(Streamed via The Halloween Channel)
The video box for Faces of Death 2 messed me up as a child. It scared me so much that every time I went to our local mom and pop video store, I practically had to avert my eyes from the row that proudly displayed the Faces of Death franchise. The boxes for the other films in the series weren’t that bothersome to me, but the artwork for 2 really got under my skin. I think it was the doctor wearing the mask that got to me. Since people wearing masks is commonplace nowadays (or at least you would hope so), I think it’s finally time I faced my fears and watched Faces of Death 2.
After a title sequence featuring paramedics hauling away dead bodies, “Dr. Francis B. Gross” appears on screen to take us on a tour of funeral homes. Other segments revolve around Hindu cremation ceremonies, a German burn ward, avalanches, the death of boxer Johnny Owen, various mishaps and accidents involving daredevils and stuntmen, airplane and train crashes, war atrocities, drugs, cannibals, a Wild West collector who keeps the pickled head of a cowboy on display, and a firing squad.
Some of this is obviously phony (like the hold-up sequence), but the real scenes certainly have a kick to them (like the segment on Owen). However, the senseless scenes of animal cruelty, slaughter, and experimentation were totally unnecessary. It’s one thing to have a morbid curiosity about the nature of death in humans. It’s pretty reprehensible to rub the audience’s noses in wanton animal abuse. While these sequences are mostly brief (although they will probably feel a lot longer for sensitive viewers), they leave a bad taste in your mouth, and unfortunately make Faces of Death 2 easily skippable for the faint of heart. Even as a sequel to the most notorious mondo movie of all time, it comes up a bit short. Still, it’s hard to completely dismiss, based on the boxing segment alone.
I usually don’t comment on the commercials I see on these Roku channels, but I had to commend whoever programmed the commercials to accompany this feature. Almost all of them are speeding PSAs featuring accident victims urging motorists to slow down. One thing is for sure, The Halloween Channel’s algorithm is spot-on, if, a bit in poor taste (which sure as hell goes along with the movie).
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