Purgatory (1988) User Reviews

You get what you pay for.

[mark.waltz · 3/10 · 14 October 2021]

Cheap drugs, cheap women, cheap movies. Tanya Robert's. Yes, she has onscreen charm to spare, at least as Sheena and as a Bond girl. She helped wrap up the last season of "Charlie's Angel's", and here, she's stuck with the cliched plot of women in prison and that means lots of nasty supporting characters, a ton of unnecessary sexual activity and unfair laws for two women unfortunately tossed in for being involved in a drug bust they were completely innocent of.

While not unwatchable, it doesn't really bring anything new to the genre and the acting is marginal at best. Roberts does what she's required to do and at least she's consistent. But the film as a whole is pretty repulsive for its obvious exploitation and attempts to make it poetic or profound just end up laughably disgusting. If it wasn't for Roberts, I would have avoided it completely.

Dreary exploitation junk

[gridoon · 3/10 · 1 April 2007]

Despite the initial set-up (2 American girls in a foreign - here African - country get arrested and sentenced to 11 years in jail for a crime they didn't commit), "Purgatory" is not really a Women-In-Prison film. It almost completely ignores the daily prison life of the women and focuses on one aspect only: their sexual exploitation. The warden has set up a prostitution ring and the prisoners are used to satisfy the needs of many high-paying customers. After 75 minutes of this repellent junk, we finally get to the escape part. "Purgatory" supposedly has serious intentions: there are even title cards telling us what date it is, and at the end another card telling us what happened to the surviving characters, as if this was based on a true story, even though at the end of the credits there is the usual "any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental" disclaimer. But it is technically rough, even amateurish at times, and although Tanya Roberts deserves credit for taking on a role that has her appear completely unglamorous, she's still too limited an actress to carry a movie by herself. (*)

Straight from the clichéd hand-book.

[lost-in-limbo · 4/10 · 14 April 2007]

Peace Corps Carly and Melanie are leaving the African country Umlanga, but when they're pulled over by the authorities. The hitcher-hiker they picked up, happened to be carrying drugs. The two ladies are falsely convicted of smuggling drugs too. So the judge, sentences the pair to eleven years to the penitentiary known as Purgatory. When they get there, Carly soon discovers that showing fear and aggression is a big mistake and only backfires. The abuse going on behind the scenes sticks to the warden and the guards taking advantage of the inmates sexually. After their first encounter, Melanie cracks insistently. Carly becomes the warden's favourite and is forced to work in a brothel. While, her mother is doing her best to get her daughter out, despite finding it hard getting help from the American embassy.

Tanya Roberts (who's basically wasted) is the main draw card to this highly dank, lewd and by-the-numbers women-in-prison exploitation fodder. Well there's plenty of leering shots on Tanya Roberts (who wears some skimpy outfits and naively whimpers a lot over her innocence), but it really does utilize the lustful sexual attraction that's brewing. However, while it's sordidly suggested, it falls mostly into the implied bracket. It's pretty weak and tame in what you see and there's very little sleaze and flesh. Too much jilted dialogues involving whining or long-winded speeches with political interference has a certain seriousness about it, which just drowns out the fun that could've been and only aggravates. It doesn't quite ignite until the last fifteen minutes, but even then the action is amateurishly staged and the final big bang (the usual break out with some explosions and sweet revenge) lacks zing. Obvious plotting in the material doesn't help the stuffy pacing either. The look of the film comes across like a jagged TV episode, but it cooks up a gritty, dour and harsh atmosphere despite not entirely illustrating it. Director Ami Artzi does an systematic job, but can succumb to lazy touches, just like the conclusion. Free-willed camera-work can get murky with one or two unusual handled POV shots and the broodingly over dramatic music score is totally mishandled. The voluptuously stunning Roberts has trouble holding the film together in the lead role, but however it's a gusty performance. Clare Marshall provides much added spark as the mother Ruth Arnold. The performances aren't terrible, just extremely plain and shell-like.

