Turkey Shoot

Turkey Shoot

Year: 1982

Runtime: 93 mins

Language: English

Director: Brian Trenchard-Smith

ActionHorrorScience FictionEpic heroesGraphic violence and brutal revenge

Set in the year 2000, the film depicts a post‑apocalyptic world where an unspecified holocaust has forced survivors into brutal prison camps. Within the camps the authorities hunt inmates for sport. Paul, a recently captured prisoner, refuses to accept a quiet death and fights to survive and resist the savage regime.

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Timeline & Setting – Turkey Shoot (1982)

Explore the full timeline and setting of Turkey Shoot (1982). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

1995

The events unfold in the then-future year 1995, in a world swept under a totalitarian regime that hunts down 'social deviants'. Society relies on mass camps and staged hunts to enforce control, with the action taking place within a brutal, surveillance-heavy system.

Location

Camp 47, Australian wilderness, coastline island

Set around Camp 47, a brutal re-education facility in a dystopian near-future Australia. The camp sits amid dense jungle near the coast, with a sugarcane field that becomes a site of pursuit and violence. The surrounding wilderness and coastal island environment shape the escape and eventual uprising.

🗺️ Dystopian setting 🪖 Prison camp 🏝️ Island escape

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 12:59

Main Characters – Turkey Shoot (1982)

Meet the key characters of Turkey Shoot (1982), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Chris Walters (Olivia Hussey)

An innocent shopkeeper whose act of helping a rebel lands her in Camp 47. She endures brutal treatment but remains resourceful and morally steadfast, playing a pivotal role in forming the alliance that drives the escape.

❄️ Courage 🛡️ Resilience 🎯 Determination

Paul Anders (Steve Railsback)

A political dissident and pirate radio broadcaster who has escaped from several camps. He brings cunning and courage to the group, becoming a leadership figure in the plan to break free and challenge Thatcher's regime.

🕊️ Leadership 🧭 Strategy 🎯 Courage

Rita Daniels (Lynda Stoner)

A prisoner labeled as a suspected prostitute, she endures harassment and violence within Camp 47 and becomes a casualty of the cruelty that surrounds the hunt.

🎗️ Victim 💪 Resilience ⚖️ Persecution

Dodge (John Ley)

A cellmate who plots an escape alongside Griffin; his fate is linked to the prisoners' attempts to break free.

🧭 Escape 🧩 Alliance 🛡️ Determination

Griffin (Bill Young)

A fellow prisoner who starts a plan to escape, clashes with guards and ultimately pays with his life in the escape attempt.

⚔️ Bravery 🗺️ Escape 💀 Mortality

Red (Gus Mercurio)

A sadistic guard who enforces discipline and participates in the brutal hunting of prisoners.

😈 Cruelty 🪖 Guard 🗡️ Violence

Alph (Steve Rackman)

The beastly accomplice of Tito, a ruthless hunter who aids in the torture and pursuit; Alph is fatally killed when Tito accidentally kills him during the pursuit.

⚔️ Hunter 🗺️ Cruelty 💀 Death

Tito (Michael Petrovitch)

The sadistic ringmaster of the turkey shoot who directs the hunt and attempts to bisect Paul, ultimately shaping the brutal game.

🎯 Hunter 👑 Power 🩸 Violence

Jennifer (Carmen Duncan)

A gleefully sadistic VIP-associated guard who stalks Rita and ultimately murders her.

👺 Sadism 🏛️ Authority 💥 Death

Charles Thatcher (Michael Craig)

Camp Master and head of Thatcher's circle, who subjects prisoners to brutal treatment and toys with Paul during the chase.

👑 Authority 🗡️ Cruelty 🧭 Control

Secretary Mallory (Noel Ferrier)

An elite VIP who orders and condones the cruelty of the regime; he co-leads the pursuit of Chris with Ritter.

🚨 Power 🕰️ Corruption 🗺️ Pursuit

Ritter (Chief Guard Ritter) (Roger Ward)

A ruthless chief guard who hunts Chris through the jungle and field, eventually meeting his end after Chris cripples him with a machete.

🗡️ Violence 🛡️ Guard 🗺️ Hunt

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 12:59

Major Themes – Turkey Shoot (1982)

Explore the central themes of Turkey Shoot (1982), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

🔒 Oppression

The regime legitimizes cruelty through mass camps, guards, and public punishments, emphasizing control over individual rights. The Turkey Shoot itself is a ritual of domination that strips prisoners of humanity. The film foregrounds dehumanization as a mechanism of political power.

🗺️ Survival

Prisoners must improvise and endure in lethal terrain, from jungle to sugarcane fields to the coastline. The 12-hour hunt forces them to rely on wit, courage, and cooperation to outlast their pursuers. The story centers on physical endurance and the need to stay alive against overwhelming odds.

⚔️ Resistance

A coordinated uprising emerges as prisoners seize weapons and disrupt camp operations. Paul and Chris emerge as leaders who rally others and challenge the regime's machine-like efficiency. External intervention by the air force amplifies the stakes and accelerates the collapse of the camp.

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 12:59

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Turkey Shoot Summary

Read a complete plot summary of Turkey Shoot, including all key story points, character arcs, and turning points. This in-depth recap is ideal for understanding the narrative structure or reviewing what happened in the movie.

Turkey Shoot Summary

Turkey Shoot Timeline

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Turkey Shoot Timeline

More About Turkey Shoot

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