All language subtitles for 1981-Faces of Death II-EN

My name is
Dr. Francis B. Gross,

and again I invite
you to join me

as I travel through
the world of the dead.

Several months after I
completed my first study,

I realized that some
of my original theories

were no longer valid.

My optimism regarding
life after death

has greatly diminished.

Still, there is one hope,
that our body suffers

little pain and that
our mind will end

on a thought unaffected
by the fear of dying.

music

The ritual of
commemorating the dead

has a history which dates
back to the beginning

of man kind.

There is no group on
earth that doesn't have

some kind of ceremony
which acknowledges

the death of a loved one.

Many extraordinary customs
have resulted from man's

realization of death.

In the 14th century,
people were hired

to rouse the ghost.

Their job was to attempt
to bring the deceased

back to life.

This strange ritual
eventually produced

the practice of necrophilia.

By making love to the
dead, it was believed

that sexual arousal would
bring the spirit of life

back into the body of
one who recently died.

This custom of the Middle
Ages led to a greater

understanding in the
finality of death.

As time passed, man
realized that those

who died would never
physically return to life.

Religion then introduced
another concept of death,

it conceived the belief
that the soul

or Holy Spirit travels
beyond this earthly plane

when the physical being
ceases to exist.

In some countries, as
hamlets became villages

and villages
grew into towns,

graveyards had to be
modified to provide

accommodations for
the bodies

of future generations.

Carnal houses were
created to house

the bones of the dead
who were removed

from the cemetery after
a certain number of years.

Upon being blessed
by a priest,

the deceased's remains
were placed on display

for loved ones to visit.

The time is 1981,
graveyards still exist,

but death has now become

a multi-billion
dollar industry.

Today a person can choose
their style of wardrobe

and in which manner
they want to be secured

for their eternal rest.

Shopping for a casket is
similar to buying a car,

the more money you pay,
the more lavish

your coffin will appear.

The fee for a normal
funeral runs about $3,500.

Of course, you have
to pay an extra fee

for the embalming process
and any necessary

cosmetic touch-ups.

Funerals lie at the
very innermost core

of life's experience.

It is a time of
introspection where we

honor and value fond
memories of a person

we shall never forget.

A Hindu cremation
presents a striking

contrast to a
Western burial.

The banks of the Ganges
River are considered

the most desirable place
for the ceremony.

To prepare their dead
for cremation,

the body is bathed in oil,

and then with soap
and nut powder,

among other preparations.

The Hindus believe at
death the soul is trapped

in the skull.

Therefore, it is
imperative that the skull will

explode during
the burning process.

The mourners
of a loved one

sprinkle holy water
on the deceased

and take
purification baths

during the cremation.

They also shave their
heads in deference

to the departed.

For the Hindu, death
represents a liberation

of the soul.

Their ceremony of
cremation ensures

that the spirit of the
departed will have

the chance to be
reborn once again.

It's one thing to witness
the cremation of the dead,

but the horror
of being burned alive

is a truly agonizing
face of death.

(fire siren sounds)

The residents
of this West German

apartment building
were the victims

of a furnace explosion.

Within seconds, their
apartment became

a burning inferno.

Although firemen worked
furiously to extinguish

this out-of-control
blaze,their efforts

to save those trapped
inside the building

proved unsuccessful.

On that cold January
morning in 1979,

18 of the 20 residents
that occupied

this building lost
their lives.

Those who weren't
asphyxiated by the massive

amounts of toxic
smoke, were eventually

burned alive.

This particular man
suffered third-degree

burns on his hands,
legs and face.

A special preparation was
applied to the burned

areas of his body
to promote healing

and reduce infection.

An emergency tracheotomy
had to be performed

so that the
victim could breathe.

Unfortunately, even
the advanced treatment

administered by
the burn center specialist

could not keep
this man alive.

When the warmth of
springtime begins

to melt the snow,

a new setting
for death is created.

At any moment,
a disaster can occur

capable of turning
a beautiful panorama

of natural magnificence
into an explosive wall

of destruction.

This white blanket
of death

is called
an avalanche.

When the snow begins to
rumble down the mountain,

anything in its path
is instantly destroyed.

Brenner Passis
located near the border

of Austria and Italy.

In April of 1975, this
highway connecting

the two countries became
the scene of one

of the worst avalanches
in history.

Before this disaster
occurred, people had been

warned not to use
this route of passage.

Road warnings
had been posted

and frequent radio reports
admonished drivers

of this expected danger.

