Human Experiments is a women in prison film (also known as Beyond The Gate and Women In Prison) starring Linda Haynes, Geoffrey Lewis and Ellen Travolta. It is director/writer/producer Gregory Goodell's only feature film to be released in cinemas. This film earned its notoriety for being targeted by England's Director of Public Prosecutions during the video nasty furore in the early 1980s. Although it was listed on the first "video nasty" list issued by the DPP on July 4, 1983, the film was never prosecuted under the Obscene Publications Act and had originally been given an uncut (now defunct) X rating by the BBFC for theatrical release in 1979.
Plot synopsis
Rachel Foster (Linda Haynes) is a country singer travelling alone through the United States. She resists the advances of lecherous bar owner Mat Tibbs (Aldo Ray) and in her hurry to leave town, she accidentally wrecks her car. Looking for assistance, she finds what appears to be an abandoned house - but after stumbling inside the place, unbeknownst to her, she discovers that in fact it's instead actually the scene of a grisly multiple homicide perpetrated by a young boy. Simply being at the wrong place at the wrong time, she's railroaded into a women's correctional facility by the prurient bar owner's brother Sheriff Tibbs (Jackie Coogan) as well as falsely charged with the murders, the innocent musician finds herself at the mercy of prison psychiatrist Doctor Kline (Geoffrey Lewis) who has insidious intentions up his sleeve. Evidently it doesn't take Rachel long to realize that something is greatly amiss, as well as that the prison is also hiding a dark secret from the public eye when some female inmates inexplicably go missing without a trace. Kline has some radical techniques for "curing" criminality, and after a failed escape attempt she undergoes his 'treatment' and completely loses her mind.
Cast
- Linda Haynes - Rachel Foster
- Geoffrey Lewis - Dr. Hans Kline
- Ellen Travolta - Mover
- Aldo Ray - Matt Tibbs
- Jackie Coogan - Sheriff Tibbs
- Lurene Tuttle - Granny
- Mercedes Shirley - Warden Weber
- Bobby Porter - Derril Willis
- Darlene Craviotto - Rita
References
Bibliography
- Martin, John: The Seduction of the Gullible: Curious History of the British "Video Nasties" Phenomenon. Nottingham: Procrustes Press, 1993, page 206. ISBNÂ 9780952251002
Notes
External links
- British Board of Film Classification listing
- Pre-Cert Video Database listing
- Human Experiments at AllRovi
- Human Experiments at Rotten Tomatoes
- Human Experiments at IMDB