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Punishment Park

Punishment Park

One of the most controversial films ever made.

19717.31h 28m

Overview

In this fictional documentary, U.S. prisons are at capacity, and President Nixon declares a state of emergency. All new prisoners, most of whom are connected to the antiwar movement, are now given the choice of jail time or spending three days in Punishment Park, where they will be hunted for sport by federal authorities. The prisoners invariably choose the latter option, but learn that, between the desert heat and the brutal police officers, their chances of survival are slim.

Directed by Peter Watkins
Written by Peter Watkins
Produced by Susan Martin
Box OfficeBudget: $95K0

Top Cast

P

Patrick Boland

Tribunal Defendant

Carmen Argenziano

Carmen Argenziano

Jay Kaufman (Tribunal Defendant)

Kent Foreman

Kent Foreman

Lee Robert Brown (Tribunal Defendant)

L

Luke Johnson

William Luke Valerio (Tribunal Defendant)

K

Katherine Quittner

Nancy Jane Smith (Tribunal Defendant)

S

Scott Turner

James Arthur Kohler (Tribunal Defendant)

S

Stan Armsted

Charles Robbins (Tribunal Defendant)

M

Mary Ellen Kleinhall

Allison Mitchner (Tribunal Defendant)

M

Mark Keats

William C. Hoeger (Tribunal Chairman)

G

Gladys Golden

Mary Jurgens (Tribunal Member)

Themes & Keywords

police brutalityhippiedystopiasoldierstruggle for survivaldesertfake documentarymilitaryfound footagemock trialmccarthyismhostileaggressivepolitical repressionmurder huntsurvival competitionmurdered by a policemanwarpseudo-documentaryunited states of america (usa)young activistsunited states police

About Punishment Park

Punishment Park is a drama, thriller film released in 1971 exploring themes of police brutality, hippie, dystopia, soldier, struggle for survival, desert. Directed by Peter Watkins, it stars Patrick Boland, Carmen Argenziano, Kent Foreman. In this fictional documentary, U.S. prisons are at capacity, and President Nixon declares a state of emergency. All new prisoners, most of whom are connected to the antiwar movement, are now given the choice of jail time or spending three days in Punishment Park, where they will be hunted for sport by federal authorities. The prisoners invariably choose the latter option, but learn that, between the desert heat and the brutal police officers, their chances of survival are slim.

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