Punishment Park
“One of the most controversial films ever made.”
Synopsis
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.
Trailers, Teasers & Extra Featurettes
Official promotional previews, behind-the-scenes footage, and exclusive clips.
PUNISHMENT PARK (1971) - TRAILER
Type: Trailer • Published 2020-08-12
Top Cast
Explore Star Directory →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)
Stan Armsted
Charles Robbins (Tribunal Defendant)
Mary Ellen Kleinhall
Allison Mitchner (Tribunal Defendant)
Mark Keats
William C. Hoeger (Tribunal Chairman)
Gladys Golden
Mary Jurgens (Tribunal Member)
Sanford Golden
Senator Harris (Tribunal Member)
George Gregory
Mr. Keagan (Tribunal Member)
Norman Sinclair
Tribunal Member
Sigmund Rich
Prof. Hazlett
Paul Rosenstein
Tribunal Member
Lee Marks
Federal Agent
Sandy Cox
Stenographer
Frederic Franklyn
Defense Attorney
Release History & Theatrical Window
Melbourne Film Festival
Festival / Special Debut
October 29, 1971
Wide Cinema Exhibition
January 20, 2012
Physical Home Media
Financials & Box Office Performance
Production Budget
$95K
Filming & production cost
Worldwide Gross
Pending
Total global ticket sales
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Peter Watkins
- Screenplay & Story
- Peter Watkins
- Original Score
- Paul Motian
- Original Title
- Punishment Park
- Country of Origin
- United States of America
- Spoken Languages
- English
- Runtime
- 1h 28m
- Production Budget
- $95K
- Production Studios
- Churchill Films, Françoise Films, Chartwell
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Peter Watkins
Peter Watkins
Paul Motian
Joan Churchill, Peter Smokler
Peter Watkins, Terry Hodel
Susan Martin
Department Leadership Roster
Peter Watkins
Director
Peter Watkins
Screenplay
Joan Churchill
Director of Photography
Susan Martin
Producer
Peter Watkins
Editor
Terry Hodel
Editor
Age Classification & Content Advisories
Official viewer rating standards and content warnings across international classification boards.
R: Restricted — Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.
International Certification Matrix
FSK 16 — Restricted to viewers aged 16 and older.
Interdit aux moins de 12 ans — 12+ only.
Suitable only for 15 years and over.
Restricted — Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for Punishment Park.
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring Punishment Park.
Letterboxd's Top 500 Films
Letterboxd's Top 500 Films. Ranks narrative feature films by average member rating (minimum 25,000 ratings). Excludes documentaries, shorts, and TV series. Letterboxd 官方 Top 500 电影榜单： 根据用户平均评分排名的剧情长片（最低2.5万评价门槛）。已排除纪录片、短片及剧集。 *(Updated via Automated ETL Pipeline: 2026-10-18 07:35:27 UTC+8)*
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Frequently Asked Questions About Punishment Park
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is Punishment Park about?
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.
Who directed Punishment Park?
Punishment Park was directed by Peter Watkins.
Who stars in Punishment Park?
The principal cast of Punishment Park includes Patrick Boland, Carmen Argenziano, Kent Foreman, Luke Johnson, Katherine Quittner.
When was Punishment Park released and how long is it?
Punishment Park was released in 1971 with a total runtime of 1h 28m.
Who composed the musical score for Punishment Park?
The original motion picture soundtrack for Punishment Park was composed by Paul Motian.
What is the age rating and content advisory for Punishment Park?
Punishment Park holds official age classifications: CA: R; DE: 16 (FSK 16 — Restricted to viewers aged 16 and older.); FR: 12 (Interdit aux moins de 12 ans — 12+ only.); GB: 15 (Suitable only for 15 years and over.); US: R (Restricted — Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.).