Mr. Death
Mr. Death: The Rise and Fall of Fred A. Leuchter, Jr.
Mr. Death: The Rise and Fall of Fred A. Leuchter, Jr. / Errol Morris / USA / 1999 / 91 min / English
A story of life and career of Fred Leuchter, an engineer who became an expert in execution devices. Leutcher supports the death penalty, but believes that the government has an obligation to be respectful and delicate when taking a life. Leuchter introduces us to his chair: it is designed to get the job done quickly and effectively. Leutcher begins building these chairs for many different states in the US. He wins respect, and is considered by some to be a humanitarian. He is later hired by revisionist historian Ernst Zundel to 'prove' that there were no gas chambers at Auschwitz. Leuchter published a controversial report confirming Zundel's position, which ultimately ruined his own career. The film includes the footage of Leuchter, as well as interviews with historians, associates, and neighbors.
camera | Peter Donahue, Robert Richardson
editor | Karen Schmeer
sound | Coll Anderson
music | Caleb Simpson, John Kusiak
