Human Experiments

Human Experiments (also known as Beyond the Gate) is a 1979 American horror film directed and co-produced by Gregory Goodell.[1] It stars Linda Haynes, Geoffrey Lewis, Ellen Travolta, Aldo Ray, Jackie Coogan and Lurene Tuttle. 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[3] and had originally been given an uncut (now defunct[4]) X rating by the BBFC for theatrical release in 1979.[2]

Human Experiments
Theatrical release poster
Directed byGregory Goodell
Screenplay byRichard Rothstein[1]
Story byGregory Goodell[1]
Produced by
  • Gregory Goodell
  • Summer Brown[1]
Starring
CinematographyJoão Fernandes[1]
Edited by
  • Barbara Pokras
  • Jon Gregory[1]
Music byMark Bucci[1]
Production
company
Pyramid Entertainment[1]
Release date
  • May 12, 1979 (May 12, 1979)
Running time
78 minutes[2]
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

Plot

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, she discovers the scene of a grisly multiple homicide perpetrated by a young boy. As no one believes that the child is responsible for such a horrific act, 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 now finds herself at the mercy of prison psychiatrist Doctor Kline (Geoffrey Lewis) who has diabolical intentions. Kline has some radical techniques for "curing" criminality, and after a failed escape attempt she undergoes his 'treatment' and completely loses her mind. After she is rehabilitated her name is changed to Sarah Jean Walker. Afterwords the warden gets notice that the boy woke up and confessed to killing his whole family. Klein, in an effort to keep Rachel under his thumb and to hide his radical therapy methods, tries to have Rachel kill the warden but, Rachel seems to come to and break the programming. She shoots the office up and seems to wound Klein. Sometime later, Rachel is seen once again singing in a dive bar, however, she now goes by her new name, Sarah Jean Walker.

Cast

Home video

Scorpion Releasing released the film on Blu-ray in 2018, featuring an audio commentary track with director Greg Goodell.[5]

References

Citations
  1. "Human Experiments (1979)". British Film Institute. Archived from the original on February 8, 2018. Retrieved February 7, 2018.
  2. "Human Experiments". British Board of Film Classification. Retrieved February 7, 2018.
  3. Morris, Marc; Wingrove, Nigel (2009). The Art of the Nasty. Godalming: FAB Press. p. 36. ISBN 9781903254578.
  4. "The X Certificate". British Film Institute. Retrieved February 7, 2018.
  5. "Scorpion Releasing: Remastered Human Experiments Prepped for Blu-ray". Blu-ray.com. February 6, 2018. Retrieved February 9, 2018.

General and cited references
  • Martin, John: The Seduction of the Gullible: Curious History of the British "Video Nasties" Phenomenon. Nottingham: Procrustes Press, 1993, page 206. ISBN 9780952251002.
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