extreme compliment. The cold, distant cinematography sometimes brings to mind Kubrick's film version of "A Clockwork Orange," and the way the brutality is handled visually makes "ACO" look like "Bambi" by comparison.

Certainly, this is one film that you should not miss. It is, unfortunately, quite rare...but it can be found if one looks hard enough. I will stress quite strongly, however, that this film is NOT for everyone...but for those with strong stomachs and an appreciation of challenging cinema, this is a definite must-see.

As other reviewers have all said, this film by John Hillcoat, is extremely disturbing and scary portrait of society and prison. The film is located in maximum security modern prison in which all the most dangerous criminals and psychopaths are locked in. There are no "heroic" characters and everyone is bad and rotten inside. They who want to get rid of it, commit a suicide and thus get a peace to their soul. Very pessimistic and provoking cinema, and should be seen by all politicians and "leaders."

The film portrays a society in its collapsing point in which government's attempts to turn things into better fail miserably, and nobody heals in this sick and mean spirited world we live in. There is a need for violence and violation, but nobody knows why. It feels good to kill someone and kick others to pieces. The wicked core of human nature should be exterminated but it is not possible, because the "good" are actually as bad inside as the people behind the bars. The wardens are no better than the inmates and no one is safe in the prison. The theme of Ghosts..is wickedness and total depravity which seems not to have any limits. The sadistic events in the prison in the name of justice only give new reasons for violence and mayhem. The last image of the film tells it all, and is very frightening. A man is now ready to return to society as a healed criminal....or maybe not.

Nick Cave plays here one of the most evil and dangerous devils ever captured on film. He is total psychopath who has no motivations or reasons, only rage, anger and need for blood (even his own.) It is scary to see this kind of characters in film, because we look at the mirror while seeing the film. This really happens and exists and the character of Cave can be seen also as a symbol to be interpreted.

Very frightening "prison" movie and pessimistic nihilism. So don't try to watch if you prefer nice and entertaining movies. Demanding cinema and won't leave the viewer alone very easily. 8/10