Faces of Death
| Faces of Death | |
|---|---|
Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | John Alan Schwartz |
| Written by | John Alan Schwartz |
| Produced by |
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| Starring | Michael Carr |
| Cinematography | Michael Golden |
| Edited by | James Roy |
| Music by | Gene Kauer Sloter |
| Distributed by | Aquarius Releasing |
Release date |
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Running time | 105 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $450,000 |
| Box office | $35 million |
Faces of Death (later re-released as The Original Faces of Death) is a 1978 American mondo horror film written and directed by John Alan Schwartz, credited under the pseudonyms "Conan Le Cilaire" and "Alan Black" respectively.
The film, presented as if it were an actual documentary, centers on pathologist Francis B. Gröss, played by actor Michael Carr, who presents the viewer with footage showing different gruesome ways of dying from a variety of sources. Many scenes were faked for the film, but most portions include pre-existing video footage of real deaths and its aftermath.
Faces of Death received generally negative reviews, but it was a huge success at the box office, reportedly grossing over $35 million worldwide. It gained a cult following and spawned several sequels, the first of which, Faces of Death II, was released in 1981.