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Not counting the philosophical chapter headings and artful score, Into the Abyss registers as Werner Herzog's most conventional documentary to date. In this case, the director never shows his face, though his questions appear on the soundtrack, much as in the films of Errol Morris. Not that Herzog feigns objectivity. In conversation with condemned murderer Michael Perry, he states, “I think human beings should not be executed." In 2001, Perry and Jason Burkett led police on a high-speed chase through Conroe, TX in the wake of a triple homicide. Eighteen-year-old Perry ended up on death row, while Burkett got life in prison. Both men proclaim their innocence, though DNA evidence makes their participation clear (Herzog integrates crime scene footage that illustrates the brutality of the killings). Worse yet, their lust for a red Camaro moved them to murder the mother, her teenaged son, and the son's friend. Herzog interviews two surviving relatives, a friend of one prisoner, and the wife and incarcerated father of the other. In a way, the film plays like a sequel to Steve James's At the Death House Door, which featured a death row chaplain who came to regret the system in which he participated. Herzog interviews another minister, who laments, "You can't stop the process, but I wish I could." Similarly, the filmmaker makes no attempt to exonerate his subjects, but rather to question the benefits of capitol punishment, particularly when it’s no match for the cycle of violence from which Perry and Burkett sprang. --Kathleen C. Fennessy
Product Description
In his fascinating exploration of a triple homicide case in Conroe, Texas, master filmmaker Werner Herzog (Cave of Forgotten Dreams, Grizzly Man) probes the human psyche to explore why people kill and why a state kills. Through intimate conversations with those involved, including 28-year-old death row inmate Michael Perry (scheduled to die within eight days of appearing on-screen), Herzog achieves what he describes as a gaze into the abyss of the human soul. Herzog s inquiries also extend to the families of the victims and perpetrators as well as a state executioner and pastor who ve been with death row prisoners as they ve taken their final breaths. As he s so often done before, Herzog s investigation unveils layers of humanity, making an enlightening trip out of ominous territory.
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
57 of 65 people found the following review helpful
Format:Blu-ray
Werner Herzog's second documentary of 2011 shows him at his least abstract. His previous doc, Cave of Forgotten Dreams, showed him experimenting with 3D and was a pretty straight-forward effort until the epilogue, but Into the Abyss is Herzog at his most focused. A rarity, he never appears onscreen and his iconic voice provides no narration, only appearing to quietly ask questions from behind the camera. Into the Abyss is populated with traditional Herzogian figures, people so delightfully weird they couldn't possibly be fiction, but the subject matter is far from delightful. Rushed into theatres after a surging interest in capital punishment, the film profiles two convicted killers, one's impending death by lethal injection, their crime, the climate of capital punishment, and those acquainted with them in various ways.
It's not Herzog's style to make the documentary equivalent of a persuasive essay and although he states that he's against capital punishment, his film makes no such statement. It looks at each person, presents each detail, and allows us to interpret this information ourselves. As you can expect from the work of this great filmmaker, the questions we're left with are far greater than a simple vote of "for" or "against" in regards to the death penalty.
Michael Perry is on death row for a triple homicide in Conroe, Texas. His accomplice, Jason Burkett, is serving a life sentence and is not eligible for parole until 2041. There is no implication of doubt over their guilt despite declarations of innocence, particularly from Perry. Both admit to being involved, but Perry pins the guilt on Burkett, while Burkett does likewise to Perry. We learn that the reason for the murders (as if there could be one) was a Camaro that the two wanted to steal. This led to the murder of the owner, her teenage son, and his friend. A senseless act if ever there was one.
Both Perry and Burkett appear, answering the direct, curious, and sometimes difficult questions posed by Herzog. Aside from these two, Herzog speaks with relatives of the victims. One woman, who lost her mother and brother that night, recounts the tragedy and how nearly everyone in her family died in a six-year period, including the family dog. Another, who lost his brother, discusses the pain of that loss. Melyssa Thompson-Burkett is a young woman who married Burkett in prison and is pregnant with his child. When confronted with the fact that their only physical contact is hand-holding during visits, a few feet from a guard, she's ambivalent about the circumstances. Then there's Captain Fred who, after overseeing more than 100 executions, quit his job at the cost of losing his pension because he simply couldn't do it anymore.
