Workingman's Death

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Workingman's Death

2005

2h 2m

Documentary

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

75%

Tomatometer

12 Reviews

95%

Popcornmeter

500+ Ratings

Filmmaker Michael Glawogger chronicles examples of horrific, dangerous and backbreaking jobs from around the world, such as coal-mining in Ukraine, collecting sulfur from volcanoes in Indonesia, manufacturing steel in China and dismantling oil tankers by hand in Pakistan.

Walter V. Addiego

San Francisco Chronicle

This documentary about men and women performing brutal work tasks for next to no money is full of arresting and eloquent images.

Rated: 3/4

May 5, 2006

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V.A. Musetto

New York Post

There's scant dialogue in Workingman's Death, but little is needed when majestic camera work by Wolfgang Thaler tells the story so well.

Rated: 3/4

Feb 24, 2006

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Allison Benedikt

Chicago Tribune

It's not exactly a good time at the movies, and even as pure education, it's a rather dull film with very little dialogue.

Rated: 2/4

Feb 24, 2006

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Jason Gorber

Film Scouts

It's a rewarding film with some elements I may never forget.

Rated: A-

Jun 21, 2007

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Prairie Miller

WBAI Web Radio

Labor as decorative and devoid of meaning.

May 4, 2007

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Michael W. Phillips, Jr.

Goatdog's Movies

Visually, technically, the film is undeniably a work of art, with all aspects -- sound, editing, cinematography, music -- coming together in a stunning symphony.

Rated: 3/5

Mar 18, 2006

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Audience Member

Highly recommendable documentary! It shows people around the world working under extreme conditions, sometimes they have no choice and do what they gotta do to feed their families. Beside the breathtankingly beautiful locations it is the African slaughter scene that will stay in your mind for the rest of your life.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/28/23

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Audience Member

Ukrainian "heroes" collect coal, Indonesian "ghosts" collect sulfur. Nigerian "lions" work at an abattoir, killing animals, then roasting them over burning tires. Pakistani "brothers" cut giant ships into scrap. The last part is about steel mills in China and Germany. "Glawogger is an extraordinarily elegant filmmaker with a photographer's eye for striking compositions."

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

01/21/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Thank God I don't have one of these jobs. Beautifully-shot and fascinating, but I would have liked it to have been more educational.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

01/16/23

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Audience Member

An astonishing documentary...

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/18/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Incredible cinematography. Compelling stories. Highest recommendation.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/08/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Se riuscite mettete le mani su questo documentario. Lo trovate sul sito di Internazionale. Shocking e lirico al contempo. Riesce a dare un vero senso al concetto di "ammazzarsi di fatica". Assolutamente da non perdere! Non per i deboli di stomaco nel capitolo che si occupa del mattatoio di Port Harcourt, Nigeria.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/27/23

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Michael Glawogger

Director

Michael Glawogger

Writer

Pepe Danquart

Producer

Mirjam Quinte

Producer

Erich Lackner

Executive Producer

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Synopsis

Filmmaker Michael Glawogger chronicles examples of horrific, dangerous and backbreaking jobs from around the world, such as coal-mining in Ukraine, collecting sulfur from volcanoes in Indonesia, manufacturing steel in China and dismantling oil tankers by hand in Pakistan.

Director: Michael Glawogger
Producer: Pepe Danquart, Mirjam Quinte
Screenwriter: Michael Glawogger
Production Co: Lotus Film, Quinte Film, Arte
Genre: Documentary
Original Language: English
Rerelease Date (Theaters): Feb 24, 2006
Release Date (Streaming): Mar 23, 2017
Runtime: 2h 2m
Sound Mix: Dolby Digital Surround EX
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.85:1)

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