Thief of Baghdad [1925] (REGION 1) (NTSC)

Amazon.co.uk Review

Call it a pseudo-documentary, an outrageous piece of propaganda, perhaps even a paranoid fantasy, but one description that definitely does not apply to Punishment Park is "light entertainment." Brit director Peter Watkins offers a chilling scenario, set in the early '70s, in which, according to an edict called the McCarran Act (which did exist, albeit in different form), the U.S. government has the right to detain (without bail, evidence, or anything resembling a fair trial) anyone who "probably will engage in certain future acts of sabotage." The detainees, most of them '60s radicals, are offered a choice between long prison sentences or three days in "Punishment Park," a scorching stretch of the Southern California desert; should they choose the latter, they will be released upon reaching an American flag planted many miles away, all the while avoiding capture (or, more likely, death) at the hands of a bunch of gung-ho cops, National Guardsmen, and other law enforcement types. The film alternates between the "tribunals" where the radicals' fates are decided (and where the shrill hectoring and sloganeering--on both sides--come fast and furious) and the grim scenes in the desert. And although Watkins clearly takes the side of the prisoners (as does the fictional film crew on hand to document the proceedings), no one emerges entirely unscathed: the politicians, "average" Americans, and others holding forth at the tribunals are all right-wing blockheads ("more spank and less Spock" would have taught those whippersnappers a lesson, says one), the cops and guardsmen are all trigger-happy jerks, and the young radicals are mostly callow, rhetoric-spouting stereotypes. Violent, provocative, and convincingly shot in cinema verite style, Punishment Park will leave many viewers muttering that it can't happen here. Opponents of the Patriot Act and its perceived attack on civil liberties, however, will likely take another view. --Sam Graham, Amazon.com

Customer Reviews:

Scary.......2006-09-19

I wonder if the director realised this film would still be chillingly relevant thirty odd years later.

Cult classic from 1971..........2006-03-12

Peter Watkins cult 1971 film is a film that has long been unseeen - the introduction included on this DVD tells the story of the film's production, the historical backdrop and the reaction to the film which lead to it pretty much vanishing. I'd highly reccomend watching the introduction as it explains Watkins' history in historical documentaries, the zeitgeist and the way in which all films are essentially fictional ('Punishment Park' was apparently seen in Denmark as real - a complaint was made to the US before it was pointed out this was a pseudo-documentary!).

To the backdrop of the trial of the Chicago Seven, the Vietnam War, Nixon's administration, and the hippy dream gone wrong this film fits right in. Cult movies that surround it have some relevance - the hippies in revolution blowing up the modern world in 'Zabriskie Point' or the death of the hippy dream signified by the deaths at the end of 'Easy Rider' and 'Vanishing Point.' Watching this alongside the documentary 'Guerrilla: The Taking of Patty Hearst' shows the extreme climate and offers some rationale as to why the SLA (who were mostly college students) took to terrorism.

Watkins initially wanted to make a documentary, but hit upon the idea of making a work that referenced the present day and also served as a future fable - its influence is apparent on such works as 'The Long Walk/The Running Man' (Stephen King), the pseudo-documentary style found in many films ('Year of the Sex Olympics','Zombie Holocaust', 'Natural Born Killers', 'Man Bites Dog', 'The Last Broadcast', 'The Blair Witch Project', Dogme 95 works like 'The Idiots'),'Battle Royale' and shares a desert locale like 'Zabriskie Point.' On one level this is a political documentary, exploring civil rights issues and a crackdown on dissent (this had happened in America in the 30s as well as the 60s, then there were the draft riots...)- Watkins' using a non-actor cast to take on roles: the Black Panther leader, the writer, the protest singer, the Abbie Hoffmann style character whose stood for election etc. This all feels very Brechtian and would support an essay or two!

The plot is simple - one group of people are being put on show trial in a Guantanomo style camp for protesting at the state of society. This trial is cut to a group previously tried entering the Californian Punishment Park...the notion here is the US government applying a military style law and offering those they find guilty of it (young hippies, black panther types, those protesting against the government)an option: a heavy custodial sentence or three days in Punishment Park. The majority choose Punishment Park - where the goal is simple, without water they must get 20-something miles across a death valley style desert to reach an American flag.

This is a painful film to watch, whether watching the Orwellian way in which the guilty are put on trial or the painful scenes in the desert where the group attempt to flee the policemen after them (the other notion of 'Punishment Park' is that it provides practice for the cops & National Guard). References made to Vietnam, the Peace movement, the Black Panthers, Kent State, the Chicago Seven Trial/the Yippies and Nixon's malignant rule are made. A dystopian cult classic that has pertinence with the US's concentration camp in Cuba, the application of the Patriot Act in the US, similar laws passed here and prisons in the US now being made up of tents in humid climates. 'Punishment Park' is an excellent pseudo-documentary and a welcome issue on DVD - here it will hopefully have the life denied it by cinemas and TV stations unwilling to screen it. A cult classic for sure...

A Great Movie - But NOT A Complete & Uncut Version.......2005-10-21

For some reason most of the DVD versions of this movie are 139 minutes long. The old VHS versions run to 155 minutes. Despite claims that the difference is only caused by a faster frame rate in the DVD copies, it is a fact that key scenes are missing from all of the so-called uncut and complete DVDs. The film is in the public domain and that perhaps encourages distributors to simply copy the most conveniently-available versions and add their own soundtracks.

For many of the fans who really love this film, the 'Thames Silents' version (with a tremedous musical score by Carl Davis and running for the full 155 minutes) remains the definitive version. I come here quite regularly in the vain hope that it has finally found its way on to DVD...but there are still only inferior, badly-hacked about versions on offer.

A Timeless Masterpiece!.......2004-04-24

This was one of the first silent films I saw, and I was absolutelyastounded by every aspect: the sets, photography, special effects andacting. Even after seeing many other silent films meanwhile, I'm stillenthralled by "The Thief of Bagdad" every single time.
In my opinion,this is Douglas Fairbanks's finest acting performance. He excels himselfin graceful yet powerful expressiveness and elegant acrobatics. As themischievous thief, he is thoroughly convincing and entertaining. I alsofound the other performers and the characters perfect in theirroles.
There are many delightful, surprising, entertaining and funnymoments, yet there is some depth and morale to the whole story to satisfythe viewer in the end. The Expressionist backdrops are stunning andbeautiful - definitely a treat for lovers or art, but I'm sure there issomething for everyone in this very special and unique masterpiece of afilm!

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