A visually enticing Roberts and couple of unintentional chuckles can be found in this free-risk, below-average cheapjack "WIP" exploitation staple. Tanya Roberts' fans will eat it up, but I don't know about others.

Tanya Roberts stars in this late 80's female prison exploitation flick.

[Aussie Stud · 1/10 · 22 January 2002]

Tanya Roberts tries to break free from her typecast image that stemmed from her infamous one-season stint on the highly successful "CHARLIE'S ANGELS" series and her turn as the title role in the atrociously awful camp classic, "SHEENA, QUEEN OF THE JUNGLE".

In "PURGATORY", Tanya Roberts is Carly. She and her best friend Melanie are vacationing in South Africa and make the fatal mistake of picking up a 'hunky' hitch-hiker in their jeep who turns out to be nothing more than a filthy drug runner. When their jeep is stopped at a military checkpoint run by an outfit of South African army officers, the hitch-hiker tries to make a run for it but is gunned down in a Sunflower field. As a result, his bag is searched by the officers who discover a reasonable amount of drugs and naturally, Carly and Melanie are arrested despite their pleas that they had nothing to do with this.

So into the filthy slammer Carly and Melanie go. As two naive westerners, their case is fed to the dogs and they are sentenced to a life sentence inside a female prison where they are sexually molested by prison guards and treated as outcasts by the 'local' prison inmates. Naturally, Tanya Roberts uses her 'sexuality' to try to get them out of this intense and hopeless situation as she makes moves to seduce the Warden of the female prison in order to buy a ticket out for their freedom.

"PURGATORY" comes off more as a sleazy exploitation flick rather than something dramatically serious that you could actually believe might have happened in real life. From the 'hosing down' sessions within the prison walls to the countless sex scenes we get to witness shared between Tanya Roberts and the Warden, this film finds its place among other cinematic gems such as "THE CONCRETE JUNGLE" and "THE BIG DOLL HOUSE".

While no one can really take this movie seriously, most men will find the eye candy gratuitously supplied by Tanya Roberts enough to suffice their appetites. Women should look elsewhere.

"PURGATORY" is a relatively hard movie to catch sight of these days - but if you do happen to see this on your TV Guide or find a dusty copy on video at your local store, give it a gander... it's actually pretty funny.

My Rating - 6 out of 10

Seen It Before

[spotter-8 · 28 November 2000]

Pick almost any "Women In Prison" movie where some young lovelies are unjustly thrown behind bars and then abused by the warden, the guards, the other prisoners....That's this movie. Still, it has a young, lovely and long-legged Tanya Roberts as one of the hapless prisoners. There's a little bit of nudity here and there, and a lot of explosions at the end. You've seen it before.

Requires Viewers to Use Their Imagination

[Uriah43 · 4/10 · 22 May 2014]

"Carly Arnold" (Tanya Roberts) and her good friend "Melanie" (Julie Pop) are serving in the Peace Corp somewhere in Africa. As they are heading to the airport en route to the United States they happen to pick up a hitchhiker who says he is also headed in that direction. Unfortunately, they encounter a roadblock and during an inspection of their baggage a bag of heroin is found in the hitchhiker's belongings. When the hitchhiker tries to run, he is shot and killed leaving the two young ladies without the main person who might vouch for their innocence. After a quick trial with a preordained guilty verdict, they are both sentenced to 11 years in a prison known as "Purgatory". While there they are raped and abused with neither of them having much chance of acquittal or escape. Anyway, for a women-in-prison movie, this particular film requires viewers to use their imagination a bit as there aren't too many scenes which capture the anguish or violence normally seen in movies of this type. Along with that, except for Tanya Roberts, the rest of the cast suffers badly from a lack of character development. Additionally, while Tanya Roberts certainly performed well enough, she simply wasn't able to carry the movie all by herself. Slightly below average.

Abuse of power and corruption... Level 1,000!

