Documentaries have always been a huge part of my movie watching life. The format can unfortunately suffer depending on the filmmaker putting together the documentary, and most importantly, its subject (or subjects). Drafthouse Films has shown a knack for grabbing some very eclectic titles for both theatrical and the DVD and Blu-ray market with titles like the ridiculous but awesome Miami Connection, the acclaimed drama Bullhead and the upcoming remastering of the cult classic MS. 45. The titles have been solid overall but really can't touch the power of the documentary The Act of Killing from director Josh Oppeneheimer and its producer, the great Werner Herzog (Grizzly Man). Now available in a director's cut (along with the theatrical cut) The Act of Killing is a documentary that takes things to a new level that some may not be prepared for.Oppenheimer follows the life of former executioners in what is easily one of the most corrupt, dangerous, third-world country in the world, Indonesia. His main focus is on Anwar Congo, a man who boasts of killing possibly a 1000 people for being communist. Around the mid -1960's Indonesia switched from a peaceful democratic country to the violent shit-hole it is today. During this time, Congo and others were paid to kill the "communists", many of them being Chinese because, well, they may have disagreed with how things were being handled. It's absolutely fascinating (albeit disturbing) the way these men executed many of these more than likely innocent folk were brutal and for many unimaginable. People were beaten to death with bricks and thrown in rivers, strangled, run over by cars, stabbed and decapitated. Congo and his fellow executioners preferred to do it fast, although they did their fare share of torture.
