1971 • R • 1h 28m • Drama · Thriller
One of the most controversial films ever made.
No streaming options are listed for this title in US yet.
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.
*Punishment Park* is a jagged, hyper-kinetic piece of cinema verité that weaponizes its shaky-cam aesthetic to mirror the chaotic political polarization of its era. While its relentless, confrontational tone can feel exhausting and occasionally didactic, the film’s raw intensity remains a potent artifact for those who prefer their social commentary delivered with the force of a sledgehammer.
Patrick Boland
Tribunal Defendant
Carmen Argenziano
Jay Kaufman (Tribunal Defendant)
Kent Foreman
Lee Robert Brown (Tribunal Defendant)
Luke Johnson
William Luke Valerio (Tribunal Defendant)
Katherine Quittner
Nancy Jane Smith (Tribunal Defendant)
Scott Turner
James Arthur Kohler (Tribunal Defendant)
Peter Watkins
Director