But people didn't
want to listen,

for many were on holiday
and needed to return

to either side
of the border.

As a result, many
vacationers decided

to challenge
this prediction,

and subsequently
lost their lives.

In total, 50 people
died in this avalanche,

a whole section
of Brenner Pass was buried

under more than
14 feet of snow.

Some people never made
it out of their cars.

Those who did,
had nowhere to go

and froze to death
while trying to escape.

Hypothermia is probably
one of the most painful

ways to die.

During this process, you
literally freeze to death.

The whole disaster
could have been avoided

if these people had only
heeded the warning signs

of impending danger.

Boxing is perhaps
the most brutal of all

professional sports.

Sheer strength, endurance
and agility are the major

ingredients of a winner.

Everyone who enters this
sport dreams of one day

becoming the
next champion.

Their desire for wealth
and recognition are great

motivating factors in
their quest for the title.

I was born poor,
and many nights

I went to bed
with an empty stomach.

And I read where guys
like Sugar Ray Robinson,

Joe Lewis and all
these guys were born

in very poor areas,
and, they...

through sports
they got recognition,

they got respect, they
traveled around the world

and they got to do things
that otherwise they would

have never done.

And, but yet, nothing
comes easy in life.

Boxing's a tough life,
it's very tough.

Three minutes in the ring
of actual fighting

is much more difficult

than two weeks
of hard training.

But it's the training that
hardens the muscle

and strengthens
the fighter's endurance.

Another important element
of his training

is the fighting strategy.

He must learn
how to throw a punch

and how to protect himself
at all times.

If more trainers would
take time and teach kids

the difference
between coming in

and going backwards, or if
they would take more time

to teach this kind of
boxing, there--

there would be less people
getting hurt in the ring.

Sparring marks the
final stage of training.

During these sessions
a fighter will learn

to take punches,
and to test

his own offensive skills.

Ninety per cent of the boys
are not in the physical

condition for a boxer
that they should be

at the time of their
career for a fight.

On September 19th,1980,

Johnny Gowens
and his managers

felt he was ready.

The fight was a scheduled
15-round title bout

for the Bantam weight
Championship of the World.

Gowens' opponent was
the reigning champion

from Mexico, Lupe Pintor.

For the first
eight rounds,

Johnny Gowens held his own,
although his battle wounds

were clearly visible.

The ninth eighth round,
Gowens went down

for the first time.

At the end of this round,
Johnny Gowens was hurting.

But he was not a quitter,
and even though

he was bleeding from
his nose and mouth,

continued to battle Pintor

over the next
three rounds.

When Johnny Gowens
was knocked out

for the second time
of the fight,

he seemed
totally disoriented.

As a doctor, it seemed
obvious to me that

the fight should
have been stopped,

but the referee
thought otherwise.

Prior to this fight,
Gowens had never

been knocked out.

This time when he
hit the canvas,

he would never get up.

At the time,
Lupe Pintor had no idea

his devastating punch
had sent his opponent

into a coma.

At 24 years old, Johnny
Gowens had subjected

his body to such
severe punishment;

he would never even
realize he had lost

his match, for this was
to be his last fight.

As the doctor
worked furiously

to help Gowens
regain consciousness,

the people surrounding
the fallen fighter

knew he was in
serious trouble.

The two knock downs
in the twelfth round

had definitely
done their damage.

Before finally dying,

Gowens would undergo
two brain operations

and would be connected
to a life support system

for almost his entire stay
at the hospital.

After contracting a
respiratory condition

during his coma,

Gowens succumbed to
the final count.

If this youngster
ever decides to enter

the world of
professional boxing,

I wonder what the future
has in store.

There is a breed
of men who enjoy

taking their machines
beyond the normal use

of transportation.

The word impossible
is not a part

of their vocabulary.

When the odds seem
totally against them,

they are the first to
tell you otherwise.

These people are
modern day gladiators,

better known
in our society

as stunt men or daredevils.

The thrill of putting
their lives on the line

is not the key to
their profession.

If you talk to any of
these professionals,

they'll continually
emphasize their own

safety is foremost in
any stunt they perform.

But no matter how
prepared they may be

in their
technical planning,

the risk of death
is still something

they must consider.

And yet, the spectators
who watch these events

can never be
really disappointed,

for they can share
its success

or scream at the
results of failure.

I have watched a
crowd's reaction

when a stunt man has
been unsuccessful.

In my mind, there is no
doubt that most of them

have held a morbid
fascination when viewing

a human disaster.

