Penitentiary III (1987)
A wrongly imprisoned man must survive brutal prison violence and face the most dangerous fighter behind bars in this gritty 1987 action thriller.
Penitentiary III - Movie Information
- Release Year: 1987
- Directed by: Jamaa Fanaka
- Type: Movie
- Genres: Action, Crime, Drama
- Age Rating (US): R
- Runtime: 1h 31m
- Original Language: English
- Spoken Languages: English
- Release Date (Theatrical): September 4, 1987 (United States - R)
- Production Companies: The Cannon Group
- Production Countries: United States of America
Penitentiary III - Plot
A man is framed for murder and sent to prison. He is beaten and tortured, then forced to fight the prison's worst killer, a martial-arts fighting midget called Thud.
Penitentiary III - Trailer
See the action unfold in the official trailer for Penitentiary III.
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Penitentiary III - Cast & Crew
Director(s)
- Jamaa Fanaka
Main Cast
- Leon Isaac Kennedy
- Anthony Geary
- Steve Antin
- Rick Zumwalt
- Raymond Kessler
- Danny Trejo
- Jim Bailey
- Ric Mancini
- Ty Randolph
- Raye Hollitt
Writers
- Jamaa Fanaka
Producers
- Leon Isaac Kennedy
- Jamaa Fanaka
Penitentiary III - FAQs
What is Penitentiary III about?
Penitentiary III follows Too Sweet, a man wrongly framed for murder who lands in a brutal prison. Beaten and pushed to his limits, he's ultimately forced to face Midnight Thud, a ferocious martial-arts fighting midget who serves as the prison's most feared killer. It's a raw, gritty survival story.
Who is the villain Midnight Thud in Penitentiary III?
Midnight Thud Jessup is the film's most memorable antagonist — a pint-sized but terrifyingly skilled martial artist played by Raymond Kessler, credited as The Haiti Kid. He's the prison's ultimate enforcer, and his fight scenes against Too Sweet are the wild centerpiece of the movie.
Where can you stream Penitentiary III?
You can watch Penitentiary III on Mometu with ads. Availability may vary by region, so it's worth checking JustWatch for the most up-to-date streaming and rental options near you.
Is Danny Trejo in Penitentiary III?
Yes! Danny Trejo appears in Penitentiary III as See Veer, one of the prison's dangerous inmates. It's an early screen credit for Trejo, who would go on to become a cult action icon. Fans of his later work will enjoy spotting him here in one of his formative roles.
What is the age rating for Penitentiary III?
Penitentiary III is rated R, which fits its unflinching depiction of prison violence, brutal fight sequences, and mature themes. It's strictly for adult viewers who can handle gritty, no-holds-barred action content from the late 1980s exploitation era.
Who directed and wrote Penitentiary III?
Jamaa Fanaka both wrote and directed Penitentiary III, completing his trilogy of prison-set action films. Fanaka was a pioneering Black independent filmmaker who developed the Penitentiary series over nearly a decade, and this third installment leans further into martial arts spectacle than its predecessors.
Is Penitentiary III a sequel or standalone film?
Penitentiary III is the third entry in Jamaa Fanaka's Penitentiary franchise, again starring Leon Isaac Kennedy as Too Sweet. While it continues the character's story, the film works reasonably well on its own, especially for viewers drawn in by its outrageous premise and martial arts action.
Who are the main actors in Penitentiary III?
Leon Isaac Kennedy leads the cast as Too Sweet, joined by Anthony Geary as the menacing Serenghetti, Steve Antin as Roscoe, Rick Zumwalt as Joshua, Raymond Kessler as Midnight Thud, and a young Danny Trejo. It's a colorful ensemble that gives the film much of its cult appeal.
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