The Obsession With the Death Penalty

Documentaries have always been fascinated witht he death penalty and those who sit on death row. There is something truly unique about waiting to die. There are few other circumstances where a usually healthy person sits still, waiting for that day. Often, they know the exact day.

One example of our fascination is the infamous last meal. Last meals are known for being the very last thing the inmate eats before being executed. The inmate gets to choose whatever they want to eat, within reason.

A photo collection went viral late last spring called "No Seconds" by Henry Hargeaves. He gathered information on infamous inmates last meals. He then recreated what they would look like then photographed each one. The photos are ominous.

This may hint at why there are so many death row films. Errol Morris made the Thin Blue Line. Werner Herzog made Into The Abyss. And do not forget fiction films like Dead Man Walking. It is a powerful subject matter.