If you disagree with me,
I'll prove my point.

Now it's your turn to be
a part of that crowd.

On August 4th, 1974,
stunt man Bobby Pesco

attempted unsuccessfully
to jump 28 cars

on his motorcycle.

After hitting the last
car, Pesco's body

was hurled
hundreds of yards

on the cement roadway.

Paramedics and track
marshals tried frantically

to save his life.

Unfortunately, their
efforts were in vain,

for Pesco died a
few hours later.

As Pesco's wife held on to
her unconscious husband,

spectators tried to
get a final glimpse

of the fallen stuntman.

There is no doubt it
takes a certain kind

of man to enter
this profession.

If Pesco was ever
afraid of dying,

at least his end
came quickly.

Chuck Strange realized
early in his career

that ramp-to-ramp acts
in cars and motorcycles

were becoming commonplace.

In late 1975, he found
a Chevy dealer willing

to supply him
with pick-up trucks

to perform his stunts.

Strange had finally found
a vehicle that would make

his act unique.

In November 1978 at the
Ontario Motor Speedway,

Strange attempted
a ramp-to-ramp jump

with his
pick-up truck,

covering a distance
of 98 feet.

During this jump,
Strange's truck

was flying at a speed
of 50 miles per hour

after taking off from
a ramp angled 17 degrees.

This jump was just
a prelude to a stunt

he would perform
on January 13th, 1978,

in front of 59,000 people
at the Houston Astrodome.

During this jump,
Strange would attempt

to clear 16 cars.

What made
this jump dangerous

was that the Dome's
sunken arena floor

was not nearly big enough
for him to make a straight

and level approach.

Earlier in the day
during his last

practice jump
Strange was unaware

that he had peeled
back a steel shield

underneath his truck.

As a result, this bent
steel dug into the ramp

at take-off, and it
caused his truck to veer

to the right.

It took 30 minutes
to extricate Strange

from the truck,
but he was lucky.

The impact broke
one of his ribs,

bruised a kidney,
dislocated his elbows,

shattered his forearms,
and broke his nose.

When doctors later
examined Strange,

they all agreed that
it was miraculous

that he had not
been killed.

It had been the third
time in his career

that he had heard
this remark.

You can rest assured
that when his injuries

finally heal, this
man will be back

ready to challenge
death once again.

In 1976, Morrisburg,
Canada was the site

of the greatest car
stunt ever performed.

This event was known
as the Super Jump.

Stunt man Kenny Powers
would attempt the longest

car jump in history.

His goal was to jump the
St.Lawrence River;

the distance would
be one mile.

An eight-and-a-half
story ramp was constructed

for his rocket-powered,
Lincoln Continental.

Once the car would
leave this ramp,

it would sail
one mile over the river,

and land on Gogden Island
in the state of New York.

This jump had been
in the planning

for over four years.

Over one million dollars
had been spent,

and 110,000 yards of dirt
had been moved

to construct
the special runway.

Kenny Powers will be
jumping three times

the distance Evil Knievel
had tried to achieve

during his jump at
Snake River Canyon.

Powers' car would reach
a take-off speed

of 280 miles an hour;

within seconds
he would reach

an altitude of 300 feet.

His body would undergo
a force of over 30 G's.

This jump had been
attempted four times

previously and had
to be canceled.

This time, Kenny Powers

knew there was
no turning back.

Powers said his
final prayers,

his self-confidence was
high, any self-doubt

or hesitation could
cost him his life.

A helicopter
roamed the sky,

while power speed boats
and divers

waited on the other side
of the river

in case of a disaster.

As the final seconds
ticked away,

Powers' young wife
became anxious,

would this be
the last stunt

he would ever perform.

Powers' jump
was unsuccessful.

As rescuers
reached the car,

Powers was freeing himself
from a special harness.

But nobody knew the
extent of his injuries,

his car disintegrated
in midair

and landed in the river.

His wife and the crowd
waited anxiously for news.

Powers was lucky, he
had broken his back.

This was nothing new,
for he had suffered

the same injury
seven times before.

As he was carried to the
ambulance in a state

of semi-consciousness, all
that he kept asking was,

did I make it,
is everybody pleased.

As the ambulance
rushed off

to the hospital, all
that remained of his

$1 million attempt were
the remains of a yellow,

rocket-powered
Continental floating

aimlessly on the banks of
the St.Lawrence River.

The dangers of reaching
high altitudes

aren't always confined
to stuntmen equipped

with a rocket-powered car.