[Coventry · 5/10 · 12 June 2023]

The old and crummy VHS-copy I own of "Purgatory" makes it look as if it's a typically raunchy and sexist women-in-prison exploitation movie, like the used to make them during the 70s and early 80s, but this one has slightly more to offer. In fact, I daresay that if "Purgatory" (1) had been based on a true story, (2) starred an actress like Angelina Jolie, and (3) was directed by an acclaimed name like Roland Joffé, this film easily might have won an Oscar. I'm serious.

Does that mean "Purgatory" is an underrated hidden gem? Unfortunately not, it could and should have been much better, but at least it has a captivating story to tell, and there's enough drama and misfortune to last a lifetime. By picking up the wrong type of hitchhiker when they drive to the airport in a fictional African country, two female Peace Corps volunteers are accused of drug-trafficking. What follows is an incredible series of disastrous and downright rotten breaks. The DEA agents don't believe their story, the arrogant US ambassador refuses to help, the corrupt judge accept a $10,000 bribery but still sentences them to 11 years of prison, and the penitentiary - aptly named Purgatory - is a lawless slammer where the head warden rents out the prettiest girls as prostitutes. The whole country is so corrupt that every honest procedure lasts months, and whenever a good Samaritan tries to help, he/she ends up brutally assassinated. Start a riot and attempt to escape seems the only way out for the poor and desperate Carly, but her spirit has - understandably - weakened.

I love Tanya Roberts. Not only because she's unearthly beautiful, but she's normally also a good actress. She doesn't exactly demonstrate this in "Purgatory", however. Her dramatic over-acting is too obviously fake, and even after spending several months in this hellhole of a prison, her hair and skin still look perfectly silky. Director Ami Artzi does manage to create a strong and compelling atmosphere of despair, and you do feel genuine empathy and pity for Carly and her allies. The abuse and torture sequences are quite dull, but they remain decent, and the last 15-20 minutes are action-packed and full of (badly executed) building fires and explosions. Difficult film to rate, this "Purgatory", but don't want to flunk it (like most other reviewers obviously did).

Prison-Exploitation

[passenger88 · 5/10 · 16 February 2024]

For me this film is a little different from the other prison-exploitation films, because in a certain way it adds a little more drama and political atmosphere, I think it fails a little in the nudity that is something that characterizes the genre (in fact there is only one frontal nudity scene). The action scenes are very short and laughable, it is clear that there was no money to make them in that part, I think it is a co-production of Africa-Europe-Israel, and it is very strange because when there are films made in this way the budget increases. But the rest is more of the same, except for that blue-eyed legend Tanya Roberts R. I. P.

beefcake

[lorutmc · 6/10 · 22 September 2015]

I guess it's no-brainer as far as eye-candy goes (Tanya Roberts) but let's not forget Rufus Swart!!! I recall seeing this in 2006 (whilst pregnant) and actually getting out of bed to google Rufus. Gorgeous! Born in South Africa, he had a beautiful accent and was earnest and compelling to watch.

You can imagine my creeped-out-ness when I discovered he had died in real life - close to 10 years prior.

Anyway, upon finding that out, I went about attempting to buy up his catalogue. Not a great film, but being a fan of the ANGELS I thought I'd check it out. Worth it for Rufus alone...

Absolute B-grade Gold

[mrmichaeltroper · 10/10 · 16 October 2010]

Starting off this *is* the writing of an oft-favoured 1980's B-grade fan, so I am in no way writing this to compete with previous reviewers or take some imagined review 'injustice' into my own hands.

I appreciate the plot line as a particularly classic one and with its means to expand on whatever drama or storyline unfolds the end result is what you get. Its the whole 'put in an overseas jail' thing. Yes, 'purgatory'. So my comments are really relative to people who like me who enjoy a little cheesiness. No you wouldn't see Meryl Streep in a movie like this one and thats what gives its character.

