Purgatory (1988 film)

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Purgatory
Purgatory DVD cover.jpg
DVD cover
Directed byAmi Artzi
Written byPaul Aratow, Felix Kroll
Produced byAmi Artzi, Elizabeth Rowley, Patricia Shorten, Peter Smook
Starring Tanya Roberts
CinematographyTom Fraser
Edited by Skip Schoolnik
Music byJulian Laxton
Production
companies
The Film Company, Kingsway, International Media Exchange
Distributed byNew Star Entertainment
Release date
  • 1988 (1988)
Running time
89 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

Purgatory is a 1988 American thriller film directed by Ami Artzi and starring Tanya Roberts, Julie Pop, Hal Orlandini, Adrienne Pearce, and John Newland. [1] This woman-in-prison film [2] centers on two Peace Corps workers who are framed for drug trafficking and jailed in Africa. [3]

Contents

Plot

The film follows Carly (Tanya Roberts) and Melanie (Julie Pop), two Peace Corps volunteers who are preparing to leave a fictional African country called Umlanga. On their way to the airport, they pick up a hitchhiker who is secretly carrying drugs. During a police checkpoint, the drugs are discovered, and when the hitchhiker attempts to flee, he is killed. With no one to vouch for their innocence, Carly and Melanie are falsely accused of drug smuggling.

Following a swift and corrupt trial, they are sentenced to eleven years in the notorious women's prison known as "Purgatory." Upon arrival, they face brutal conditions, including sexual abuse and exploitation carried out by the corrupt warden and prison guards. Carly quickly learns that showing fear or aggression only leads to further abuse. Melanie struggles to cope and eventually breaks down, while Carly, becoming the warden’s favorite, is forced to work in a prison brothel.

Despite her mother's efforts to secure her release and the lack of assistance from the American embassy, Carly’s situation grows increasingly desperate. The film explores their attempts to survive the oppressive environment and highlights the widespread corruption and brutality within the prison system. [4] [5]

Cast

References

  1. ↑ "Purgatory (1988)". Letterboxd . Retrieved 10 September 2025.
  2. ↑ Clark, Randall (1995). At a Theater Or Drive-in Near You: The History, Culture, and Politics of the American Exploitation Film. Taylor & Francis. p. 89. ISBN   978-0-8153-1951-1 . Retrieved 10 September 2025.
  3. ↑ McCarty, John (4 November 2016). The Official Splatter Movie Guide, Volumes: 1963-1992: Hundreds of the Goriest, Grossest, Most Outrageous Films Ever Made. Crossroad Press. Retrieved 10 September 2025.
  4. ↑ Pratt, Douglas (1992). The Laser Video Disc Companion: A Guide to the High-end Delivery System for Home Video. New York Zoetrope. p. 299. ISBN   978-0-918432-89-6 . Retrieved 10 September 2025.
  5. ↑ Nowlan, Robert A. (15 February 2025). The Films of the Eighties: A Complete, Qualitative Filmography to Over 3400 Feature-Length English Language Films, Theatrical and Video-Only, Released Between January 1, 1980, and December 31, 1989. McFarland. p. 455. ISBN   978-1-4766-1008-5 . Retrieved 10 September 2025.
  6. ↑ Bailey, Noel (26 April 2024). They Died on My Watch: 2024 Edition. Austin Macauley Publishers. ISBN   979-8-88693-062-7 . Retrieved 10 September 2025.
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