When Flight 2605 left Los
Angeles for Mexico City,

another air disaster
was entered

into aviation
history books.

As the pilot made his
descent, he was informed

that the runway lights
had malfunctioned.

The control tower
instructed the pilot

to line up his jet over
an alternate runway.

After the pilot reported
he had done so,

the controller warned,

you are at the left
of the track.

The pilot
replied confidently,

just a little bit.

He was tragically wrong.

As the DC-10 touched down
on the runway,

it headed towards
a dump truck.

The pilot realized his
mistake and tried to lift

his DC-10 back
into the air.

It was too late,
the plane smashed

into the truck
and veered wildly

into a
maintenance building

and burst into flames.

The final death
count was 73,

and the
over-confident pilot

was one of the dead.

The rugged peaks of
Mount Barjin

in the country of Iran
was the site of another

air disaster.

It was the first crash
in Iran's 18-year

aviation history.

The first group of
revolutionary guards

to arrive at the crash
site, reported they heard

screams as they
fought their way

through the snow.

Many of the passengers
on the flight

were Shiite pilgrims
returning from Mashad

after religious ceremonies

marking the death of
prophet Muhammad.

Villagers near
the crash site

reportedly saw a flash
of light in the sky,

followed by
a loud explosion.

I wonder what
prayers were said

by the passengers as they
realized their religious

journey would end
on a note of death.

India's West Bengal
state was the scene

of another accident
in the realm

of public transportation.

This train was
crossing a bridge over

the Falroo River when
six coaches separated

and derailed from
the main engine.

It took rescuers
all day to find

most of the bodies.

Twenty-three passengers
died in this accident.

Many of the people
were trapped underwater

and drowned.

Relatives who knew
passengers on the train

went to the rescue
center to find out

about their loved ones.

For some, the news
of death caused tears

and sorrow.

None of us ever
really know

when our end will come.

Every time we use
any kind of modern

transportation, we
increase the odds

of our own death.

Is there a solution,
I don't really think so.

When it's our
time to die,

there is no alternative.

On a typical day
in El Salvador,

50 people are killed
because somebody

doesn't like
their politics.

When the leftist
guerrillas hijacked

a bus, they staged
their own execution

against some of
the passengers

who were government
officials.

This unique footage
was filmed by

a UPI cameraman.

The only reason he
was allowed to live

was because the guerrillas
felt this incident

would be good publicity.

Their red revolutionary
flag was placed

as a warning to the military

of hunt and power.

It has been estimated
that if a full-scale

civil war were to break
out in El Salvador,

approximately 50,000
or more would die.

That's one out of every
100 persons living

in this country.

The violence that
exists here is caused by

two extremist elements,
the far right is comprised

of the few who
are rich in this country.

They are determined to
maintain their wealth,

and refuse to yield
to any semblance

of compromise.

To protect themselves,
they have hired

death squads
and supporters

in the army to kill
any Salvadorians

who are trying t change
the country's

feudal structure.

In this case, their
protection faulted.

The far left is headed
by a hardcore of fanatic

Marxist Leninist
guerrillas.

They are the
killers responsible

for this execution,
and would be content

to create a civil war
within their country.

The five million
Salvadorians packed

into this land of gentle
rolling countryside

are caught between the
fighting forces of these

two political factions.

Most citizens want to
improve their lives,

but have not yet made
the commitment to join

the violence themselves.

The war in Vietnam
provided the battleground

for weapons which created
horrific results.

The napalm bomb was
introduced during

World War II, and was used
with great effectiveness

in Vietnam.

When dropped from a
plane, specially designed

canisters release a
jelly like substance

that bursts into flame
upon impact.

This particular
accident occurred

when a South Vietnamese
aircraft dropped napalm

on an incorrect target.

What should have been
a jungle was instead

a small village.

Napalm adheres to
whatever it hits,

and then burns with
great intensity.

When scientists
developed napalm

at Harvard University
during World War II,

I wonder if they
ever expected

their chemical would be
used on people.

When this woman watched
her baby burn to death,

I'm sure she wasn't even
aware that the chemical

napalm was
responsible for her agony.

A cluster bomb is a
ten-foot long canister

filled with hundreds
of small shrapnel

laden bomblets.

Dropped from a plane, the
cluster bomb unit splits

open in midair,
spewing out bomblets

and saturating an area
of several hundred

square yards with
steel shards.

These Lebanese children
were the helpless

victims of one
such bomb.

