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The Life of David Gale [VHS]

Kevin Spacey (Actor), Kate Winslet (Actor), Alan Parker (Director, Producer) Rated:
R
Format: VHS Tape
4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 1,978 ratings
IMDb7.5/10.0
Additional VHS Tape options Edition Discs
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January 6, 2004 		—
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The Life of David Gale $4.59 $14.69
Format Closed-captioned, Color, NTSC
Contributor Matt Craven, Lee Ritchey, Kate Winslet, Kevin Spacey, Jim Beaver, Moritz Borman, Lisa Moran, Charles Randolph, Gabriel Mann, David Wimbury, Cleo King, Alan Parker, Constance Jones, Laura Linney, Cindy Waite, Leon Rippy, Guy East, Nicolas Cage, Brandy Little See more
Language English, Spanish
Runtime 2 hours and 10 minutes
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Editorial Reviews

THIS IS A DVD! NOT VHS! DVD - NO RETURNS ACCEPTED, NO EXCEPTIONS.

Product details

  • Is Discontinued By Manufacturer ‏ : ‎ No
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English, Spanish
  • Package Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 7.32 x 4.19 x 1.12 inches; 7.36 ounces
  • Director ‏ : ‎ Alan Parker
  • Run time ‏ : ‎ 2 hours and 10 minutes
  • Release date ‏ : ‎ January 6, 2004
  • Date First Available ‏ : ‎ September 29, 2006
  • Actors ‏ : ‎ Kevin Spacey, Kate Winslet, Laura Linney, Cleo King, Constance Jones
  • Studio ‏ : ‎ Universal Studios Home Entertainment
  • Producers ‏ : ‎ Alan Parker, David Wimbury, Guy East, Lisa Moran, Moritz Borman
  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B00009MEA5
  • Writers ‏ : ‎ Charles Randolph
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 1,978 ratings

Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars
4.6 out of 5
1,978 global ratings
The Life of David Gale
5 Stars
The Life of David Gale
I found this film quite engrossing. Kate Winslet is fantastic as always. Kevin Spacey makes you want to trust him but he has a way to make you be suspicious. Makes you think about how much of a deterrent is the death penalty.
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Top reviews from the United States

Gail M. Franson
5.0 out of 5 stars A fav movie
Reviewed in the United States on April 19, 2024
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I loved the storyline. Makes you think about the death penalty.
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kamori
5.0 out of 5 stars Must see
Reviewed in the United States on April 8, 2024
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Great movie! Love it! Must see
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Jay
5.0 out of 5 stars Great movie
Reviewed in the United States on January 21, 2024
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"The Life of David Gale" is a thought-provoking thriller that navigates complex moral dilemmas. Kevin Spacey's compelling performance as David Gale, a former activist on death row, adds depth to the film. The narrative's twists and turns keep viewers engaged, challenging them to question their beliefs about justice and morality. While some find the plot controversial, the film successfully prompts reflection on the flaws in the justice system. A gripping story that lingers in the mind after the credits roll.
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Lee
5.0 out of 5 stars Interesting
Reviewed in the United States on February 18, 2024
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Cerebral but also invokes strong emotions. A little emotionally draining. I’m all over the place. Lol
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Renee Routzahn
4.0 out of 5 stars Second Glance Gem
Reviewed in the United States on November 13, 2019
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The acting could use a little work on behalf of Kate Winslet. Her hysteric reactions are at times over the top (hence 4 out of 5 stars). A lot of people think this is a cut and dry plot. You can semi see what the end is building towards but there are stories within the stories. My absolute favorite reveal is when the briefcase comes to the ex-wife at the end with the postcard. Do you think he included the postcard to make his ex-wife feel guilty for leaving him when he was innocent, or, like me, do you think it was because the wife was cheating for nearly/over a year in another country and wanted to leave and take her son, so she payed this girl to make a rape accusation and then to take it back?? This way her son wouldn't be brought back to the US for a custody battle and her ex wouldn't actually go to jail. She thought maybe he would recover? and that's why she's so shocked when she sees the postcard, because she knew he knew that she paid that student so she could take their son. and that's why she got a briefcase full of money... maybe its what she paid the girl. the whole premise of the movie is that the two professors are smarter than everyone else in the room and Gale goes out of his way to prove that over and over again. I just don't think it was a simple see you were wrong. I think it was a bigger FU. Also remember his wife was the daughter of a diplomat/ ambassador. She had the money and influence to do that to him. That girl had no other reason to lie like that other than she was being paid to. Maybe you agree? Its just another way that this movie delivers on showing how the government and justice system is flawed and so are human beings. I don't know why philosophy morality and ethics classes have fallen away in primary education but I feel like teaching young people to think like philosophers (critically) about morality and stop cherry picking Marx and Nietzche idealism would really change the world we live in. Were doing it to ourselves.... Another subtle message in this movie.
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Shops too much
5.0 out of 5 stars One of te most riveting performances today
Reviewed in the United States on January 12, 2024
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I was floored by the . Great monvie.acting and script.
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Michelle Z. MD.
5.0 out of 5 stars Surprise ending— but whole movie makes you think
Reviewed in the United States on April 12, 2023
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So I don’t like Spacey for what he’s done/been accused of IRLF—but he’s a good actor. “Some” debate over death penalty & wrongful convictions but so much more to consider in this movie. Themes about love & loss & duplicity . Also how a “recanted” rape can lead to utter destruction of your career & marriage (fyi I am female so I don’t take rape lightly) — also how you lose the ability to even speak to your child when your wife has powerful connections and flees to a foreign country with your 5 yo and you literally have no standing in that country. Theme upon theme. I rented it & watched it twice—it gave me that MUCH to think about. Not suitable for children
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Warren T.D.
5.0 out of 5 stars compelling, regardless of your stance
Reviewed in the United States on December 28, 2019
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The movie was a bit melodramatic at times, for example, Bitsey's silly "5K run" at the end. But it's an interesting premise and generally directed and acted very well. As to its statement about the death penalty, the movie leaves us with one additional moral dilemma facing Bitsey. The movie doesn't even broach the problem, but hint, hint, it was why the late Roger Ebert gave the movie just 1 star. Perhaps if the movie somehow left us with Bitsey showing angst over the dilemma she now faced, maybe Roger would have been kinder. I'd like to think so, because although the premise on which the movie is based is vacuous and as Roger suggests, undermines the cause the movie appears to be championing, one could imagine the characters going forward with their actions anyway. After all, terrorists engage in actions that undermine their own cause, so why not righteous activists, even activists of causes we might personally approve of? The move left me intrigued and thinking about its central theme. That merits the stars.
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Bexy Blu
5.0 out of 5 stars Great movie
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 17, 2024
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Great film that makes you think. I can look past who stars in it. Would have been great if I actually received it. Must've been put through a letterbox in another dimension.
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3298
5.0 out of 5 stars 死刑、賛成？反対？
Reviewed in Japan on December 18, 2021
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なんと説明していいのやら、どうやっておススメしていいのやら、全くわかりません。
買って下さい！観て下さい！以上！！
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Janis Walker
2.0 out of 5 stars Disappointed
Reviewed in Australia on March 17, 2018
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Big Stars, poor story line. Not a movie I would watch a second time.
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MaLo
5.0 out of 5 stars Nachdenklicher Film
Reviewed in Germany on September 1, 2014
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Prof. Dr. David Gale ist ein hoch angesehener Philosophieprofessor und ein bekannter Aktivist gegen die Todesstrafe. Eine Studentin, die „alles“ getan hätte, um bessere Noten zu bekommen, verführt ihn bei einer Party. Später erstattet sie gegen Gale Anzeige wegen Vergewaltigung. Danach gerät sein Leben völlig aus den Fugen. Seine Frau verlässt ihn, er verliert seinen Job und sein ohnehin schon erhebliches Alkoholproblem wird noch schlimmer. Sogar bei Death Watch, wo er mit seiner Kollegin Constance Harraway gegen die Todesstrafe kämpft, ist er unerwünscht.

