my curiosity and patience to finally see this controversial film and which now have be release on dvd for the first time in the uk and have be more than reward . peter watkins have excel himself in his audacity and technical skill . this pseudo documentary be certainly ahead of it time and still frighteningly relevant and up to date . the film be inspire by the upheaval of the late sixty in the u and when the government have increase it legitimized use of violence and oppression and while the anti war movement react increasingly violent and radical . in order to deal with both this and the overpopulation of prison and to provide special training to riot police unit and the government have introduce the so called punishment park . convict criminal and mostly activist and be give the choice to either be lock up in prison for year and year and or spend three day in one of these park and where they either gain their freedom their death or an even longer prison sentence . the situation in the park be beyond their bad expectation and however . it remind me of a sort of realistic version of battle royale ( 2000 ) . the film structure be extremely effective and recall parallel with cannibal holocaust and which be make almost 10 year later . both movie be construct and film in such a way that the viewer be challenge in thinking and feeling he be actually watch a real documentary and therefore shock and even though aware of the fact that represent this be a film . both confront u with the inherently violent nature of mankind and but where cannibal holocaust be devoid of any deep meaning ( above all and it be an exploitation movie in every sense of the word ) and do not raise any critical question about the state of the world and punishment park do just that . i have be profoundly impressed with punishment park and find it hard to believe how such a powerful and important film could have be reject and marginalize for so long . maybe that say enough about the truth of it content and about the way power structure in this world function . i do not agree with the critique that watkins polarizes and stereotype and because the movie depict activist and the keeper of the legitimized power structure who be in reality as polarize a they be here . if they weren not and there would not be any conflict and therefore no change in our society . in reality and confrontation between these two group often take stereotypical form and whether you place them between activist and establishment in latin america and russia or new york city . if these group would not be polarize to these extreme and the activist would be part of the silent majority that tacitly complain but at the same time reside in the injustice of the world . a peter watkins tell u in the introduction on the dvd and the actor in punishment park be for the most part amateur . most kid be real activist from la and most policeman have be part of the national force and even some of the member of the tribunal be part of the social and political establishment of the time . not introduce both group previous to the shooting of the scene take place in the improvised court room and add to spontaneous and improvised feel . parallel be draw with issue of the time and such a the repression of black panther member ( one of the black prisoner be say to resemble the convict charismatic bpleader bobby seale ) and the trial of the chicago seven . i admire watkins obvious and sincere engagement with injustice and his concern with human right and the increasingly repressive measure take by government ( nowadays in the name of the war in terror ) to silence those that do not agree and refuse to be brainwash . punishment park remain to be an extremely important movie that should be show in school and see by everybody who share these concern . maybe it marginalization can finally be make up for .