Built in 1958 on the site of the former Alton Prison, Joliet Penitentiary overlooks the Mississippi River.
Built in 1958 on the site of the former Alton Prison, Joliet Penitentiary overlooks the Mississippi River.
Designed by the American architect William W. Boyington, the Joliet prison adopts a most impressive gothic style. Built with Joliet limestone, by prisoners brought there, the building soon beats the record of inmates with its 1239 occupants. Criticized for its dilapidated nature, the penitentiary was gradually modernized but remained feared for its very difficult living conditions. In 2002, the degradation of the structure and budget cuts sealed its fate and the prison closed its doors. It is also known for having hosted the serial killer John Wayne Gacy as well as the filming of the series Prison Break.
Since the dawn of cinema, films have invaded the world and highlighted sometimes unexpected places. Every film location has its secrets. The latter are sometimes as exciting as the feature films themselves.
Did you know that the cemetery where the final duel of The Good, the Bad and the Ugly was built from scratch and that no body lies there? Or that the bus ofInto The Wild has been moved to discourage fans from spending the night there? From the story of the construction of The Bridge on the River Kwai to the incredible encounter during the shooting of the last scene ofIndiana Jones and the Last Crusadeembark on an exciting world tour with the greatest stars of the seventh art. Shiver in the real haunted house ofAmityville and discover the terrifying anecdotes of the making ofApocalypse Now in the Philippines. Visit the building of Blade Runner before stopping at Hogwarts and finally landing in Jurassic Parkin the middle of the Hawaiian archipelago. What if we also took you behind the scenes of the making of the Hobbits’ village of Lord of the Rings ?
Produced by a team of pop-culture specialists and enhanced by numerous anecdotes, Cult! movies tells the secrets of the places that made the history of cinema.
