The Way Capital Punishment is Presented in Dead Man Walking and Let Him Have It

The Way Capital Punishment is Presented in Dead Man Walking and Let Him Have It

Introduction

For our GCSE Coursework we have been watching two films, "Dead Man

Walking" and "Let Him Have It". They were both based on true stories.

'Dead Man Walking' was about a man called Matthew Poncelet who

supposedly raped and killed a girl. After six years had gone by, he

was given the death penalty by lethal injection. 'Let Him Have It' was

about a young man, Derek Bentley, who has mental disabilities and

suffers from epilepsy. After spending years at home, he goes out and

gets dragged into the antics of a sixteen year old Christopher Craig.

After the murder of a police officer, Derek gets to death by hanging.

I feel that both Matthew Poncelet and Derek Bentley are in the same,

sad situation. Matthew has committed a murder and is given the death

penalty, where as Derek, although did receive the death penalty, his

case was different because it seemed that all of his life was bad luck

due to his mental disabilities.

Section 1

At the start of the film, Poncelet acted as if he shouldn't be messed

with in prison using a tough voice. During the film, Sister Prejean

was trying to help Poncelet hoping that if he pleads for forgiveness,

then he might be released from Death Row. During this time, you could

tell and see the different types of emotions that Poncelet had inside

him. When he was sitting with Sister Prejean you could see his soft

side, caring and thoughtful. But when he was by himself you saw the

side of him that was, a monster, no shame, nor remorse and

self-centred.

The music used in this film is harsh, no -western music and

discordant, it also clashes making the audience feel uncomfortable.

The most effective times this style of music was used was in the

occasional scene of Sister Prejean thinking by herself about what she

should prey for, this symbolizes how uncomfortable she is.

I think that the actor who played the part of Poncelet (Sean Penn) was