Movie: The Shocking History of the Death Penalty

Top 1 Billed Cast

Takeshi Kusaka
日下武史

Narrator

  • HomePage

  • Overview

    Do humans have the right to judge and kill other humans? This program includes a history of capital punishment around the world through documentary footage and commentary. The electric chair, firing squad, hanging, poison gas, beating to death, slow execution, crotch-splitting, iron maiden, guillotine, execution by running, and beheading... It features a military execution in a South American country, obtained from a former prison officer. It also includes footage of the reality of life in Japanese prisons, death row inmates facing death, the parents of death row inmates, the families of their victims, and the gallows.

  • Release Date

    1977-10-22

  • Average

    2

  • Rating:

    1.0 starts
  • Tagline

  • Genres

  • Languages:

    日本語
  • Keywords

Recommendations Movies

13th
79%

13th(en)

2016-10-07

An in-depth look at the prison system in the United States and how it reveals the nation's history of racial inequality.

Naqoyqatsi
61%

Naqoyqatsi(en)

2002-09-02

A visual montage portrait of our contemporary world dominated by globalized technology and violence.

Evil Influencer: The Jodi Hildebrandt Story
62%

Evil Influencer: The Jodi Hildebrandt Story(en)

2025-12-30

Unravel the case of Utah therapist Jodi Hildebrandt, whose child abuse arrest with parenting YouTuber Ruby Franke exposed a twisted tale of manipulation.

Time
68%

Time(en)

2020-10-09

Fox Rich, indomitable matriarch and modern-day abolitionist, strives to keep her family together while fighting for the release of her incarcerated husband. An intimate, epic, and unconventional love story, filmed over two decades.

The Emperor's Naked Army Marches On
75%

The Emperor's Naked Army Marches On(ja)

1987-08-01

Kenzo Okuzaki, a 62-year-old veteran of the New Guinea campaign in World War II, sets out to conduct interviews with survivors and relatives to find the truth behind atrocities committed by Japanese military, in particular the unexplained killing of two Japanese privates in his unit.

Fuck
64%

Fuck(en)

2006-11-10

A documentary on the expletive's origin, why it offends some people so deeply, and what can be gained from its use.

Memories of a Murderer: The Nilsen Tapes
59%

Memories of a Murderer: The Nilsen Tapes(en)

2021-08-18

Serial killer Dennis Nilsen narrates his life and horrific crimes via a series of chilling audiotapes recorded from his jail cell.

Love, Antosha
74%

Love, Antosha(en)

2019-08-02

From a prolific career in film and television, Anton Yelchin left an indelible legacy as an actor. Through his journals and other writings, his photography, the original music he wrote, and interviews with his family, friends, and colleagues, this film looks not just at Anton's impressive career, but at a broader portrait of the man.

Champs
64%

Champs(en)

2015-03-13

A documentary about the sport of boxing, as seen through the eyes of champions Mike Tyson, Evander Holyfield and Bernard Hopkins.

Listen to Me Marlon
75%

Listen to Me Marlon(en)

2015-07-29

With exclusive access to his extraordinary unseen and unheard personal archive including hundreds of hours of audio recorded over the course of his life, this is the definitive Marlon Brando cinema documentary. Charting his exceptional career as an actor and his extraordinary life away from the stage and screen with Brando himself as your guide, the film will fully explore the complexities of the man by telling the story uniquely from Marlon's perspective, entirely in his own voice. No talking heads, no interviewees, just Brando on Brando and life.

Louis Theroux: Twilight of the Porn Stars
64%

Louis Theroux: Twilight of the Porn Stars(en)

2012-06-10

In 1997, Louis Theroux made a documentary about the world of male porn performers in Los Angeles. 15 years later, he returns to find a business struggling with the deluge of free porn on the internet. Louis revisits some of the original programme's contributors as well as meeting the latest crop of porn performers dreaming of porn stardom.

Long Shot
72%

Long Shot(en)

2017-09-03

When Juan Catalan is arrested for a murder he insists he didn't commit, he builds his case for innocence around unexpected raw footage.

