Faces of Death (1978)

Simply A Masterpiece

Absolutely Fantastic

Pretty good movie overall. First half was nothing special but it got better as it went along.

There's no way I can possibly love it entirely but I just think its ridiculously bad, but enjoyable at the same time.

I watched this originally at the local drive-in back in 1978, a few months after getting my driver's license. I have just watched it again and cannot believe how naive we all were back then. I watched the Blu- ray version and the majority of the actual footage looks to have been shot on Super 8 or 16mm film and is of very poor quality. What remains is not even worthy of a weak medical documentary. Far too much of the film, although gory, is obviously fake and set up, although they tried pretty hard with the heavy handed and not so subtle editing. Today's kids will easily see it for what it is, a poor exploitation flick. Not worth viewing now, except for perhaps nostalgic reasons.

OK so what do we have here? A man getting cooked in the electric chair till blood comes out of his eyes, people eating monkey brains, a woman jumping to her death from a building, some poor soul who gets run over by a truck, a man getting beat to death and the list goes on and on. This so called film or documentary hosted by a Dr. Gross (Now I know it's fake) tries to make it some deep study into the nature of death and dying. Instead all we have here is a film that plays on our morbid sense of curiosity. I did a little research on this film before writing this review and it stated that 40% or more of this film is fake. An example is the man that is sent to the electric chair. It was explained that the director filmed that scene in his basement with cheap special affects. But despite these facts the film made about 35 million worldwide and has become a cult classic that spawned several sequels, which were just as fake. Save your money....trust me.

The fact with FACES OF DEATH is pretty complicated. Its shocking, disgusting, awful and at the very beginning tittles it makes it clear that it was made to shock and produce horror. Its really out of control. The movie goes on and on with death at all its forms, but there is no feedback; its just want to show you death. It says that its a journey to the unknown and that the movie shows how death experience really is, but to be honest, its just disgusting and weird. It doesn't go a bit further in to the death, it just shows you people and animals dying. But, one thing can be recognized about this film: its horror movie. There's a lot of movies calling themselves horror movies but this one really is. There is no much dialog, prologue or meaning. From the very beginning until the end, it shows death. So, as a horror film fan, i would say this is one of the best horror movies i ever seen. As a cinema fan, it's just a piece of b-movie filming recommended for special audience.

Very hard to find words,also hard to understand what is your life,if you can not understand what death means for you.A bit long,but coherent,and smart,sometimes manipulative documentary film,will leaves impression,if you are sensitive personality,or not.This will be to scary,and intense sometimes,please do not let children near to the screen,do not disturb them with this,if you feel your self you can tolerate reality,just give this a chance.If you know this was banned in lot of countries,this fact can give the first shock,and adrenaline to go to the rental store,and if you are there,think again,cause you can still chose something else.I heard once from a man:really the death gives meaning for life.Do not miss the end credits,cause you will need it.This film will be something more with that.7/10