The interviews range from fascinating to tragic to quietly amusing. When Herzog travels to the little town of (get ready) Cut and Shoot, Texas he talks to a former acquaintance of Jason Burkett. The man, illiterate and fascinated by the German director he's speaking with, calmly recounts a story of how Burkett stabbed him with a screwdriver, "about that long" and, unphased, he skipped the hospital to go to work. When Herzog observes the man's girlfriend's name tattooed on his arm, he asks what will become of it if the relationship fails. "I guess I'll have to add `sucks' right there," he says, or something to that effect. This sequence is fascinating in the miraculous way Herzog illustrates the man as a heroic figure in this town; a blue-collar, hard-worker, who tossed aside a knife during a fight so he'd be able to go home to his kids. He's one of those personalities just tailor-made for a Herzog documentary.
The most heartbreaking subject is Jason's father Delbert Burkett, also serving a life sentence in prison. He blames himself for Jason's poor upbringing and reflects on how his poor choices and neglect as a parent caused Jason to turn out the way he did. The truth and eloquent, hardened emotion that Herzog captures here could easily be the inspiration behind the film's title; it's here that Herzog actually enters the abyss of his subject's soul.
Into the Abyss is seemingly light on Herzog's not quite fiction, not quite factual "ecstatic truth" approach to documentary filmmaking, described by Herzog as "a merely superficial truth." It's one of his most quietly provoking films, silently moving from interview to interview and just looking. If any filmmaker is more qualified to go into the abyss simply to look at what's down there, it's Herzog. This latest effort is a fascinating exercise in what you can find if you just look.
Due to its lugubrious pacing and subject matter, the pacing is slow at times but it's hard to lose interest. This is the rare kind of documentary that will make you both think and feel. There are lot of questions and a lot of possible answers, but Herzog leaves us to choose which one we feel is closest to the right one. Other directors would have chosen a potentially innocent inmate and created a film based on the question of their guilt or innocence. By taking on two obviously guilty subjects, telling one of them "I don't have to like you," and examining the crime, the punishment, and the senselessness of it all, Herzog has substantially broadened the discussion. It may not have any immediate startling impact, but it will stay with you. It's one of the most important documentaries of 2011 and further evidence that Herzog is one of the most indispensable living documentarians.
GRADE: A-
It's not Herzog's style to make the documentary equivalent of a persuasive essay and although he states that he's against capital punishment, his film makes no such statement. It looks at each person, presents each detail, and allows us to interpret this information ourselves. As you can expect from the work of this great filmmaker, the questions we're left with are far greater than a simple vote of "for" or "against" in regards to the death penalty.
Michael Perry is on death row for a triple homicide in Conroe, Texas. His accomplice, Jason Burkett, is serving a life sentence and is not eligible for parole until 2041. There is no implication of doubt over their guilt despite declarations of innocence, particularly from Perry. Both admit to being involved, but Perry pins the guilt on Burkett, while Burkett does likewise to Perry. We learn that the reason for the murders (as if there could be one) was a Camaro that the two wanted to steal. This led to the murder of the owner, her teenage son, and his friend. A senseless act if ever there was one.
Both Perry and Burkett appear, answering the direct, curious, and sometimes difficult questions posed by Herzog. Aside from these two, Herzog speaks with relatives of the victims. One woman, who lost her mother and brother that night, recounts the tragedy and how nearly everyone in her family died in a six-year period, including the family dog. Another, who lost his brother, discusses the pain of that loss. Melyssa Thompson-Burkett is a young woman who married Burkett in prison and is pregnant with his child. When confronted with the fact that their only physical contact is hand-holding during visits, a few feet from a guard, she's ambivalent about the circumstances. Then there's Captain Fred who, after overseeing more than 100 executions, quit his job at the cost of losing his pension because he simply couldn't do it anymore.
The interviews range from fascinating to tragic to quietly amusing. When Herzog travels to the little town of (get ready) Cut and Shoot, Texas he talks to a former acquaintance of Jason Burkett. The man, illiterate and fascinated by the German director he's speaking with, calmly recounts a story of how Burkett stabbed him with a screwdriver, "about that long" and, unphased, he skipped the hospital to go to work. When Herzog observes the man's girlfriend's name tattooed on his arm, he asks what will become of it if the relationship fails. "I guess I'll have to add `sucks' right there," he says, or something to that effect. This sequence is fascinating in the miraculous way Herzog illustrates the man as a heroic figure in this town; a blue-collar, hard-worker, who tossed aside a knife during a fight so he'd be able to go home to his kids. He's one of those personalities just tailor-made for a Herzog documentary.