As I Was Moving Ahead, Occasionally I Saw Brief Glimpses of Beauty
76%

As I Was Moving Ahead, Occasionally I Saw Brief Glimpses of Beauty(en)

2000-11-05

A compilation of over 30 years of private home movie footage shot by Lithuanian-American avant-garde director Jonas Mekas, assembled by Mekas "purely by chance", without concern for chronological order.

Deliver Us from Evil
71%

Deliver Us from Evil(en)

2006-06-24

Documentary filmmaker Amy Berg investigates the life of 30-year pedophile Father Oliver O'Grady and exposes the corruption inside the Catholic Church that allowed him to abuse countless children. Victims' stories and a disturbing interview with O'Grady offer a view into the troubled mind of the spiritual leader who moved from parish to parish gaining trust ... all the while betraying so many.

Public Speaking
70%

Public Speaking(en)

2011-02-23

Martin Scorsese’s portrait of writer and social commentator Fran Lebowitz, celebrated for her sharp wit and observations on modern life. Filmed at New York’s Waverly Inn and intercut with archival footage and interviews, the documentary captures Lebowitz’s distinctive worldview through her spontaneous monologues and public appearances.

The Alabama Solution
69%

The Alabama Solution(en)

2025-01-28

Incarcerated men defy the odds to expose a cover-up in one of America’s deadliest prison systems.

Powaqqatsi
73%

Powaqqatsi(en)

1988-04-29

An exploration of technologically developing nations and the effect the transition to Western-style modernization has had on them.

The Menendez Brothers
73%

The Menendez Brothers(en)

2024-10-07

Serving life in prison for murdering their parents, Lyle and Erik Menendez speak out in this documentary explaining the shocking crime and ensuing trials.

The Fear of 13
75%

The Fear of 13(en)

2015-10-15

After 23 years on Death Row a convicted murderer petitions the court asking to be executed, but as his story unfolds, it becomes clear that nothing is what it seems.

The Godfather Family: A Look Inside
78%

The Godfather Family: A Look Inside(en)

1990-07-12

A documentary on the making of the three Godfather films, with interviews and recollections from the film makers and cast. This feature also includes the original screen tests of some of the actors for "The Godfather" film, and some candid moments on the set of "The Godfather: Part III."

Similar Movies

The 11th Hour
67%

The 11th Hour(en)

2007-08-17

A look at the state of the global environment including visionary and practical solutions for restoring the planet's ecosystems. Featuring ongoing dialogues of experts from all over the world, including former Soviet Prime Minister Mikhail Gorbachev, renowned scientist Stephen Hawking, former head of the CIA R. James Woolse

Swipe, Match, Murder: The Disappearance of Grace Millane
70%

Swipe, Match, Murder: The Disappearance of Grace Millane(en)

2023-10-11

The story of the murder of British backpacker Grace Millane and how her killer was caught.

A Day in the Life of French Cinema
70%

A Day in the Life of French Cinema(fr)

2002-05-20

Documentary showing one day of work of over 90 actors and filmmakers from French cinema on the same day. On 27 March 2002, 27 teams filmed actors, directors, producers and technicians at work, from Hawaii to Paris and from New York to Lisbon.

The Execution Machine: Texas Death Row
70%

The Execution Machine: Texas Death Row(en)

1997-03-10

Explores the realities of death-row inmates inside Huntsville (Texas) Unit, a prison with the highest number of executions in 1997. Features interviews with prisoners, guards, officials, lawyers and victims' family members.

Homo Cinematographicus
80%

Homo Cinematographicus(fr)

1998-06-01

Homo Cinematographicus is a human species whose unit of measurement and point of reference is the cinema and its derivative, television. Filmed at the 1998 Cannes Film Festival, the film offers an unspecified number of statements, talking about memories and a thousand fragments of stories, titles and film scenes, the warp of a gigantic collective Chanson de geste.

Movies by Machine - AI and Cinema
68%

Movies by Machine - AI and Cinema(de)

2024-09-25

As artificial intelligence becomes ever more sophisticated, the film industry is split between enthusiasm at what the technology can achieve and concern over the future for human workers in the industry. Will actors and actresses be replaced by machines? An overview on the coming wave of AI in cinema.

