Word: kulik
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Dates: during 1960-1969
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Even in these bloody times, the violence in Riot is rather extravagant: when cons are shot in the chest, gore gushes from their mouths, and throats are slit with slashing abandon. Director Buzz Kulik shot the film entirely in the Arizona State Prison, more for the sake of novelty than authenticity. He never once manages to capture the claustrophobic frustration of prison life. Although Riot aspires to be reformist social criticism, it is about as effective-and moving-as a convict chorus of Don't Fence...
Trying too hard to be brittle, the dialogue often simply crumbles. Director Buzz Kulik nonetheless manages to give Warning Shot velocity by getting polished performances from his cast and by catching the spirit of stucco swank that passes for class in some down-at-heels sections of Los Angeles. As a faithful copy of Hollywood's old hard-boiled style of detective fiction, the film is not likely to engender any emotion except nostalgia. But if it has the look and the sound of an antique, it also has some of its value...