The most heartbreaking subject is Jason's father Delbert Burkett, also serving a life sentence in prison. He blames himself for Jason's poor upbringing and reflects on how his poor choices and neglect as a parent caused Jason to turn out the way he did. The truth and eloquent, hardened emotion that Herzog captures here could easily be the inspiration behind the film's title; it's here that Herzog actually enters the abyss of his subject's soul.
Into the Abyss is seemingly light on Herzog's not quite fiction, not quite factual "ecstatic truth" approach to documentary filmmaking, described by Herzog as "a merely superficial truth." It's one of his most quietly provoking films, silently moving from interview to interview and just looking. If any filmmaker is more qualified to go into the abyss simply to look at what's down there, it's Herzog. This latest effort is a fascinating exercise in what you can find if you just look.
Due to its lugubrious pacing and subject matter, the pacing is slow at times but it's hard to lose interest. This is the rare kind of documentary that will make you both think and feel. There are lot of questions and a lot of possible answers, but Herzog leaves us to choose which one we feel is closest to the right one. Other directors would have chosen a potentially innocent inmate and created a film based on the question of their guilt or innocence. By taking on two obviously guilty subjects, telling one of them "I don't have to like you," and examining the crime, the punishment, and the senselessness of it all, Herzog has substantially broadened the discussion. It may not have any immediate startling impact, but it will stay with you. It's one of the most important documentaries of 2011 and further evidence that Herzog is one of the most indispensable living documentarians.
GRADE: A-
12 of 12 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
If you think this film is about capital punishment, then you don't know Werner Herzog well enough
June 23, 2012
Format:Blu-ray|Amazon Verified Purchase
* Werner Herzog: "The film is not just about capital punishment or death, victims and perpetrators and executioners. It's also about the urgency of life."
This isn't an "issue" documentary, one concerned with facts and arguments. It has those things, but it is not about those things.
* "I do not do interviews. I'm not a journalist. I have no catalogue of questions. I have discourse. And I do not know where it will lead me. A goal is to look deep into the heart of ourselves."
Like most Herzog films, this was an ambitious undertaking, but it was ambitious for a different reason. "Fitzcarraldo" and "Cave of Forgotten Dreams" were ambitious because of immense logistical challenges. But this film was ambitious because he was trying to look 'into the abyss' of ourselves, and especially because he was trying to look 'into the abyss' of certain cautious and unrevealing rural Texans.
* "I was fascinated by this particular crime because of its senselessness."
Three people were killed for seemingly no other reason than a red Camaro--a red Camaro that the perpetrators kept for not even 72 hours before being detained, and a red Camaro that has since been impounded and eventually ruined when a tree grew through the floor.
* "While only eight hours of footage were shot to make the entire 118 minute film, the editing process was so intense that both the editor and I started smoking again."
The smoking paid off. There are some golden moments, like the preacher talking about his transcendent moment involving squirrels on a golf course, or the former executioner talking about living out the "dash" on the tombstone, or the cartoonish good ole' boy telling the story of getting stabbed with a screwdriver with almost clinical nonchalance.
* "Into the Abyss could have been the title for many of my films, by the way."
Don't let this be the only Herzog movie you see. As far as I can tell, there are only two truly great filmmakers currently operating, only two filmmakers not just deserving but *requiring* your undivided attention: one is Errol Morris and the other is Werner Herzog.
---
P.S. - As part of the same project, Herzog did a miniseries in four hour-long episodes called "On Death Row." All four can be found on YouTube and all four are very much worth watching--maybe even more so than Into the Abyss. If I had to recommend just one of the four episodes, it would be the one with James Barnes-- it is one of the creepiest things you will see, that a man so calm, thoughtful, and intelligent would casually admit to doing such gruesome things. It will annihilate your cozy worldview of gruesome murderers being "monsters."
My favorite moment of the series, though, comes at the end of the Linda Carty episode. There is a long lecture from the prosecutor about the dangers of attempting to "humanize" Carty because sympathies will go to the perpetrator instead of the victim. Werner's two-sentence reply lifted the hair on my skin.
This isn't an "issue" documentary, one concerned with facts and arguments. It has those things, but it is not about those things.
