In an unusual marriage of art and science, DEATH BY DESIGN takes viewers on a fantastic journey through a remarkable terrain. Its destination: the land of cells.

In this invisible world, cells communicate with each other, work together, reproduce, and die, all to benefit the larger organism of which they are part. But DEATH BY DESIGN is neither a biology primer nor a report on recent scientific breakthroughs. The filmmakers' observation of cell interactions reveals a society astonishingly similar to our own human world, as images of cell life gleaned from state of the art microcinematographic equipment find their parallels in imploding skyscrapers and even unused film outtakes on an editing room floor.

Well grounded factually, the program contains interviews with noted biologists including Rita Levi-Montalcini, a programmed-cell-death pioneer and winner of the 1986 Nobel Prize for Medicine; Polly Matzinger; Robert Horvitz; and Martin Raff. But DEATH BY DESIGN is anything but a dull science film. It is one which, in the words of director Friedman, should be seen by "everyone with cells!"

"A perfect introduction to cell biology! There can be few happier marriages between the two cultures of scientific enquiry and the humanities than this enthralling documentary. It stimulates both curiosity and the imagination; illuminates the world of cells with great charm and unpretentious artistry; and explains its biological wonders with poetic clarity."—Peter Tallack, Nature

"Cross a biology text with an experimental film, and this intriguing hybrid is the result... With its creative blend of the literal and the figurative, this is a pleasingly unconventional and intriguingly insightful documentary."—Jeff Dick, Booklist

"*** [3 Stars] A pretty exciting look at what your cells are doing behind your back. Recommended."—Randy Pittman, Video Librarian

"What lingers are the surprising, revealing visual metaphors for an astoundingly orchestrated process... [An] intelligent and imaginative work."—Walter Goodman, New York Times

"Imaginative, accessible and consistently entertaining... Every school with a science or art department should own a copy. Filmmakers' greatest accomplishment is to make the field of cellular biology seem - well, cool - a ticket to a parallel universe that looks like a lot of fun... Deft and delightful."—Variety

"Sounds and images of rigorous beauty, captivating interviews, and audacious and masterful editing... opens to us one of the most fascinating areas of contemporary biology... Superb."—Le Monde (Paris)

"Classroom lessons on the life of the cell were never like this... Enthralling."—Sunday Times (London)

"If someone tried to convince you to go see a 70 minute film about biology, and in particular about the life and death of cells, you'd certainly look for a way to avoid it. But if the film was DEATH BY DESIGN, you'd better have an excellent excuse... Simple but never simplistic, it titillates your curiosity and is full of poetry, charm and playful pedagogy... it's the first rock 'n' biology movie."—Le Marseillaise

"A masterful blend of art and science."—Bruce Stanley, Department of Cellular and Molecular Physiology, Hershey Medical School, Pennsylvania State University