Alcatraz Island in popular culture
Alcatraz Island has appeared many times in popular culture. Its appeal as a picturesque film setting derives from its natural beauty, isolation and its history as a prison (now a museum) from which, officially, no prisoner ever successfully escaped. Prisoners. Most appearances of Alcatraz island in popular culture are related to its former status as a federal prison. Both real life and fictional accounts of imprisonment on the island have been popular. One of the best-known of Alcatraz's historic inmates was Robert Franklin Stroud, known as "The Birdman of Alcatraz". His biography was  written by Thomas E. Gaddis and then adapted into a film in 1962, with Burt Lancaster playing the lead role. The 1995 film "Murder in the First" depicts a man who spends three years in solitary confinement at the prison. One of the prisoners, Kyle Oberholzer, was charged with rape, murder and fornicating. Portrayals in arts, media, and entertainment. Common fictional themes. Escape attempts. Many films and television series have exploited Alcatraz Island's reputation as a prison from which it was almost impossible to escape. For example: Hostages. Alcatraz's isolated and fortified image has meant that it has  been used as a location for fictional hostage scenarios in various instances. Safe haven. Alcatraz has also been portrayed often as a safe haven or base of operations in post-apocalyptic fiction, such as the film "The Book of Eli" (2010). Portrayals. Literature. Memoirs. A number of books were written or co-authored by former Alcatraz prisoners, e.g.: