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Punishment Park

  • 19711971
  • RR
  • 1h 31m
IMDb RATING
7.7/10
7.2K
YOUR RATING
Punishment Park (1971)
Pseudo-documentary purporting to be a film crews's news coverage of the team of soldiers escorting a group of hippies, draft dodgers, and anti-establishment types across the desert in a type of capture the flag game. The soldiers vow not to interfere with the rebels' progress and merely shepherd them along to their destination.
Play trailer1:41
1 Video
48 Photos
DramaThriller
"Punishment Park" is a pseudo-documentary purporting to be a film crews's news coverage of the team of soldiers escorting a group of hippies, draft dodgers, and anti-establishment types acro... Read all"Punishment Park" is a pseudo-documentary purporting to be a film crews's news coverage of the team of soldiers escorting a group of hippies, draft dodgers, and anti-establishment types across the desert in a type of capture the flag game. The soldiers vow not to interfere with t... Read all"Punishment Park" is a pseudo-documentary purporting to be a film crews's news coverage of the team of soldiers escorting a group of hippies, draft dodgers, and anti-establishment types across the desert in a type of capture the flag game. The soldiers vow not to interfere with the rebels' progress and merely shepherd them along to their destination. At that point, ha... Read all
IMDb RATING
7.7/10
7.2K
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Peter Watkins
  • Writer
    • Peter Watkins
  • Stars
    • Patrick Boland
    • Kent Foreman
    • Carmen Argenziano
  • Director
    • Peter Watkins
  • Writer
    • Peter Watkins
  • Stars
    • Patrick Boland
    • Kent Foreman
    • Carmen Argenziano
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 60User reviews
    • 70Critic reviews
  • See more at IMDbPro
  • Videos1

    Trailer
    Trailer 1:41
    Watch Trailer

    Photos48

    Punishment Park (1971)
    Punishment Park (1971)
    Punishment Park (1971)
    Punishment Park (1971)
    Mary Ellen Kleinhall in Punishment Park (1971)
    Fred Franklyn in Punishment Park (1971)
    Punishment Park (1971)
    Mary Ellen Kleinhall in Punishment Park (1971)
    Stan Armsted in Punishment Park (1971)
    Norman Sinclair in Punishment Park (1971)
    Scott Turner in Punishment Park (1971)
    Gladys Golden in Punishment Park (1971)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Patrick Boland
    • First Tribunal Defendant
    Kent Foreman
    • Defendant in the tribunal
    Carmen Argenziano
    Carmen Argenziano
    • Jay Kaufman, Tribunal Defendant
    Luke Johnson
    • Defendant in the tribunal
    Katherine Quittner
    Katherine Quittner
    • Nancy Smith
    Scott Turner
    Scott Turner
    • James Arthur Kohler, Tribunal Defendant
    Stan Armsted
    Stan Armsted
    • Charles Robbins
    Mary Ellen Kleinhall
    Mary Ellen Kleinhall
    • Allison Mitchner
    Mark Keats
    • William C. Hoeger, Tribunal Chairman
    Gladys Golden
    Gladys Golden
    • Mary Jurgens, Tribunal Member
    Sanford Golden
    Sanford Golden
    • Sen. Harris
    George Gregory
    • Mr. Keagan
    Norman Sinclair
    Norman Sinclair
    • Alfred J. Sully - Tribunal Member
    Sigmund Rich
    • Prof. Hazlett
    Paul Rosenstein
    Paul Rosenstein
    • Paul Reynolds - Tribunal Member
    Lee Marks
    Lee Marks
    • Robert J. Donovan, FBI Agent
    Sandy Cox
    • Stenographer
    Fred Franklyn
    Fred Franklyn
    • James Daly, Defense Attorney
    • (as Frederick Franklyn)
    • Director
      • Peter Watkins
    • Writer
      • Peter Watkins
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Many of the "actors" were not acting in a traditional sense. In the introduction, Peter Watkins says many protesters were real-life protesters, and most soldiers were real-life conservatives. All improvised lines based on their opinions. There were no rehearsals.
    • Goofs
      In her tribunal closing statement, Alison Mitchner makes reference to the Preamble to the Constitution of the United States, and uses the phrase "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness". This phrase is in the second sentence of the Declaration of Independence, not the Constitution.
    • Quotes

      Mary Jurgens, Tribunal Member: [shouting] You are immoral!

      Jay Kaufman, Tribunal Defendant: I am not immoral.

      [she continually interrups with shouting]

      Jay Kaufman, Tribunal Defendant: You want me to tell you what's immoral? War is immoral! Poverty is immoral! Racism is immoral! Police brutality is immoral! Opression is immoral! Genocide is immoral! Imperialism is immoral! This country represents all those things!

    • Crazy credits
      There are no opening credits at all. The title doesn't appear until halfway through the closing credits.
    • Connections
      Featured in Hagan Reviews: Punishment Park (2017)

    User reviews60

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    A lost classic of strength and purpose.Find it. See it.
    I had to see this movie with French subtitles, as I understand it was unavailable for 30 years. I can see why. As a mock documentary, it thinly disguises a diatribe against American society during the Vietnam era - the country's hypocrisy and its culture of violence. It is a forthright piece of agit-prop mock verite filmmaking that I can imagine would easily provoke strong reactions among the youth and among the left during that divisive era. That, of course, is its strength and its purpose. The narrative itself cuts between two scenarios. Neither is meant to be 'realistic'; each is exaggerated for impact and to push the metaphoric value of the situation. On one hand, you have a group of radicals neatly representing various factions of the left - a feminist, a pacifist, a revolutionary, a black activist, a political activist, a musician for free expression. They are brought one by one before a kind of kangaroo court made up of various bigoted, closed minded fascistic pro-war, `America Love it or Leave it' types. These 'pigs' are there to determine the guilt of these left wing 'subversives' and then give them a choice - fifteen years in a federal prison or - Punishment Park. The second scenario involves a group of radicals who have been sentenced to Punishment Park and are about to find out what that means. This story provides a second metaphor concerning American injustice and its cults of violence, division, and oppression. This group must get across the desert in 90 to 100 degree heat to a final destination, where the American flag has been placed. They have two hours to get a head start before a group of p***ed off and bloodthirsty troopers and National guardsman will attempt to hunt them down. They must then surrender or be shot. The chances - obviously - are slim. By going back and forth between these two scenes - the absurd tirades of right wing bigots against the left to the hopeless cause of radicals running for freedom in Punishment Park - the point is made quite clear. The effect of the relentless documentary style and of the film's punishing politics keeps your interest and still manages to incite and indict. Many of Watkins' images recall images of the 60's - assassinated radicals, dead blacks, assaults by National Guardsmen, gags in court, and strong echos of the McCarthy hearings. The cumulative effect is strong stuff. Where it could have gotten silly and where it could feel dated - it still disturbs. It is a fabulous premise for a political satire. It would work well now with the neo digital Verite style of the Blair Witch Project in practice and the purloined presidency of George W. and his oppressive cronies in charge.
    helpful•35
    6
    • tjackson
    • Jan 13, 2001

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • February 10, 1972 (United Kingdom)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Strafpark
    • Filming locations
      • San Bernardino Mountains, California, USA(Location)
    • Production companies
      • Churchill Films
      • Françoise Films
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 31 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Mono
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.37 : 1

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