* "I do not do interviews. I'm not a journalist. I have no catalogue of questions. I have discourse. And I do not know where it will lead me. A goal is to look deep into the heart of ourselves."
Like most Herzog films, this was an ambitious undertaking, but it was ambitious for a different reason. "Fitzcarraldo" and "Cave of Forgotten Dreams" were ambitious because of immense logistical challenges. But this film was ambitious because he was trying to look 'into the abyss' of ourselves, and especially because he was trying to look 'into the abyss' of certain cautious and unrevealing rural Texans.
* "I was fascinated by this particular crime because of its senselessness."
Three people were killed for seemingly no other reason than a red Camaro--a red Camaro that the perpetrators kept for not even 72 hours before being detained, and a red Camaro that has since been impounded and eventually ruined when a tree grew through the floor.
* "While only eight hours of footage were shot to make the entire 118 minute film, the editing process was so intense that both the editor and I started smoking again."
The smoking paid off. There are some golden moments, like the preacher talking about his transcendent moment involving squirrels on a golf course, or the former executioner talking about living out the "dash" on the tombstone, or the cartoonish good ole' boy telling the story of getting stabbed with a screwdriver with almost clinical nonchalance.
* "Into the Abyss could have been the title for many of my films, by the way."
Don't let this be the only Herzog movie you see. As far as I can tell, there are only two truly great filmmakers currently operating, only two filmmakers not just deserving but *requiring* your undivided attention: one is Errol Morris and the other is Werner Herzog.
---
P.S. - As part of the same project, Herzog did a miniseries in four hour-long episodes called "On Death Row." All four can be found on YouTube and all four are very much worth watching--maybe even more so than Into the Abyss. If I had to recommend just one of the four episodes, it would be the one with James Barnes-- it is one of the creepiest things you will see, that a man so calm, thoughtful, and intelligent would casually admit to doing such gruesome things. It will annihilate your cozy worldview of gruesome murderers being "monsters."
My favorite moment of the series, though, comes at the end of the Linda Carty episode. There is a long lecture from the prosecutor about the dangers of attempting to "humanize" Carty because sympathies will go to the perpetrator instead of the victim. Werner's two-sentence reply lifted the hair on my skin.
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars
A Microcosm Of Violence: Class, Justice, And Humanity Filtered Through Filmmaker Werner Herzog's Perspective
April 4, 2012
Format:DVD
Esteemed filmmaker and documentarian Werner Herzog scored with two high profile projects in 2011. First, the contemplative and reverential "Cave of Forgotten Dreams" detailed the discovery of the earliest recorded man-made paintings in the Chauvet Cave in Southern France. And, in what couldn't be a more dissimilar topic, he made "Into the Abyss." That's the thing about Herzog, though, he takes subjects of interest to him and then makes intensely personal films. In "Into the Abyss," he tackles the dissection of a decade old murder case in Conroe, Texas and follows it through to the present day execution of one of the convicted parties. At once, the piece wants to explore the details of a senseless act of violence, make a statement about class differences in society, explore the darkness inherent in humanity, and contribute an opposing argument to the death penalty debate. That's a lot of hefty goals! And although always fascinating, I'm not sure that the picture accomplishes quite everything that it sets out to do. The funny thing about "Into the Abyss," for me, was how pronounced Herzog's personal feelings are throughout, so he becomes one of the movie's central characters, if not its completely guiding focus.
Ostensibly the film is about a triple homicide. Two disadvantaged and undereducated teens in Conroe, Texas (Michael Perry and Jason Burkett) decided on a grand scheme to steal a car. Their master plan resulted in three brutal and unnecessary deaths. Perry was thought to be the actual triggerman and received the death penalty while Burkett got life in jail. By interviewing friends and families of the accused and their victims, Herzog paints a pretty bleak portrait of a class system that created this environment of violence. In speaking with the prisoners themselves (and Perry was eight days from the gallows in his segment), we see them today and how their statements about the crimes have changed. The additional component that Herzog integrates is to discuss aspects of the death penalty with those involved in the process. It ends up being almost like three separate subjects.
