Extensive full frontal and full rear nudity of men, women, and children is seen throughout the film as the condemned are forced to remove their clothing and stand facing doors while they are shot. Nude, dead bodies of men and women are seen loaded on trollies and carried away. They are also seen being lifted out of the basement and loaded into trucks for disposal. At one point a woman comes into Srubov's office with a younger woman, her daughter. As she explains that her son has been arrested by mistake she removes her daughter's clothing offering her in exchange for her son. Once the daughter is completely nude Srubov becomes angry and throws both women out of his office.

Many people are seen being shot. A small amount of blood is seen splashed on the doors and at one point being washed off. Dead people are seen, some covered in blood being lifted out of the basement.

Drugs: Two character snort white powder.

Drinking: Some social drinking and scenes of drinking to excess.

Several people are seen smoking. One condemned woman asks her executioner if she can finish his cigarette. He gives it to her and she returns to the spot where she is to be shot. She takes a few puffs and the camera switches to a view from the far side of the door. A shot is heard then the sound of falling bodies. The camera zooms in to show her hand still holding the cigarette.

The entire film is fairly intense as it follows the mental disintegration of Chekist Srubov as he orders execution after execution. At the start of the film a priest is seen blessing the people waiting to be executed. The camera pans down and shows a man strangling another person. It is clear from the killers expression that he does not want to be doing this. He then begins pulling the scarf he is using as hard as he can. His face shows the intensity of his effort as it becomes red and sweaty. The sounds of choking can be heard clearly. No one around moves to stop this happening. One of the condemned women turns and begs for her life, saying "I want to live" over and over. The members of the firing squad seem moved by this until another man draws his gun and shoots. The camera cuts to a close up of her face with a hole in her forehead. As she is moved away from the camera it is seen she has been loaded onto a trolly and is carried away.