Into the Abyss (2011)

Conversations with death row inmate Michael Perry and those affected by his crime serve as an examination of why people - and the state - kill.

Director:

Werner Herzog

Stars:

Werner Herzog, Richard Lopez, Michael Perry

3 wins & 6 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview:
Werner Herzog	...	Himself (voice)
Richard Lopez	...	Himself (as The Reverend Richard Lopez)
Michael Perry	...	Himself
Damon Hall	...	Himself
Lisa Stolter-Balloun	...	Herself
Charles Richardson	...	Himself
Jason Burkett	...	Himself
Jared Talbert	...	Himself
Amanda West	...	Herself
Delbert Burkett	...	Himself
Melyssa Burkett	...	Herself
Fred Allen	...	Himself

Storyline

Conversations with death row inmate Michael Perry and those affected by his crime serve as an examination of why people - and the state - kill.

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Plot Keywords:

death row | death | shot to death | spitting | theft | 

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Genres:

Documentary

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for mature thematic material and some disturbing images

Details

Country:

USA UK Germany

Language:

English

Release Date:

30 March 2012 (UK)

Also Known As:

Into the Abyss: A Tale of Death, a Tale of Life

Filming Locations:

Conroe, Texas, USA

Box Office

Opening Weekend:

$47,559 (USA) (11 November 2011)

Gross:

$216,262 (USA) (16 December 2011)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Creative Differences Productions, Skellig Rock, Spring Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

107 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Did You Know?

Quotes

Fred Allen: Hold still and watch the birds. Once you get up into your life like that, and once you feel good about your life, you do start watching what the birds do. What the doves are doing. The hummingbirds. My, there's so many of them.

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Connections

Featured in Ebert Presents: At the Movies: Episode #2.17 (2011)

User Reviews

"Illuminating and thorough documentary..."

German screenwriter, producer, actor and director Werner Herzog's twenty-fifth documentary which he wrote and narrated, is an American production about capital punishment which lacks the presence of Werner Herzog's characteristic voice-over. It tells the story about Michael Perry, a 28-year-old inmate on death row with eight days left to live, and his accomplice Jason Burkett who got a life sentence due to his imprisoned father's testimony. These two young men were convicted of a pointless triple homicide which occurred in Conroe, Texas in 2001. Even though the evidence against them was solid, they claimed their innocence.

Though opposed to capital punishment Werner Herzog, who has gone into more than one abyss during his impressive career, does not question the matter of guilt in this illuminating and thorough documentary which is told through a wide variety of interviews with people who were involved in the case. Werner Herzog has a profound way of depicting individuals and their surroundings, and his fascination with unadaptable, eccentric and ill-fated people is evident in this psychological study where he gets the most out of the people he interviews and emphasizes that everyone has lead a significant life and has unique stories to tell.

Werner Herzog draws a multifaceted portrayal of a seemingly peaceful community and brings out it's darkest as well as some of it's brightest sides. This documentary is subtitled "A Tale of Death, A Tale of Life" which is quite an accurate description, but this is also a story about family relations, traumatic childhoods, grief, redemption, faith and love, where the possibility of hope is present even in the worst imaginable circumstances. The severity of the vile crime which stands at the center of this story is underlined by composer Mark Degli Antoni's efficient instrumental score which creates an unsettling and obscure atmosphere. This unsentimental, humane and at times humorous documentary which has some memorable interviews, is acutely directed by one of the most engaging and genuine storytellers in the history of cinema.