Take bits and pieces from the movie. For me they are dazzling scenes occurring by the minute. No matter what they say it all seems to wind up funny to me. No matter what the musical soundtrack is, it always manages to impress vintage cheese upon me. I am about to write up some quotes so check them out. Thy might give you an idea of what you're in for.

Yes. The 80's were this bad. Awesome

John Newland????

[herzogvon · 10 December 2006]

This truly crappy women-in-prison flick looks like a leftover from the 1970s. Like so many of that genre, it was shot in the Philippines. One difference; instead of a totally no-name cast, it has Tanya Roberts, the erstwhile Charlie's Angel. Hold your Oscar nominations, please.

Though none exists, this movie could easily be subtitled, "Carly and Melanie Go to Africa and Get Gang Raped." That's pretty much the size of it. Sadly, poor Melanie drops out in the first twenty minutes, so that leaves Carly ( Roberts ) to fend for herself against a bunch of really yucky people. They're yucky, she's plucky. The outcome is predictable.

Lots of people get killed along the way, not that anyone really cares. The biggest question remains: What is John Newland doing in this dreck? Yes, that's right; the same John Newland who hosted the Sci-Fi TV classic from the 1950s, "One Step Beyond". He's dead now, so it's impossible to ask him. One can only imagine that his last wish was to have his name deleted from the credits. That appears to have been granted.

Actually it has really happened

[manufacture · 4 February 2024]

Read dozens reviews and wandered why people are so close-eyed. The film shows a real-like story happened in Rhodesia, sorry, after fall of Rhodesia, the newly created independent state of Zimbabwe. Clearly shown Russian red flags. Clearly shown Cuban militants and Castro portraits. Accurate image of American diplomats who imitated protection of the US citizens.

Absolutely, this documentary styled film critically depicted both totalitarian communists system and lair US policy.

This was a deep satirical political message of people of South Africa who felt a close catastrophe after the silent betrayal of UK and US. They had seen what happened in Rhodesia and they knew that same will occur in their native land.

After the several years the people of South Africa has been expelled from their land. Developed country was ruined, gangs expanded by country, garbage and blood made the streets unfit for living. Majority of the population fled from country for ten years.

Sleazy women-in-prison pic

[lor_ · 29 March 2023]

My review was written in January 1989 after a Times Square screening.

Tanya Roberts, erstwhile "Sheena" (Queen of the Jungle), returns to Africa for desultory women-in-stir opus "Purgatory", more embarrassing than her earlier flop.

One of scores of recent pics lensed in South Africa and environs, pic is less fun than a similar S. A. direct-to-video captive women feature, "Captive Rage", but has received theatrical exposure.

Roberts is undeniably sexy as a Peace Corps worker in a fictional African country who's locked up with pal Julie Pop on a trumped-up drugs charge. Despite her mom Clare Marshall's bribes, the gals get 11-year sentences in a rundown prison known as Purgatory.

Twist is that the evil warden Bledsoe (Hal Orlandini playing a sleazeball with posh accent, similar to Paul Freeman in "Raiders of the Lost Ark") has his prettier inmates serve their time as prostitutes. Roberts whines and squeals as she's put through the wringer including discreetly filmed but sleazy scenes of simulated fellatio, while Pop is gang-raped by the black prison guards, leading to her suicide.

Poorly lit pic limps listlessly to a tired escape-from-stir climax, with time out for typical political content. The American Ambassador (played by uncredited John Newland, a helmer familiar from his "One Step Beyond" tv hosting stint) is a heavy more interested in covering up the fracas than helping U. S. citizens. Unlike the film's numerous Filipino-lensed forebears of 15-plus years back which often featured Pam Grier and Juanita Brown, there are no strong black femme roles among the prisoners, giving the film an unfortunate racist undertone.

Roberts tries hard but the acting is miserable. Though the script was co-written by her "Sheena" mentor Paul Aratow, she nonetheless gets stuck with an unflattering roel. Filmmaker Ami Artzi's direction is leaden and he doesn't know how to have fun with an exploitation subject.