In 1990, Dr.

Jack Kevorkian (aka Dr.

Death) astonished the world as he took the end of life debate head on with his "Mercy Machine" and performed his first assisted suicide.

Starring Al Pacino in a film by Barry Levinson, this HBO Films presentation follows Kevorkian as he builds his infamous Mercitron and starts a media frenzy with his epic legal battles defending a patient's right to die.

Susan Sarandon, John Goodman, Danny Huston and Brenda Vaccaro also star.