Rating: 
Summary: Another Fascinating Morris Character Study
Review: Filmmaker Morris always chooses the path less trod but he surpasses even himself here. Some viewers will find this work offensive, especially with Dr. Death's assertion that the Holocaust never took place. However, Morris's interest in this man is precisely because he doesn't fit into any neat categories. Fred Leuchter is a man who is pro capital punishment. He also designed more humane "execution systems" for various states. In this role, he was a strange enough little man. However, his taking on Auschwitz to determine if deaths really occurred there even more clearly defines him as a character. He tackles death by execution with total aplomb and naiveté. He resembles a child who you've asked to hold a time bomb for awhile. You know the bomb is going to go off but the kid doesn't have a clue as to what he's holding. Ironically, here is a man who deals in death as his profession yet he possesses no survival instinct with which to protect himself. I found this a fascinating character study with the raising of many important issues which surround Leuchter, such as freedom of expression. As usual, Morris presents his subject from every angle yet at the same time does not judge him throughout. I've seen all of Morris's work and have no doubt that he is at the very top of the heap of American, or even world, documentary makers.
Rating: 
Summary: A Tragic Story
Review: Fred Leuchter once responsible for making execution equipment more humane is contacted by a white supremist organization to research a gas chamber documented to have been used to execute Jews during World War II.Fred then becomes victim to his own ego by only taking HIS research and HIS conclusions of HIS testing into consideration when asked to testify in court of the gas chamber's existence. This is a great documentary that serves as an example of the extent someone will go when they are filled with true conviction, regardless of how justified it may or may not be.
Rating: 
Summary: Oh dear
Review: I found this movie unnecessarily stupid. Fred Leuchter is, without doubt, a madman. I chose to view the first part of this movie as a comedy. It was actually considerably amusing. But to take this insane weirdo seriously was far too much.
Plus, by the end, I was driven mad by his Bostin accent, high-school nerd looks, and utter conviction that the Holocaust was fake. Ugh.
Rating:
Summary: Oh dear
Review: I found this movie unnecessarily stupid. Fred Leuchter is, without doubt, a madman. I chose to view the first part of this movie as a comedy. It was actually considerably amusing. But to take this insane weirdo seriously was far too much.
Plus, by the end, I was driven mad by his Bostin accent, high-school nerd looks, and utter conviction that the Holocaust was fake. Ugh.
Rating:
Summary: Holocaust Myth Shattered
Review: I got the feeling that this was designed to make Fred Leuchter look like some kind of wacko, but if so, it totally backfired. He's definitely not an average man, but he's also definitely not some insidious liar and deciever like the Jews want you to believe. I knew before watching this that the holocaust was a big fat lie, but after watching this I had gained a lot more factual knowledge about it. I think anyone could benefit from watching this, whether they still believe the lie, or whether they don't.
Rating:
Summary: Mr. Death is a Must See Ignored Masterpiece
Review: I have an overwhelming admiration for filmmaker, Errol Morris. Adulation may even be a more accurate descriptive term---and I rarely give out such abundant praise to anyone. Morris has probably dug himself into a financial hole to present us with his masterpieces. The self sacrifices of this great American artist should shame us. Our egalitarian, lowest common denominator culture often rewards people who are not worthy to even lick the dirt off of Morris' boots. "The Thin Blueline" was my first introduction to his oeuvre. I consider this particular documentary dealing with the sloppy work of the police in Texas that almost doomed an innocent man as the greatest of its kind ever made. Fred Leuchter is someone who possesses few credentials behind his name. He gravitated to a niche that was being ignored by professional engineers. After all, how many graduates of our centers of higher learning have the slightest interest in developing equipment to kill convicted criminals? The pay isn't all that good, and it's kind of awkward at social gatherings to explain how one earns a living! Leuchter had a virtual monopoly simply because the competition was sparse. Leuchter apparently did superb work, and regardless of one's opinion about the death penalty, I am sure those on death row are relieved that the end of their life will be carried out as painlessly and quickly as possible. Leuchter comes across as a man with few social skills, and little desire to develop close human relationships. Short, physically unattractive, and myopically obsessed with his morbid inventions, Leuchter is someone who rarely stands out in a crowd. This probably best explains why Leuchter was so receptive to the offer to do "scientific research" for the holocaust deniers. Leuchter isn't motivated by anti-Semitism, and is also not someone inclined to join hate groups to give his mundane life existential meaning. I take him at his word that he harbors no ill will towards Jews. Nonetheless, Leuchter was way over his head, and ultimately made a complete fool of himself. Fred Leuchter lacks even the rudimentary scientific expertise to speak out on the subject of the Nazi concentration camps. I refuse, though. to criticize Leuchter because of his per se lack of formal education. That would be a low blow, and viciously unfair. I do, however, feel totally justified in stating that Leuchter's informal education in these matters also leaves much to be desired. Those like Leuchter, primarily relying on self education, often fail to comprehend the limits of their knowledge. I also grudgingly respect Leuchter for the courage he displays after his life is destroyed for his bizarre involvement with those refusing to accept the well established proof of the Nazi holocaust. Leuchter is admittedly a pitiful character, but an objective and honest person must also concede that the man displays a certain grace under pressure. "Mr. Death" is not escapist entertainment. It will almost certainly make the viewer uncomfortable. Fred Leuchter is not a great man, but his life aids us to better understand the seductive quality of hate groups in attracting individuals who feel unappreciated by the mainstream of society. I strongly urge every educational institutional to have at least one copy available for its faculty and students. Those who decide which documentaries should receive an Academy Award should be deeply ashamed that this work of art was ignored.
