Cortechba Overrated

Janae Milner Easily the biggest piece of Right wing non sense propaganda I ever saw.

Lela The tone of this movie is interesting -- the stakes are both dramatic and high, but it's balanced with a lot of fun, tongue and cheek dialogue.

Celia A great movie, one of the best of this year. There was a bit of confusion at one point in the plot, but nothing serious.

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.

Shari While watching this documentary, I could tell that the viewer was meant to feel sympathy for these convicted murderers, but it just didn't happen for me. Everything they said, everything they were asked... I just found myself growing more and more angry with them and with the notion that I SHOULD feel any kind of sympathy for them based on what they were saying.One of them mentioned not being able to hug his little girl. That's sad. Unfortunately, his victims' parents will never be able to hug, see or speak to their children again. That's sadder.Someone said that he hadn't seen his wife in two years. That's a real shame. Unfortunately, his victims will never be able to find a partner and get married in the first place. That's an even bigger shame.We also hear from a family member who is saddened that she can't spend holidays with her incarcerated loved one. I feel for her there. Unfortunately, the victims' families are no longer able to do anything at any time with their murdered loved one. I feel for them more.One fellow talks about making his peace with God before the date of his execution and how finite life feels when you know what date your life will end. That's profound, but I somehow doubt he cared if his victims had made their peace with God before he brought about their unexpected and violent ends.We also are told about how another inmate at one of the prisons was given his lethal injection improperly, which apparently caused some discomfort for him. How terrible. Maybe he should have been given the option of having his life ended the way he ended his victims' lives? Although I doubt that would be more pleasant than an improperly placed syringe.As icing on the cake, we hear from a fellow that a prior altercation with his victim had been "very humiliating" for him. Words fail me here. Am I supposed to feel pity for him? Sympathy? I only feel rage.Ultimately, every part I have seen of this documentary has turned my stomach completely. If that was the goal of the film-maker, then his mission was accomplished... but I have the feeling that his goal was to make me feel sympathy for these complete monsters who, in my opinion, should be grateful for the life they still have (as opposed to the lack of life they've inflicted on their victims).

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.

lattar1 I watched the three episodes of this series only days after watching 'Into the Abyss'. While I found the full length feature documentary slightly boring and even more disappointing, the same can not be said about 'Death Row'.Herzog, the creator of this series, does not go on a rampage to prove somebody's innocence, nor does he advocate loudly his opinion about capital punishment. Instead he creates an opportunity to the viewer to get to know the person condemned to die. The emphasis is not about what is right and wrong, or who did what. Its about the person in death row, as well as other human aspects involved. Proper weight is given to the case's individual details, and at least my curiosity about the evidence and what occurred in the crimes was satisfied.I strongly recommend this series to people that find the theme at least mildly interesting. This series is politically some what neutral in spite of Herzog opposing capital punishment. I found some of the subjects - not all - likable, and felt strong compassion for them. This is a special mini-series and I'm very glad I watched it, even though I was disappointed by 'Into the Abyss'.