In 1978 the pathologist Dr. Francis B. Gross produced a documentary that purported to show real live deaths (hmmm, that doesn’t sound right). I know it was all the rage during my school years. Now it makes its Blu-ray debut in all its gory glory.
Dr. Francis B. Gross has had a recurring dream about a funeral that led him to perform inquiries into the nature of death. Well, not really. The truth of the matter is that Dr. Gross as really actor Michael Carr, who looks like a cross between John Holmes and John Carradine, and most of the footage was faked. That the film shows human death is also partially true.
Filmmaker John Alan Schwartz, directing under the pseudonym Conan Le Cilaire, bought up a bunch of “ambulance footage” from varying news stations. So we do get to see some real live dead bodies (again that doesn’t sound right) and the aftermaths of disasters, but the more gruesome bits are done with makeup.
For example, the infamous monkey brains scene was done with a gelatin monkey head, some cauliflower, and editing trickery. However, some of the footage is obviously real, such as the kosher slaughtering of a cow. The legend has caused it to become a cult classic and sought out by curious eyes.
I know my high school buddies and I came across the garishly covered Gorgon Video release (in oversized VHS box, remember those?) and eagerly snatched it up for the gross out factor. We also took time afterward to ponder whether what we were seeing was real or not.
Some of it was obviously faked while it’s taken this release to confirm that other sequences that I thought were real were really faked.
I always thought that footage of the beheading was the real deal and now I find out that it was all an elaborate makeup that was helped out by the California sun melting some of the gelatin.
Faces of Death definitely has a 70’s grindhouse feel to it and dig that nutty closing credits song. It would spawn five more sequels, with the last of them just being a collection of old footage.
Don’t expect perfection in this restoration though. The film may have been digitally restored from vault materials, but since the footage was from various sources there’s still some varying quality though it looks ages better than that VHS rental all those years ago. Those blood red letters in the Faces of Death title card seem to leap off the screen though.
The Original Faces of Death is presented in a 1080p high definition transfer (1.85:1). Special features include a commentary with director Conan Le Cilaire, moderated by DVD/Blu-ray producer Michael Felscher.
The remainder of the special features is presented in standard definition. The 16 minute “Choice Cuts” is an interview with editor Glenn Turner. The 22 minute “The Death Makers” is an interview with Allan A. Apone and Douglas J. White who provided the makeup effects.
Next is a 4 minute deleted scene that was on the VHS release only and not on the theatrical release. There are also 11 minutes of outtakes and the 2 minute theatrical trailer.
Sometimes gruesome, sometimes hilariously inept (dig that 70s vibe man), Faces of Death definitely earns its cult status. Dark Sky Films has given us an excellent release that offers some intriguing special features.
The Original Faces of Death: 30th Anniversary Edition is now available at Amazon . Visit the DVD database for more information.
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