I'd agree, absolutely, about your life comments SPOILER TO FOLLOW

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In Reply to: RE: "Departures:" a young man loses his job in the city and returns to his hometown posted by TimTaylor on January 20, 2010 at 23:21:58:

but I'd say the film primarily was about accepting death, its finality and irreversibility-- and not ignoring (as your comments may) its power. Once we are dead, words cannot reach our ears, nor smiles our eyes.
In Japan, those in that profession traditionally are seen as unholy, as dirty. So I think that, yes, one can make the case that the film is about the bigger picture but I think it's a mistake solely to look beyond the vehicle itself, the ceremony. Death is natural, its ceremonies are about facing it, NOT looking aside and trying to find solace in some facile explanation about the after life or life itself. Death is its own domain. I think the massive amount of care taken to make the dead presentable, attractive, peaceful, is to make death itself acceptable, not something to be hated, feared. This is a journey we all must make, only the departure time varies. What's to fear?
All that being said, I think the film had too many flaws to be "great." Those little surprises such as the demise of the dad, the stone business, and the revealed identity of that geezer during the old lady's cremation ROCKET the film into the universe of melodrama and, well beyond it, into bathos. I did appreciate, and earlier fail to mention, the quiet and powerful performance of the old master.

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Follow Ups Full Thread

Topic - "Departures:" a young man loses his job in the city and returns to his hometown - tinear 08:15:56 01/20/10 (4)

RE: "Departures:" a young man loses his job in the city and returns to his hometown - TimTaylor 23:21:58 01/20/10 (3)

I'd agree, absolutely, about your life comments SPOILER TO FOLLOW - tinear 07:57:14 01/21/10 (2)

RE: I'd agree, absolutely, about your life comments SPOILER TO FOLLOW - TimTaylor 01:30:07 01/22/10 (1)

Thank you. I find it strange, in a pleasant way, that discussing a film - tinear 21:13:15 01/23/10 (0)

Follow Ups

I'd agree, absolutely, about your life comments SPOILER TO FOLLOW - tinear 07:57:14 01/21/10 (2)

RE: I'd agree, absolutely, about your life comments SPOILER TO FOLLOW - TimTaylor 01:30:07 01/22/10 (1)

Thank you. I find it strange, in a pleasant way, that discussing a film - tinear 21:13:15 01/23/10 (0)

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