“There’s no place for a poet in this culture” is one of the saddest statements I’ve ever heard in a film.
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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Cast & crew
6What people say
The angriest editing of all time. I truly cannot believe a movie this brazen was made when it was, and the saddest thing is it's still relevant today.
*still* funnier than THIS IS 40. struck by parallels to SALO, which would follow 4 years later. Watkins' rage is palpable and prescient, even if the tribunal dealings flirt with being too willfully evil to register (all the same, historical precedent supports their banality as well as their repetition). arguably the greatest mockumentary ever made, even if its politics were not so bleakly timeless, it would endure as a masterclass in articulating rage coming to a boil.
Common questions
What is Punishment Park about?+
It follows a fictional news crew documenting a group of antiwar activists who choose a brutal desert survival trial over prison time.
Who directed Punishment Park?+
It was directed by British filmmaker Peter Watkins in 1971 as a radical political mockumentary.
Has Punishment Park won any awards?+
While it faced initial controversy and condemnation upon its initial release, it has since attained canonical status among cinephiles. Full schedule on Mood.
