BoardChiri
Bad Acting and worse Bad Screenplay
Crwthod
A lot more amusing than I thought it would be.
Huievest
Instead, you get a movie that's enjoyable enough, but leaves you feeling like it could have been much, much more.
jmcd7910
I enjoy Mr. Herzog's body of work, and never expected to hear his fascinating voice on ID Channel, but "On Death Row" is being aired there, and I caught two episodes this morning, and all I can say is how edifying they were. Unfortunately, Herzog accomplished the exact opposite of his intention. He's an honest man, and he admits up front he's opposed to capital punishment. Good for him. Unlike a lot of anti-death penalty fanatics, he doesn't descend to calling the people who have the unenviable job of carrying out executions "depraved", worse than serial killers, doing it "for the money", and all sorts of such silly tripe. He doesn't make ridiculous assertions like "waiting 17 years to be executed" is reparation enough for taking another's life forever. He lets the murderers speak in their own words, offers no obvious judgments, and attempts to be impartial, not always successfully. But he tries. He offers no excuses for the evil in these people. When Darlie Routier, who hacked her 5 and 6 year old sons to death, whines about how she hasn't been able to hug her sons in 16 years, the obvious answer to her complaint needs no explanation. And Herzog respects us enough not to supply one. When a man who beat his 13 month (!) old daughter to death with a hammer, breaking 18 ribs, and causing multiple skull fractures (not to mention biting her in over 20 places on her little body, hard enough to leave tooth impressions), is asked why he did it, his reply is ,"Why? I don't know why it happened". Herzog doesn't need to continue with, "It happened? Like it happened that she died in her sleep or something?" I've been in favor of the death penalty in extreme cases, and only when proof of guilt is undeniable. And Mr. Herzog's series has strengthened me in that belief.
orangeisthenewawesome
I watched this series on Netflix which showed 4 episodes. Every episode featured on Netflix was complex, thought provoking, and well done. I later learned there were 3 more episodes which I watched on youtube.It is an interesting series that is not easy to watch. Herzog shows the viewer that these monsters who have committed horrific crimes are still human beings. Some actually show some insight into their choices and how it resulted in their current fate. Most do not, and this can be frustrating. Several proclaim their innocence. The great strengths of this series are (1) Herzog's ability to let each interviewee to speak without being guided or biased, (2) the balanced presentation of crime, victim and inmate and (3) an unsympathetic view of execution.I will admit I am conflicted regarding capital punishment. I believe many of these vicious animals deserve to die. But I acknowledge it is a flawed system that is racially and financially biased.
Sindre Kaspersen
German screenwriter, film producer and director Werner Herzog's seventh short documentary which he created and narrated is a television mini-series in four parts which was produced by Creative Differences Productions, Spring Films and Werner Herzog Film Production. It was screened in the Berlinale Special section at the 62nd Berlin International Film Festival, had it's television premiere on Investigation Discovery and is a USA-UK-Austria co-production which was filmed at the Allan B. Polunsky Unit prison in Texas, USA.In this non-activist and non-political documentary which is a companion piece to Werner Herzog's 2011 documentary feature "Into the Abyss", the remarkable filmmaker goes even further into the minds of five convicted killers who are serving their sentences inside supermax prisons and makes it clear that he is not trying to humanize them, he doesn't have to like them and that what he is most interested in is what they feel about knowing how and when they are going to die. In a very unsentimental and straightforward manner, Werner Herzog instigates in-depth conversations with a woman named Linda Carty and four men named James Barnes, Joseph Garcia, George Rivas and Hank Skinner who very frankly tells him about their life on death row, their dreams, their prospects and the horrendous and meaningless crimes that has estranged them furthermore from life and brought them closer to death.Through insightful and rare interviews with family members, accomplices, defence attorneys, prosecutors, journalists and police officers, this nonfictional work creates multiple viewpoints and numerous unsettling, tragic and incomparable portraits of human beings which in some ways are given a prolonging of their last words. While notable for it's distinct cinematography by Austrian cinematographer Peter Zeitlinger and the obscure score by American composer Mark degli Antoni which emphasizes the poignant atmosphere, this informative and reflective examination of the absurdities of life respectfully puts the practice of capital punishment into a broader context. Another commendable achievement from a great storyteller.
De-illusionist
I knew Herzog as Grizzry Man's Director,And a little nervous how he treat the inmates,some of them were near execution.I found Director has favorite inmate,(Joseph Garcia,Hank Skinner)and moderate (George Rivas)and not a TV program but related series,he didn't like Michael Perry. I could see it too clearly,it means,Director was not doing a job as Professional. He didn't mentioned victim so much,but I can understand it as program's stance.this is and people on TV is "On Death Row". Talk to inmate include life and death,hope for possible innocence, Good Idea cause they are enclosed in small cell,people only know their name. Also my personal question,"Why Garcia's first crime was not taken self- defense? is explained."My "-5 "is for Director's eye was not clear,He had to prepared to see someone he doesn't like.(and,He'd better to think about mind status of 28 years old man who has only 8 days to own death...human tend to laugh to ease own tension) (sorry about "into the abyss"review is mixed..but I had to point the difference)