Israeli bombers
attacked this village

in retaliation for
Palestinian rocket

attacks that killed three
civilians in the Israeli

city of Nahariyya.

The small village
of Azea in Lebanon

has always
appeared peaceful.

At one time, the village
had been a pretty little

collection of
stonehouses.

After this attack, more
than 50 of the 250

villagers were dead,
many of them children.

The village was reduced
to a pile of rubble,

which looked more
like a rock quarry

than a place
of human habitation.

The cries of grieving
parents filled the morning

stillness of this southern
Lebanese village.

There is never a
reason to kill a child,

but morality has
no place in war.

There is no
right or wrong.

Any semblance of
human compassion

and understanding
is substituted

with the instinct
to kill.

The enemy must be
destroyed at all costs,

even if he is
a child.

It will be a long time
before the people of this

village ever forget
this nightmare.

Raids like the one on
Azea can only deepen

Lebanese hatred and earn
new enemies for Israel.

The Bible predicts the end
of the world will start

in the Middle East,
when opposing powers

are unwilling to
compromise and war becomes

the only means to an end.

The hope for peace becomes
an impossible dream.

If this continues, the
prophecy of the Bible

is certain to become
a reality.

During the summer
of 1957,

the United States military
conducted 24 tests

at Yucca Flats, Nevada.

The basic objective was
to determine the physical

and psychological impact
of nuclear weapons

on troops in the field.

A few hundred troops were
told to sit together.

Several miles away a
44-kiloton atomic bomb,

mounted on a steel
tower, was detonated.

After the initial flash,
the soldiers

were instructed to face
the mushroom cloud.

They would later report a
sensation of great heat,

much like standing next
to a blast furnace.

Twenty-four years
later, some of these

soldiers have been
stricken with leukemia.

They believe their
disease resulted from

excessive radiation exposure.

Many of these men are
still waiting to find out

if they will be victims
of a deadly disease

as a result of following
orders, 24 years ago.

The art of survival
plays another

important role
in a soldier's training.

Killing game must be
quick and effective,

and no part
of the animal is wasted.

When man can make
a profit through

the slaughter
of a specific animal,

he will kill
without hesitation.

The fur of an infant
Persian lamb brings

a high price
in the fashion market.

Before this baby reaches
its third day of life,

it will be slaughtered;

its fine fur will be
used to shield many

of us from
extreme cold.

Some consumers are not
concerned about

the origin of
their purchase.

When they don the Persian
lamb hat,most do not even

realize that
they are wearing

the skin of an infant to
keep themselves warm.

This mink has been
raised for slaughter.

Its fur will bring
a high price

in the fashion market place.

The fur coat has
always been a symbol

of both opulence
and high style.

As a result, a variety
of animals have met

their death to fulfill
our greedy demands.

Man's wardrobe comforts
are not the only cause

for animal butchery.

This year in the
United States alone,

over 60 million animals
will be killed

under the guise
of scientific research.

A great number of the
general public have led

demonstrations protesting
the inhumane scientific

research performed
on animals.

Scientists look upon
these protesters

as sentimental eccentrics,

and feel their
experimentation

is for the benefit
of all mankind.

Although rats and
mice constitute

a large portion of
animal extermination

in the laboratory,

the most
horrifying experiments

are performed on our
biological relative,

the primate.

Thousands and thousands
of monkeys have been

maimed, mutilated and
killed in experiments

designed to help prepare
the United States

for World War III.

The most pathetic
results occur when these

creatures are subjected
to drug experimentation.

Many of these monkeys are
kept high for months,

so their convulsive
withdrawal symptoms

may be studied in detail.

PCP, commonly referred
to as "angeldust,"

should actually be termed
"the angel of death."

This victim, under the
delusionary influence

of PCP, caused a car
accident which resulted

in the death
of two people.

The drugged driver
didn't even know

he was responsible.

On January 10th, 1979,
Lovell, California,

was the site
of a nightmare.

Two men under the
influence of PCP

would create a crime that
the people of this town

would never forget.

Come on, tell me, what
happened down there?

Just calm down, just
calm down, relax.

Two men--

-came in the drugstore.

And -- and they --

they looked really
weird ,you know.

And -- and --
and the druggist, he--

he didn't -- he went
to the phone and --

and he called the police,
and -- and then --

Okay, calm down,
tell me what happened.

And they, and they
shot him.

And there was
blood everywhere.

How many people were
there, how many people?

Two.

Two people? With guns?

