McKnight displays musical brilliance

The Scoop

Lions Gates Films
Starring: Fred A. Leuchter Jr., Robert Jan Van Pelt, David Irving, James Roth
MPAA Rating: PG-13

Grade: A

By Andrew Sandoval
Daily Cougar Staff

"I want executions to go smoothly," Fred A. Leuchter Jr. says in the documentary Mr. Death. Leuchter has the appearance of your old high school science teacher.

He wears a plaid tie with a matching jacket. He wears thick glasses, speaks in a monotone and rarely changes his expression. But what makes Leuchter really stand out from the crowd is his strange profession.

Leuchter makes a living by visiting the different states that use the death penalty and making improvements on their means of execution.

"I built helmets for electric chairs, so I know I can invent injection machines," Leuchter says in an ironic tone of voice.

Since no one else seems to want to design lethal injection machines or helmets for electric chairs, Leuchter has become the expert on everything related to instruments of death.

A constant in the narration of Mr. Death is the isolation and weirdness of Leuchter's life. At an early age, Leuchter familiarized himself with the living conditions of inmates.

Because of this early education, Leuchter has a special appreciation for people on death row. He is a sincere person and truly someone who believes in the importance of his work, even if he is not qualified for his job.

Mr. Death's narration takes a big turn after the German revisionist, publisher and broadcaster, Ernst Zündel appears on the screen. He was accused of distributing pamphlets that denied that the Holocaust ever occurred.

Leuchter is assigned to visit Auschwitz in search of evidence of gas chambers, which changes his life forever.

The direction by Errol Morris maintains a morbid mood to the end. Mr. Death opens and closes with the same scene: Leuchter sits on the electric chair and an execution is staged. On a dark background, lightning illuminates the screen. These shots resemble something from a horror film.

Scenes in slow motion, woodwinds in the score, a non-linear narration and angled shots complement the strange story. All the unanswered questions and the failure of Leuchter's life make the film interesting and informative.

Mr. Death will leave the audience members with a strange taste in their mouths. The film is narrated with an accuracy to which people may not be accustomed.