Not until after the credits rolled did I find out the interesting history behind this novel adaptation. The novel this movie was based on, Black Abductor, was published a year before the exact same thing happened with a girl by the name of Patty Hearst. In the book/film, Patricia Prescott (Judith-Marie Berigan) is kidnapped by political activists who believe with her they can get Mr. Prescott (Leif Erickson), a prominent politician, to reverse the opening of some high-rise apartments. The federal government supposedly allotted money to Mr. Prescott to build low-income housing, but he, being the corrupt republican, used the money to secure a business deal on some gaudy high-rent jobs. To the surprise of even the activists, Patricia falls in love with the ideals of the group and asks to join the cause. The print I watched looked terrible, and the volume was very inconsistent, but that aside I enjoyed the movie and felt it moved at a very appropriate pace. Some of the sex seemed gratuitous, but I'm guessing it's only because the original novel was intended as an adult sex novel. Zito went on to direct arguably the best of the crappy Friday the 13th series, 'The Final Chapter' (the fourth one I think), but it's not surprising that Hollywood trusted him after this solid beginning. Rating: 25/40
5 Reviews
Not a bad drama with a political side
pkzeewiz20 April 2010
Warning: Spoilers
Radicals kidnap the daughter of a rich political figure in hopes of blackmailing him into stopping the corruption and over running of their cities with profitable business wagers that do not benefit the poor. They rape the girl and send videos to the father in hopes to persuade him, but eventually the girl becomes involved in their movement and doesn't want to leave.
I have heard that this movie was based on real events, I didn't research to find out. I know its full of sex and nudity and rape and lesbian scenes and it was rather intense in ways, especially with the girl changing and wanting to stay with them. Joseph Zito directed and the direction was pretty plain, he would go on to do such great slashers as The Prowler and Friday The 13th: The Final Chapter as well as action flicks like Invasion U.S.A. with Chuck Norris and Red Scorpion with Dolph Rudgren. Most of the actors were people I don't know including the lead actress Patricia played wonderfully by Judith Marie Bergan.
This movie was a good intense thriller/ drama, but was low on violence and shock, other than rape and even that was not done in too hardcore of a manner. My problem was that it was slow, repetitive and not too exciting. I gave it 3/10 stars
I have heard that this movie was based on real events, I didn't research to find out. I know its full of sex and nudity and rape and lesbian scenes and it was rather intense in ways, especially with the girl changing and wanting to stay with them. Joseph Zito directed and the direction was pretty plain, he would go on to do such great slashers as The Prowler and Friday The 13th: The Final Chapter as well as action flicks like Invasion U.S.A. with Chuck Norris and Red Scorpion with Dolph Rudgren. Most of the actors were people I don't know including the lead actress Patricia played wonderfully by Judith Marie Bergan.
This movie was a good intense thriller/ drama, but was low on violence and shock, other than rape and even that was not done in too hardcore of a manner. My problem was that it was slow, repetitive and not too exciting. I gave it 3/10 stars
Mostly successful thriller with an interesting backstory
The_Void6 April 2008
I'm not really surprised that this film has been banished into obscurity - the kidnap plot doesn't contain all that much in the way of the excitement that mainstream crowd craves, and it doesn't contain much in the way of exploitation, which a lot of the cult crowd craves. That being said, this is a surprisingly decent little film, directed by Joseph Zito; the director who would go on to direct the strangely popular slasher flick 'The Prowler' as well as an entry in the Friday the 13th series. The film is based on a book named Black Abductor written by Harrison James. Black Abductor is a book about a political kidnapping; and it's interesting that a year after the novel was released, the story actually happened as Patricia Hearst was abducted for political reasons. The plot follows a political group who kidnap the daughter of a politician and want the destruction of a building for the ransom. At first the girl is afraid of her kidnappers, but soon she warms to them and even decides to dedicate herself to their cause.
The film is not very ambitious and I would have assumed it was a TV movie had I not known otherwise. Most of it takes place in a single location and the director keeps the focus on the main characters. This enforces the abduction plot line well as we are constantly reminded that the girl is being forcibly held captive; or at least for a short while after she is abducted. The idea of Stockholm Syndrome - that being where a victim falls in love with their kidnapper is very interesting and the film plays up to the offbeat kidnapping story well. The acting is generally very good with Judith-Marie Bergan convincing in the lead role and receiving good support from a rugged cast of abductors. The plot moves rather slowly and clearly the main point of the film is to focus on the interplay between the main characters and this is always interesting and keeps the film going. It boils down to a fitting and suitable shocking twist ending and overall I have to say that this is a very good film from Joseph Zito and I certainly prefer it to his slasher films that I saw previously. Recommended if you can find it.