Yes.

What kind of guns?

Guns.

(voice in background)
You fuckin' pigs.

Fuck you...

you fuckin' cops,
you motherfuckers...

I'm bleeding all over
the fuckin' place, man...

fuck you, man.

Lie face down
with your hands

out in front of you.

Do it now.

We got a god damn bitch
in there, man,

we 're gonna
blow her head off.

Fuck you, man,
fuck you, man.

Oh, fuck.

Motherfuckers.

When the assailants were
attempting to flee,

one was wounded
in the crossfire.

With his accomplice
trapped on the sidewalk,

the other drug-crazed
killer held police at bay

by threatening the life
of a hostage

inside the store.

Come on, pigs,
you wanna fuck around?

Drop your gun and then
step out of the door

with your hands
over your head.

Get down...

hold your fire,
someone's coming out...

don't move, don't move...

get down... don't move.

Get your hands...

Fuckin' asshole...

Shut up.

Fucking pig.

Fuckin'...

Shut up...

When this young
man awakens

from his angel
dust dreams,

he'll not only feel the
agony of his wounds,

but suddenly realize he's
been responsible

for the deaths of two
innocent people.

But what is even more
horrifying to him,

is that he has
secured a position

among the condemned
of Death Row.

The wilderness of
America has always seemed

boundless and
inexhaustible.

Nature has always
been the substance

of our strength
and inspiration.

The silence of the
wilderness has been

a place where we can
cleanse our soul,

and reflect about
our lives.

Over the past 250
years, we have subdued

a continent created
by the ages.

We race from the age
of industrialization

into an age of anxiety.

Our cities began to
replace the wilderness,

and so began the birth
of urban America.

With the development
of the cities

came new
job opportunities,

and then came the people
by the millions.

In production and
consumption, we achieved

a kind of greatness.

Becoming the most
affluent country

in the world was
no easy task.

Just as the
American dream

seemed within reach,

we found the limits of
our American earth.

Today, ever major
city in America

is afflicted with the
problems of litter

and pollution.

The air quality has
become so severe

that the cleansing winds
of North America

are now contaminated.

And what price will
the next generation

have to pay?

Scientists predict that
if something drastic

is not done about our
environmental abuse,

within the next century
the earth will become

a toxic waste land.

Eleven thousand miles
of American rivers

and streams have been
damaged by acid drainage.

As a result, thousands
of our fresh water lakes

are now dying centuries
ahead of their time.

When the microorganic
life of a lake gives way

to sludgeworms and the
smell of toxic chemicals,

the area
becomes unlivable.

Our oceans are
in no better shape,

a million tons of oil
are spilled

at sea each year.

More than 10 million tons
are dumped in to bays

that run into the sea.

This abuse means death
for the creatures

inhabiting this environment.

America comprises six
percent of the world's

population, yet we
consume 50 percent

of all its goods
and services.

There is a whole industry
in this country dedicated

to the removal
of our garbage.

Over a half million tons
of garbage is thrown away

each day, 365 days a year.

Our war against
nature can only end

in total
human devastation.

Herman Melville, the
author of "Moby Dick",

once wrote, "The point
is whether the whale

can long endure
so wide a chase,

so remorseless a habit,

whether he must not at
last be exterminated

from the waters,
and the last whale,

like the last man,
smoke the last pipe,

and then himself evaporate
in the final puff."

Once the
explosive-tipped harpoon

has killed the whale,
an air hose is jabbed

through its blubber,

inflating the
giant carcass.

Days later, this vessel
will return to pickup

the floating beasts.

The world population
of the blue whale

has dropped in the past
30 years from 100,000

to under a thousand.

There are also other
species of whales

that face extinction.

Even with this threat,
there is still a demand

for its meat.

But some countries
throughout the world

are trying to protect
this creature.

The whale pirate respects
no international laws,

as long as he is paid
for his bounty,

there is no safe
hiding place

for this giant
of the ocean.

Today, nearly
every product

derived from the whale can
be synthetically produced,

but some countries still
view the whale as a cheap

and profitable commodity.

Stewart Udall, former
secretary of the Interior,

stated, "This decade may
god own in history

as marking the end of life
for the largest

animal ever to
inhabit this earth."

Because of its
superior intelligence,

the dolphin has been
trained to perform

various tricks in marine
parks all over the world.

Dolphins possess their
own unique language.

Dr.John Lily
has studied these mammals

for the past two decades,
and he firmly believes

that man and dolphin will
one day communicate.