Rating:
Summary: Fascinating and a little disturbing
Review: I originally heard about this documentary on a list of recommended documentary films. I jotted down the title, and several years later watched the video. I wasn't expecting to be quite as disturbed as I was by the first half of the video -- the discussions of the mechanics of electrocution, the physical reactions that occur, and the merits of one type of execution versus another were more troubling than I would've expected. Also disturbing was the short, grainy film of an elephant being electrocuted in 1903. The second half of the film, which deals with Leuchter's involvement in a Holocaust trial, is fascinating. Leuchter treats his part of the trial as if it's a fun game, and seems to have no idea what he's getting involved with. I began feeling sorry for him -- it was obvious that he was getting into a situation for which he was completely unprepared. I stopped feeling sorry for him when his ego kicked in. At a point at which it would've become clear to most people that they were in over their heads, and needed to back off, Leuchter began to revel in the applause and notoriety. This is well worth watching.
Rating: 
Summary: solid movie
Review: I really enjoyed some parts of this movie. I thought it was interesting and definitely worth watching. I felt a lot of sympathy for Fred because in my opinion he had good intentions but a lack of expertise. I thought the movie touched on some touchy topics but that made it more interesting to me. I also liked how different views were presented (extreme right and extreme left). I would have given the movie a better ranking but I thought that it should have been longer and given me more information. After the movie I had many questions still unanswered. I also thought the DVD should have given a better menu such as an interview with the director. Buy this movie if you like documentaries but be prepared to search the net for more information. I highly recommend everyone to watch this movie in any case.
Rating:
Summary: Superb Film
Review: I think people are usually wrong on this and are on the far side of the right or left with this issue.
1. The Holocaust Happened. 6 Million? Even if it was half, that's very horrible.
2. What this man found was the real thing, he told the truth, it doesn't matter if the Holocaust happened or not. He did what he was hired to do.
3. Even though I'm half Jewish I think this war as well as this event has always been somewhat exaggerated and it continues to grow.
4. This man had no intention of causing trouble and is not an antisemitic.
5. What they did to this man and his reputation is wrong.
6. As much as I hate Nazism and Adolf Hitler when they come out with books like they did last year about the man being homosexual and other attempts to rewrite history, then I feel the Jewish community is making a very catastrophic mistake.
7. You can't tell lies just because you wish it was true.
Rating:
Summary: Looking Death In The Face
Review: Known for his unique taste in offbeat and outrageous subject matter, director Errol Morris (The Thin Blue Line, A Brief History Of Time) takes us into the realm of the executioner in his new documentary, Mr. Death. Throughout the course of one day, Fred Leuchter, Jr. (Mr. Death) drinks forty cups of coffee, smokes six packs of cigarettes, and is still able to sleep soundly. An eerie man by every stretch of the imagination, Leuchter is the designer of latest generation electric chairs, lethal injections and other methods of "humane" execution. As the film takes you increasingly into the mind of this eccentric individual, one cannot help but notice that he has a sick but perhaps human interest in creating his contraptions. Throughout the picture, we experience a roller coaster of humor, idiosyncrasy and disturbing imagery. Much of the screen time is spent showing the diminutive Leuchter being interviewed and describing how he became who he is today, as well as detailing the gruesome events that occur at a state execution, be it by chair or needle. Since our caffeine-addicted celebrity is a self-proclaimed expert in the field of engineering and other great feats, he is employed by a group of pro-Nazi sympathizers whom deny the Holocaust ever occurred. The once inconspicuous nerd who greatly resembles a groundhog is asked by the leader of the hate group (historical revisionists) to visit Auschwitz and chisel samples of the stone structures that once housed the gas chambers. Little by little, Morris takes the audience on a mental adventure of fear and disbelief as he slowly chips away at the man we might have thought was a mere curiosity, but now realize that along with his peculiar profession and his drinking problem, is an unbalanced media whore who will jump at any chance of fame. The film takes the audience on a grim trip down history lane in more ways than meet the eye. One can make a good assessment in saying that Fred Leuchter draws a parallel to Adolf Hitler and the band of thugs whom were his followers. A failed artist, Hitler saw a window of opportunity to take advantage of a Germany in a time when her economy was depressed and morale was low. Where previously they were teetering on the brink of starvation, some Germans now took a desperate refuge in Hitler's new and deceptive climate of belonging. Like the rise of the Nazis, Leuchter sees a chance to go from a complete unknown to savoring the fame of a false credibility. As many figures before him, Leuchter rises to fame as one who ascribes to fanatic notions, and like the Nazis, Mr. Death is an innovator of the machineries of mortality. In contrast, while Hitler was a failure to begin with, Leuchter was successful at his profession before jumping on the bandwagon of Holocaust disclaimers. It is only after his public recognition that he is labeled an unsavory character, because like his neo-Nazi counterparts, he puts faith in a concept that is fleeting and self-destructive. The film's full title is Mr. Death: The Rise and Fall of Fred Luechter, Jr. In a different and more permissive era, there is a good chance that Fred Leuchter would made been a man not unlike Dr. Mengele. The most compelling moral of this story is how easily a person can convince himself that he is an expert on a subject, even though many sound observers realize he is merely putting on a faÂade. Lastly, it is an unsettling jolt to see how effortlessly certain people can be duped into believing anything if it means perpetuating their name. This film is by no means part of the endless debate over capital punishment. Rather, it is a testament to the megalomania that plagues every society in every generation.
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