Penitentiary

Sold Out / OOP

This listing is for the standard edition Blu-ray/DVD combo. The limited edition slipcover was limited to 1,500 units and is sold out. The two versions are identical, aside from the slipcover.

Leon Isaac Kennedy stars as Martel "Too Sweet" Gordone who, after unwittingly getting involved with a prostitute and attempting to save her from being assaulted by a John, which turns deadly, finds himself charged with a murder he didn't commit. Locked up in the state penitentiary, Martel is forced to fend for himself among hardened criminals, until he's introduced to the underground and lucrative world of in-prison boxing.

Director Jamaa Fanaka's breakout action hit, PENITENTIARY, remains one of the seminal late period 'Blaxploitation' films. Gritty, violent, and maddeningly entertaining, Vinegar Syndrome presents the Blu-ray debut of this genre film classic, newly restored in 4k from its original 35mm camera negative and filled with both all new and archival interviews with its cast and crew.

directed by: Jamaa Fanaka
starring: Leon Isaac Kennedy, Wilbur 'Hi-Fi' White, Thommy Pollard, Donovan Womack, Gloria Delaney, Badja Djola, Chuck Mitchell
1979 / 99 minutes / Color / 1.85:1 OAR

Additional info:

• Region free Blu-ray/DVD combo pack
• Newly scanned and restored in 4k from the 35mm original camera negative
• Archival commentary track with Jamaa Fanaka (writer / producer / director)
• Commentary track with Sergio Mims (second assistant director)
• "Too Sweet for Penitentiary" - interview with Leon Isaac Kennedy (lead actor)
• "Filming Penitentiary" - interview with Marty Ollstein (cinematographer)
• "Producing Penitentiary" - interview with Alicia Dhanifu (producer)
• Original theatrical trailer
• English SDH Subtitles