Once this language
barrier has been overcome,

Lily is convinced that
dolphins will teach

mankind about the
unanswered mysteries

of the sea.

These particular men
are not concerned

with the dolphin's
intelligence,

they simply hunt these
mammals for food.

On November 6th
through the 8th in 1978,

in Izu, Japan,

the slaughter of hundreds
of dolphins took place.

After this nightmare,
I wonder if the dolphin

will consider
man his friend.

The menu of mankind
is not limited

to just the lower beasts,

some men consume
their own neighbors.

Deep within the jungles
of New Guinea resides

a group of natives known
as the Cannibal Kings.

Here the Cannibals are
in a constant struggle

against the elements,
other hostile tribes,

and an assortment of rare
tropical diseases.

Holding their war
axes, the elders listen

to a recent dispute
in the village.

When an argument began
between a warrior

and his wife,

their dispute
ended in violence.

After hitting her on
the head with an axe,

the husband tells
the elder,

his woman got off lightly,
she is lucky to be alive.

The elder agrees
that respect

must be maintained.

Violence for these
people is a way o life.

This woman has an
extra joint to serve

as a life long reminder
of an arm fractured

in some long-forgotten
family brawl.

But modern medicine
sometimes enters

the lives of these people.

The sweltering tropical
climate breeds a series

of skin diseases.

With the aid of
sophisticated drugs,

total recovery
becomes possible.

This youngster's skin
shows light patches,

the first telltale
signs of leprosy.

Yaws is a vicious skin
disease which eventually

disfigures its victims.

With a single injection
of penicillin,

this horrid disease can be
brought under control.

Unfortunately,
for this victim,

help came too late.

This woman wears the
foot of her dead husband.

When he died, the
villagers ate the man,

hoping that his traits
would be passed on.

Since medical science
is often unavailable

to these people, many of
these children will never

reach adulthood.

Here in Cambodia,
medical services

are available,

but even with the help
of medical science,

there are some diseases

that still rage
out of control.

Leprosy is termed

"the disease
of the living dead,"

its effects
are irreversible

and devastating.

With the aid of
modern medicine,

doctors can now prescribe
drugs which can stop

this disease
from spreading,

while alleviating
its agonizing pain.

Medical science is
making major advances

in certain areas
of disease control.

With the aid
of a microscope,

doctors are now able
to diagnose cancer

in its early stages.

Since this disease has
so many variations

and is capable
of attacking

any area of the body,

doctors cannot always cure
those who are afflicted

with this
dreadful illness.

This particular victim
died of intestinal cancer.

When these pathologists
completed his autopsy,

various specimens will
be sent to numerous

research laboratories.

Here scientists will
continue to search

for answers to a
disease which kills

thousands each year.

Some forms of cancer can
be surgically removed

with the use of a highly
sophisticated operation

called microsurgery.

Using miniaturized
surgical instruments

incorporated with a
system of fiber optics,

the surgeon can view
and remove tumors

growing deep within the
throat of the patient.

With the cancer removed,
this patient has been

granted a new
lease on life.

Walter Johnson is a
collector of Western

memorabilia, and death
has a special place

in his collection.

Well, really,
almost all m life

I've been interested
in the Gold West,

and mainly California
history and Civil War,

in that era.

And I've collected guns
for several years,

and Indian artifacts
and Western artifacts.

But I believe my prize
is my buddy here,

old Joachim Murietta.

He was a
California bandit,

which I believe is more
legend and fiction

than anything else,
but California,

they wanted a bandit like
the East had Jesse James

and soon, they wanted sort
of a Robin Hood.

So they picked
Joachim Murietta.

He was pretty good
at plundering gold

such as this here,

which was pretty plentiful
in California around 1850.

But the way the story
goes, he got to be quite

a nuisance and the
Governor of California

in 1853 wanted to
get rid of him.

So he offered
a reward, $5,000,

for the man dead or alive.

So he authorized,
Captain Love, I believe,

yeah, Captain Love of
the California Rangers

and his men to go out
and get Joachim.

Which they did and
they caught up with him

in Cantua Creek, California,

July 7th, 1853.

And a man named
William Henderson --

and they shot him
to death,

the whole bunch
of Rangers.

William Henderson was
credited with cutting

off his head and the
hand of Three Finger Jack

and they brought it back
for the reward money,

which they got.

Then the head
was displayed around

California for many
years in a jar,

preserved in whiskey.

