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Faces of Death II

Name: Faces of Death II
Director: John Alan Schwartz
Released: 1981
Duration: 79 min

Representation Score

3.5/10

Limited

1981

Director

John Alan Schwartz

Runtime

79 minutes

Average Rating

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New Showbiz Analysis

Faces of Death II is an exploitation-driven shockumentary that prioritizes the spectacle of mortality over narrative depth. While the film’s international scope provides significant racial and ethnic variety, this inclusion is a byproduct of its global themes rather than a deliberate effort toward empowerment. Subjects depicted are rarely given control over their stories. Instead, they function as vessels for the film’s central theme of human fragility, often appearing in states of extreme vulnerability or systemic victimhood. Ultimately, the work lacks the structural complexity required to engage with social hierarchies or meaningful representation, resulting in a voyeuristic survey of global suffering.

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Category Breakdown

Does Faces of Death II have LGBTQ+ representation?

Minimal

This film does not include any LGBTQ+ characters or narratives. Given its focus on violent global events, it lacks the character-driven structure needed to explore sexual orientation or gender identity.

How does Faces of Death II portray gender?

Limited

Gender roles are not a primary focus of this shockumentary. Various individuals are shown, but they are presented as passive victims of violence rather than characters exercising control or challenging traditional masculinity.

How racially and ethnically diverse is Faces of Death II?

Fair

The film showcases a wide range of ethnicities due to its global scope. Scenes from El Salvador, Vietnam, and India ensure a predominantly non-Western cast, though they are often depicted as victims.

How does Faces of Death II represent religion and culture?

Fair

Cultural representation is fragmented and viewed through a lens of tragedy. The film uses non-Western geographies as backdrops for mortality, which can reinforce a voyeuristic perspective of the Global South.

Does Faces of Death II include disability representation?

Limited

The film includes footage of Cambodian lepers, providing visible representation of physical disabilities. However, these depictions emphasize morbid curiosity rather than nuanced portrayals of lived experiences or control.

Present on Screen

The film’s global scope ensures a high degree of racial and ethnic variety through its international subject matter.

Limited or Absent

The film lacks narrative depth, preventing the diverse subjects from being portrayed with control or nuance.
Depictions of disability and cultural settings often lean toward voyeurism and morbid curiosity rather than meaningful representation.
The focus on physical trauma prevents the exploration of gender roles or LGBTQ+ identities.

Official Synopsis

This film continues along the same lines as F.O.D. 1 with short scenes of material related to death. Mortuaries, accidents, police work are filmed by television equipment and domestic video cameras.

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