Hard Time: The Making of Prison
80%

Hard Time: The Making of Prison(en)

2013-02-10

Retrospective documentary on the making of the low-budget horror film Prison (1987)

Bringing Godzilla Down to Size: The Art of Japanese Special Effects
85%

Bringing Godzilla Down to Size: The Art of Japanese Special Effects(en)

2008-08-03

A look at the unrecognized work of the talented artists and craftsmen who've maintained the tradition of Japanese special-effects. Highlighted is Yasuyuki Inoue along with various crew members who crafted meticulously detailed miniatures and risked life and limb as suit actors. All done to bring to life some of film's most iconic monsters through a distinct Japanese artform.

June 1940, the Great Chaos
80%

June 1940, the Great Chaos(fr)

2010-06-14

From May 10, 1940, France is living one of the worst tragedies of it history. In a few weeks, the country folds, and then collapsed in facing the attack of the Nazi Germany. On June 1940, each day is a tragedy. For the first time, thanks to historic revelations, and to numerous never seen before images and documents and reenacted situations of the time, this film recounts the incredible stories of those men and women trapped in the torment of this great chaos.

Nick Broms: What's the rush?
0%

Nick Broms: What's the rush?(fr)

2023-04-25

Ivohiboro, The Lost Forest
75%

Ivohiboro, The Lost Forest(fr)

2024-10-07

The film follows an expedition into Ivohiboro — a small, previously unexplored tropical forest in Southeast Madagascar rich with biodiversity.

Unacknowledged
63%

Unacknowledged(en)

2017-05-23

Dr. Steven Greer presents brand new top-secret evidence supporting extraterrestrial contact, including witness testimony, classified documents, and UFO footage, while also exploring the consequences of ruthlessly enforcing such secrecy.

Lake Mungo Revisited
0%

Lake Mungo Revisited(en)

2025-10-05

Features new interviews with the cast and crew, along with expert opinions and unearthed behind-the-scenes footage, to explore the enduring legacy and creepy realism of the mockumentary.

Knox Mine Disaster
0%

Knox Mine Disaster(en)

2019-01-22

The catastrophic and avoidable coal mining disaster at the Knox Mine is recounted by the people who lived through the tragedy.

Death and the Judge
70%

Death and the Judge(fa)

2018-05-09

The documentary, " Death and the Judge", revolves around Iran's most famous criminal judge, Azizmohammadi. He served as a criminal judge for 45 years and issued about 4500 death sentences; a record in not only Iran, but also the world. This documentary looks into his personal and professional life as he is followed within his home with his family, in the court of law, and in his retirement days. The ultimate purpose of the documentary is to deduce the role of death in the judge's life as he either takes life away from criminals or death comes to his loved ones. During his retirement, he is once again given the choice between the life and death of a person, despite no longer being a judge.

Vodu Between two worlds
75%

Vodu Between two worlds(fr)

2025-03-15

Voodoo tradition is too often victim of misperceptions and stereotypes in the Western imagination. In Togo, Voodoo is revealed in all its splendour and complexity. Through spectacular ceremonies, consultations and rites, an intimate connection is revealed that unites the visible world with that of invisible forces. By giving a voice to those who live and practise Voodoo, an authentic and nuanced perspective emerges, revealing the richness of this mysterious spirituality. It's a genuine burst of curiosity about a living heritage and the sumptuousness of its traditions.

The Music of Michel Legrand
0%

The Music of Michel Legrand(en)

2016-01-01

This video essay, made by Tony Zhou and Taylor Ramos for FilmStruck in 2016, explores the musical motifs in 'Cléo from 5 to 7.'

Escuros, Roncos e Compasados
0%

Escuros, Roncos e Compasados(gl)

2012-06-29

Absorbed, Unnatural, Dismal, Deface, SOK, Wisdom, Detestor ... Names linked to a very specific movement such as Death Metal and to a time and place as the Galicia from the 1990s. In this documentary, through interviews with members of that movement, from band members to producers or fanzine writers, we try to pay homage to an underground movement as Galician Death Metal along the 90s, deepening its history and its stories.

Rivers and Tides
73%

Rivers and Tides(en)

2001-02-13

Portrait of Andy Goldsworthy, an artist whose specialty is ephemeral sculptures made from elements of nature.