Eines Tages wird Harraway vergewaltigt und ermordet aufgefunden. Die Polizei findet an der Leiche Spermaspuren von Gale und ihm wird der Prozess gemacht. Das Gericht verurteilt ihn dafür zum Tode. Vier Tage vor seinem Hinrichtungstermin gewährt Gale der jungen Journalistin Bitsey Bloom ein Interview. Bloom gibt sich zunächst als neutrale Reporterin. Zwar versucht Gale nicht direkt, sie von seiner Unschuld zu überzeugen, doch nach und nach eröffnet er ihr seine (plausible) Version seiner Vergangenheit und des Vorfalls. Sie findet immer mehr Hinweise darauf, dass Gale wirklich unschuldig sein könnte und dass mehr hinter der Sache steckt, als auf den ersten Blick scheint.

Bloom findet heraus, dass Gales Kollegin Harraway todkrank war und nicht ermordet wurde, sondern vor laufender Videokamera Suizid begangen hat. Dieser sollte aber wie ein Mord aussehen, denn Gale und Harraway wollten gemeinsam darauf aufmerksam machen, dass immer wieder unschuldige Menschen hingerichtet werden. Dazu musste Gale jedoch wirklich hingerichtet werden, denn wenn er überleben würde, wäre der Beweis, dass das System der Anwendung der Todesstrafe fehlerhaft ist, nicht erbracht. Wie Gale und seine Kollegin es geplant haben, kommt Bloom mit ihren Erkenntnissen zu spät, um Gales Hinrichtung verhindern zu können.

Am Ende nimmt die Geschichte für Bloom eine letzte unvorhersehbare Wendung: Sie erhält die komplette Videoaufzeichnung des Suizids. Gales Spermaspuren sorgten dafür, dass er als einziger Täter in Frage käme. Ihm war bewusst, dass darauf die Todesstrafe stehen würde. Bis dato hatte es in diesem Bundesstaat, so die Befürworter der Todesstrafe, angeblich keine Hinrichtungen Unschuldiger gegeben. Gale opferte sich also, um die Kritik an der Todesstrafe erneut zu entfachen und um so womöglich ein Moratorium zu erreichen, indem er bewies, dass verhängnisvolle, unwiderrufliche Fehlurteile passieren können.

Sein Ende hat er so geplant, dass alle noch etwas Positives erhalten: Sein Sohn bekommt sein Honorar von 500.000 Dollar für das Interview, seine Frau eine Postkarte der Studentin, auf der sie ihre falschen Beschuldigungen bedauert, und die Reporterin Bloom (durch das vollständige Video) den eindeutigen Beweis, dass Gale wirklich sterben wollte, und damit eine Erklärung für das von vornherein geplante notwendige Scheitern des Versuchs, seinen Tod zu verhindern.
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Marc
5.0 out of 5 stars Beaucoup apprécié quand je l'ai vu la première fois
Reviewed in France on April 26, 2020
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Bon, c'est vrai, quand on le voit une deuxième fois (et qu'on se souvient de la fin), c'est moins génial (idem pour « Sixième sens » et pour « Les autres », par exemple). Mais si vous l'avez encore jamais vu, je vous le recommande. Et puis, c'est toujours intéressant de voir jusqu'où certaines personnes sont prêtes à aller pour défendre leurs convictions. Je n'en dirai pas plus : « spoiler », c'est moche.
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