Faces of Death (1978)

A collection of death scenes, ranging from TV material to homemade super 8 movies.

Director:

John Alan Schwartz (as Conan Le Cilaire)

Writer:

John Alan Schwartz (as Alan Black)

Stars:

Michael Carr, Samuel Berkowitz, Mary Ellen Brighton

Cast

Credited cast:
Michael Carr	...	Dr. Francis B. Gröss
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Samuel Berkowitz
Mary Ellen Brighton	...	Self - Suicide Victim
Thomas Noguchi	...	Self - Chief Medical Examiner Coroner

Storyline

A 'mockumentary' hosted by Dr. Francis B. Gross, a coroner. He is trying to show you the different 'faces' of people while dying. There are faked scenes of people getting killed intermixed with footage of real accidents. There are executions by decapitation (in an unknown Arab country) and the electric chair. One scene shows a group of tourists in Egypt smashing a monkey's head while still alive and eating its brains. There are shots of animals eating people and Satanic orgies using dead bodies. There is a segment that deals with an alligator that accidentally entered 'residential' waters. The local warden goes in his boat to get the alligator back into the sea when he accidentally falls over and becomes gator bait. The film ends with newsreel footage of people jumping off buildings and major accidents.

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Plot Keywords:

video nasty | blowpipe | psychotronic film | death in title | shock value | 

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Taglines:

Banned in 46 Countries!

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Genres:

Documentary | Horror

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Did You Know?

Trivia

John Alan Schwartz came up with the electrocution scene by reading an article in Hustler Magazine on electrocution.

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Goofs

A sign posted reads "Authurised entry only", it should say "Authorized entry only".

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Quotes

Dr. Francis B. Gröss: Strapped to a seat that you will never leave alive is a situation that I still cannot justify. A man on death row is in a continuous battle with time and byrocracy. When both fallen to the proper alignment the condemned knows that death will be the result. During the final preparations those of us watching this man could feel the fear being transmitted from his body. Even though he had commited an inexcuseable crime I began to wonder if two wrongs really make a right.

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Crazy Credits

At the end of the film, the credits say "Special thanks to the mummies of Guanajuato, Mexico"

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Alternate Versions

The German version omits all footage about the holocaust and the third Reich.

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Connections

Referenced in Mystery Science Theater 3000: Tormented (1992)

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Soundtracks

Jesus Doesn't Live Here Anymore
Music by Gene Kauer
Lyrics by Richard McAndrews and Robert C. Wayne
Sung by Robert C. Wayne

User Reviews

This movie makes me sick.

The most disgusting film of all time. The whole "Faces of Death" series should be forbidden and destroyed.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English German

Release Date:

10 November 1978 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Original Faces of Death

Filming Locations:

6404 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$450,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

F.O.D. Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

105 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color