The film is not very ambitious and I would have assumed it was a TV movie had I not known otherwise. Most of it takes place in a single location and the director keeps the focus on the main characters. This enforces the abduction plot line well as we are constantly reminded that the girl is being forcibly held captive; or at least for a short while after she is abducted. The idea of Stockholm Syndrome - that being where a victim falls in love with their kidnapper is very interesting and the film plays up to the offbeat kidnapping story well. The acting is generally very good with Judith-Marie Bergan convincing in the lead role and receiving good support from a rugged cast of abductors. The plot moves rather slowly and clearly the main point of the film is to focus on the interplay between the main characters and this is always interesting and keeps the film going. It boils down to a fitting and suitable shocking twist ending and overall I have to say that this is a very good film from Joseph Zito and I certainly prefer it to his slasher films that I saw previously. Recommended if you can find it.
Surprisingly good exploitation film of the Patty Hearst kidnapping case and its aftermath
sol121820 September 2009
Warning: Spoilers
***SPOILERS*** Not at all expecting too much I found myself fascinated in the movie "Abducted" in how it skillfully handed the very explosive story of the Patty Hearst kidnapping to the point where I almost believed it was more of a documentary, using newsreel footage, then a cheap exploitation flick.
In the film we see 19 year old newspaper heiress Patricia Prescott, Judith-Marie Bergan, kidnapped out of her collage dormitory room with her boyfriend Michael, Andrew Rohrer, brutally beaten up by her captors. As we and Patricia soon learn the kidnappers belong to this radical west coast organization that's doing its "thing" for, like most like-wise group of that kind, those less fortunate among us, unlike the rich and well connected Patricia Prescott, the downtrodden and exploited unwashed masses of the world!
Patricia is then subjected to a number of well planned brainwash sessions, including being raped by both male and female members of the group, that totally destroys her mind and will to fight back. In fact in no time at all Patricia starts to want to become a member of the very gang that had so viciously tortured and humiliated her! Patricia's parents Mr & Mrs. Prescott, Leif Erickson & Dorothy Malone, then go along with the group's demands to demolish a new high rise luxury building complex, the Park Towers Apartments, that Mr. Prescott is in control of. What outrages the radical group most of all is that the Park Towers Complex is being funded with taxpayers money who for the most part can't afford to rent there! It's not long after that the Prescott's daughter Patricia becomes a full fledged member of the radical group!
***SPOILER ALERT*** The movie "Abducted" follows the true story of the Patty Hearst kidnapping case pretty accurately until its shocking and totally unexpected final. And it's that, the films fictitious ending, that make it a cut above in what you would have expected it to be! It's that piece of fiction that in fact makes what was in real life an unbelievable and disturbing story that much more more disturbing!
In the film we see 19 year old newspaper heiress Patricia Prescott, Judith-Marie Bergan, kidnapped out of her collage dormitory room with her boyfriend Michael, Andrew Rohrer, brutally beaten up by her captors. As we and Patricia soon learn the kidnappers belong to this radical west coast organization that's doing its "thing" for, like most like-wise group of that kind, those less fortunate among us, unlike the rich and well connected Patricia Prescott, the downtrodden and exploited unwashed masses of the world!
Patricia is then subjected to a number of well planned brainwash sessions, including being raped by both male and female members of the group, that totally destroys her mind and will to fight back. In fact in no time at all Patricia starts to want to become a member of the very gang that had so viciously tortured and humiliated her! Patricia's parents Mr & Mrs. Prescott, Leif Erickson & Dorothy Malone, then go along with the group's demands to demolish a new high rise luxury building complex, the Park Towers Apartments, that Mr. Prescott is in control of. What outrages the radical group most of all is that the Park Towers Complex is being funded with taxpayers money who for the most part can't afford to rent there! It's not long after that the Prescott's daughter Patricia becomes a full fledged member of the radical group!
***SPOILER ALERT*** The movie "Abducted" follows the true story of the Patty Hearst kidnapping case pretty accurately until its shocking and totally unexpected final. And it's that, the films fictitious ending, that make it a cut above in what you would have expected it to be! It's that piece of fiction that in fact makes what was in real life an unbelievable and disturbing story that much more more disturbing!
Probably one of the best Zito's piece of work
searchanddestroy-122 May 2017
In France, we only know the Chuck Norris' garbage films directed by Jo Zito, and certainly not his early stuff. Maybe we don't miss much. And from this point of view, I nevertheless tried this one, at my own risks. And, believe it or not, I was not disappointed at all. Of course we can prefer the Paul Schrader's PATTY HEARST, maybe more accurate, but this pretty little movie deserves to be seen. At least for the surprising ending, shocking for some audiences. The performance from the female lead is very good too, for such a B picture I mean. And I also appreciated the police assault sequence on the wrong house, when the editing prepared the audience to the abductor's hideout...This scheme reminded me some other features, the most famous being SILENCE OF THE LAMBS...But there were more. And I am also surprised that Lawrence Tierney is not credited in the IMDb characters list.
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