It finally wound up
in a museum,

Professor Jordan's Museum
in San Francisco,

where it stayed until
1906, where supposedly it

was destroyed in
the earthquake.

But then, the way
the new story goes,

in 1957 this head was
found in San Francisco

in a man's attic,

and it was pretty
well checked over

and found out to be
pretty authentic.

And it wound up
in the Amity Museum

for several years where
it was on display.

And then they
went bankrupt,

and when they did,

a man from northern
California, Alkeck,

bought the head and he
had it in his museum

for quite a while.

And I seen it there and
I really was interested

in that head and
I really liked it,

so he sold it to me
roughly for $2000.

New York City is the home
of a very unique museum.

Located in the County
Coroner's building,

the Museum of Death
preserves both the weapons

and the actual
remains of victims

who lost their lives
by unnatural means.

The atrocities of
mankind are on display

for use by pathologists
and criminologists.

This museum is dedicated
to understanding

the various causes
of murder in society.

By displaying the
weapons and their

devastating effects,

criminologists are
able to gain

a better understanding
of the behavioral patterns

of various killers.

It is a sad testimony to
our society that innocent

people must die
by violent means.

What is even sadder are
the criminals who commit

these crimes.

They are usually the
outcasts of our society,

the losers nobody
cares about.

When man goes to war,
he is given a license

to kill.

The war in Indochina
produced some of the most

brutal atrocities
in the history of mankind.

A soldier who is
in battle, faces

the possibility of death
at any moment,

violence becomes his only
means to an end.

These are just some
of the horrors

that developed out of
the Indochina War.

The guillotine was
first used by the French

in the seventeenth century.

This effective killing
device found its rebirth

in the Indochina War.

Politicians and
dissidents who disagreed

with their government
were often decapitated

in public.

Massive executions were
also quite effective.

These mutilated dead
bodies of communist

soldiers were displayed
to Cambodian citizens

to show the strength
of their army

and their dislike
for the Vietcong.

But there is
one execution

that was captured live
by a French cameraman.

It happened in Liberia.

When a group of military
officers raided

the executive mansion of
President William Tolbert,

Liberia experienced the
first coup d'etat

of its
133-year-old history.

As news spread of the
downfall of the Tolbert

government, the general
populace grew anxious.

Tolbert's government
had made

their lives miserable.

He had increased
the price of food

and used his private army
and police to terrorize

and kill those
who disagreed

with his policies.

With Tolbert dead, the
rest of his cabinet

would now stand trial.

In all cases their
charges would be the same;

high treason,
misuse of public office,

rampant corruption and
gross violation of human

and constitutional rights.

...by the decree,

signed and/or approved,

it is hereby united
by the People's Redemption

Council of the
Republic of Liberia,

one, high treason.

It has constituted the
crime of high treason,

a first degree felony, if,
A), by rampant corruption,

a public
official selfishly

accumulates wealth
to himself,

and thereby denies
or negates a fair

distribution of the
national wealth

to his fellow citizens,

and thereby necessitating
a mandatory coup d'etat

as the only means
of liberating the people.

Signed, Master
Sergeant Samuel K. Doe,

Chairman of the People's
Redemption Council

here in the state of
the Republic of Liberia.

Mr.Chairman,
I am not guilty

of any act of treason.

I have outlined in the
act that you have

just heard, read as
a proposing project,

programs and plans
for the government

which were mainly intended
to serve people.

What we want to know
here is that you have

worked in the
government for 18 years,

and on top of that, you
are a Liberian citizen.

We want to know whether
in your own opinion,

the democratic processes
that have been going on

through the years in the
Liberian government,

in the instrumentality
of the true party,

do you think there
has been political lives

by just a few people
which has excluded

the masses of the Liberian
people from taking part?

That's the question.

It has not taken into
account the feelings

of the masses of the
people because

the decisions were made
by only a few people.

The military tribunal
tried 13 government

officials of the
Tolbert regime.

All of them were found
guilty and condemned

to death by
a firing squad.

A public execution
was to be staged

on the beach front
of Monrovia,

Liberia's capital city.

The new leader
of this country,

Master Sergeant
Samuel Kanyon Doe,

declared these executions
would mark the end

of this
country's oppression.

The Liberian people were
eager for the executions

to begin.

The sooner Tolbert's
men were shot,

the sooner their
country could enter

an era of civilian rule.

For nearly an hour
the condemned men sat

in a bus and watched crews
erect their execution

posts on the
quiet beach front.

It would now be a matter
of minutes before

they would die.