A serious film on a serious subject, Dead Man Walking (1995) is enriched by two excellent performances: Sean Penn as a murderer and rapist facing execution on Death Row, and Susan Sarandon as a nun who visits and befriends him. Tim Robbins, the writer and director of the film (and Sarandon's husband), based the film on a true story, and there's not much narrative tension since it's obvious Penn will not escape his fate. But the film is a clear-eyed look at the realities of capital punishment and its grisly rituals, which at the same time never sentimentalises the people... or the issues. There is no shying away from the evil of the murderer's acts and their effects on the victims' families, but this is balanced against the heartlessness and cynicism of those in the prison system and their political masters. It's hard to say whether the film is ultimately against capital punishment; it certainly encourages you to think for yourself. On the DVD: The image and sound quality is excellent, in widescreen ratio 16:9. There's a theatrical trailer and a TV commercial for the film, which also has language tracks in English, French and Spanish and subtitles in English, French, Spanish, Dutch and Hungarian. There's also an audio commentary on the film by director Tim Robbins which gives valuable insights into the political background of the film and the shooting process. --Ed Buscombe [show more]
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Please note this is a region 2 DVD and will require a region 2 (Europe) or region Free DVD Player in order to play. Inspired by the true story of a nun's relationship with a condemned man, this provocative examination of crime, punishment and redemption earned Susan Sarandon the 1995 Oscar for Best Actress and Sean Penn an Oscar nomination for Best Actor. Sister Helen Prejean (Sarandon), a compassionate New Orleans nun, is the spiritual advisor to Mathew Poncelet (Penn), a vicious, angry and complex murderer awaiting execution. Her dedication is to help others, like Mathew, find salvation. But as she attempt to navigate Mathew's dark soul, she encounters a depth of evil that makes her question how far redemption can really go. Can she stave off the fateful day of execution long enough to save Mathew, or will she discover a truth that will rock the very foundations by which she lives? Actors Susan Sarandon, Sean Penn, Robert Prosky, Raymond Barry, R. Lee Ermey & Scott Wilson Director Tim Robbins Certificate 15 years and over Year 1995 Screen Widescreen 1.85:1 Anamorphic Languages English - Dolby Digital (5.1) Additional Languages Dolby Digital (2.0) Stereo: French ; Spanish Subtitles French ; Spanish ; Dutch ; Hungarian ; English for the hearing impaired Duration 1 hour 57 mins (approx) Region Region 2 - Will only play on European Region 2 or multi-region DVD players.
Tim Robbins directs this true story of Sister Helen Prejean (Susan Sarandon), a nun who communicates with prisoners on Death Row. When she corresponds with Matthew Poncelet (Sean Penn), a man condemned for killing a young couple, helping him to mount an appeal of innocence, she encounters someone who challenges her most basic beliefs. Can she persuade Poncelet to confess his crime and repent before the fateful day of his execution arrives?
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