Herzog is front and center for every interview (his voice if not his visage). He seems to have a certain agenda when discussing topics and the interviews themselves can veer into awkward or unexpected territory solely due to Herzog's unusual line of inquiry (like the importance of reading). He even, at times, seems to be putting words into the mouths of his subjects and that was sometimes off-putting to me. When one of the victim's sister says she's glad she attended the execution, he twists around what she is saying to be a condemnation of the process. She ends on a note that had nothing to do with what she was actually trying to say. The film certainly has many powerful moments, but the anti-death penalty sentiment is well established without taking these unnecessary liberties. For my reservations, though, Herzog is always a filmmaker that isn't afraid to share his personal point of view. Much of "Into the Abyss" is haunting, memorable, and thought-provoking. It's a film that you're likely to think about long after it's over for any number of reasons, and that makes it an easy recommendation. KGHarris, 4/12.
Ostensibly the film is about a triple homicide. Two disadvantaged and undereducated teens in Conroe, Texas (Michael Perry and Jason Burkett) decided on a grand scheme to steal a car. Their master plan resulted in three brutal and unnecessary deaths. Perry was thought to be the actual triggerman and received the death penalty while Burkett got life in jail. By interviewing friends and families of the accused and their victims, Herzog paints a pretty bleak portrait of a class system that created this environment of violence. In speaking with the prisoners themselves (and Perry was eight days from the gallows in his segment), we see them today and how their statements about the crimes have changed. The additional component that Herzog integrates is to discuss aspects of the death penalty with those involved in the process. It ends up being almost like three separate subjects.
Herzog is front and center for every interview (his voice if not his visage). He seems to have a certain agenda when discussing topics and the interviews themselves can veer into awkward or unexpected territory solely due to Herzog's unusual line of inquiry (like the importance of reading). He even, at times, seems to be putting words into the mouths of his subjects and that was sometimes off-putting to me. When one of the victim's sister says she's glad she attended the execution, he twists around what she is saying to be a condemnation of the process. She ends on a note that had nothing to do with what she was actually trying to say. The film certainly has many powerful moments, but the anti-death penalty sentiment is well established without taking these unnecessary liberties. For my reservations, though, Herzog is always a filmmaker that isn't afraid to share his personal point of view. Much of "Into the Abyss" is haunting, memorable, and thought-provoking. It's a film that you're likely to think about long after it's over for any number of reasons, and that makes it an easy recommendation. KGHarris, 4/12.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Typical Herzog doc, hits the heart of the subject
Mr Herzog admits at the beginning that he's against the death penalty. Many people are. This is probably the only time he's given a personal societal opinion in all of his... Read more
Published 16 days ago by R. Gawlitta
4.0 out of 5 stars
One of life's two certainties, with bonus scary culture aspects
Into the Abyss (Werner Herzog, 2011)
Might as well get this out of the way at the very beginning. Read more
Might as well get this out of the way at the very beginning. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Robert P. Beveridge
4.0 out of 5 stars
Didn't change my mind
Altho I fully expected the film to attempt to change my mind regarding Capital Punishment - it didn't. Read more
Published 1 month ago by yeah!
5.0 out of 5 stars
Interesting
Very interesting documentary.....yet obviously extremely sad! I'd heard about this story a long time ago, but didn't know all the details. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Cold in Pittsburgh, PA
4.0 out of 5 stars
Riveting
I really enjoyed this documentary. Herzog had a nice approach to his interviews. He asked a lot of questions that I would have liked answered.
Published 1 month ago by B. Rogers
5.0 out of 5 stars
Balanced and Intimate Look at an Uncomfortable subject
I believe this film is the best discussion and portrait of the death penalty I have seen. Herzog is up front about being against the execution of prisoners but he still manages to... Read more
Published 2 months ago by White Raven
5.0 out of 5 stars
Informative
I enjoyed this inside look into both sides of this horrific crime. A lot of times we only see the out come, never what actually goes on behind the gates.
Published 2 months ago by constance walker
5.0 out of 5 stars
You Need to Watch This Documentary
This documentary was one of the best I've ever seen. Herzog asks all the right questions that you're thinking in your head to delve into the minds of the killers and the victims'... Read more
Published 2 months ago by Valley
4.0 out of 5 stars
Good
No matter how you fall on the capital punishiment debate, this documentary will leave you confirming or re-thinking your position.
Published 2 months ago by Darrell
5.0 out of 5 stars
An honest look at a difficult topic
The filmmaker states up front that he opposes the death penalty, but this piece looks at a single capital murder case from many perspectives, and without too many emotional cues,... Read more
Published 2 months ago by Steve Jay
