The films of Juzo Itami act somewhat as a bridge between the old and the new of Japanese cinema. Japanese cinema of the Eighties is a somewhat neglected era in terms of wider recognition, wedged in-between the golden era of the Fifties and Sixties, the more avant-garde Seventies and the greater international exposure brought on by new wave directors, J-horror and 'extreme' cinema in the Nineties.
His universal themes and satire of bubble-era Japanese life have mainstream appeal, but are combined with an attention to detail and themes more commonly found in arthouse cinema. As his debut, "The Funeral" is a brilliant balance of these elements, in a film that is simultaneously witty, detailed, informative and outrageous but, most importantly, human.
Actor Wabisuke (Tsutomu Yamazaki) and his wife Chizuko (Nobuko Miyamoto) are filming a commercial together when they learn of Chizuko's father Shokichi's (Hideji Otaki) death at the family home in Izu. Their reaction is fairly devoid of emotion, until discussions turn to the funeral arrangements. Having never had to plan one before, the couple are sent on a never-ending journey of administrative tasks and decisions regarding the minutiae of the three-day ceremony. It all seems rather daunting, though luckily there is a fairly standard set of rules to follow and learn by rote.
Under the supervision of the undertaker Ebihara (Nekohachi Edoya) and their manager Satomi (Ichiro Zaitsu), they take a step-by-step approach to the arrangements, but life continually gets in the way of their studying: Children run around fighting; Wabisuke's mistress arrives and causes a scene; and endless expenses have to be paid. Rather than mourn their loss, the family mourn the burden of tasks put upon them.
Much like his old friend and brother-in-law Kenzaburo Oe, Itami put a lot of his own life into his work. Not only is his wife Miyamoto cast in a lead role, the struggles are based on having to arrange his own father-in-law's funeral a year earlier. Filmed in his own house also, this is based on personal experience, and why it is very relatable, even cross-culturally (though some points will stick more than others).
Each aspect of the funeral arrangement is looked at in a linear narrative, as if following an instruction manual; a fact humorously included, as the couple watch a funeral etiquette video, with the actors only happy to be given lines to recite for every eventuality. Death, therefore, has been made more about keeping up appearances than expressing inner emotions.
But this is what makes its themes so truthful and universal, at least to the Japanese. With Japanese religion sometimes described as 'funeral religion', the arrangements after one's death are as much a part of family life as any. A montage of home movie footage shows the family carrying on as normal as they work around the shopping list of plans.
And shopping is certainly what has to be done. Catering, sake, funeral beads all have to be bought and paid for, as well as the extensive fees for the priest's appearance. Reflecting the endless money in Japan at the time, the priest (Ozu regular Ryu Chishu) arrives in a Rolls Royce, with death having made him a tidy living. Itami clearly found a lot to be amused by as a society of rituals and structure was placed in a booming economy where everything has a price - more money than you can even hold on to.
These are elements which would feature in his subsequent films, and "The Funeral" is a directorial debut from an established actor who certainly knew his way around cinema. The comedy on display is subtle and holds a host of truths, as the children are told not to hammer the coffin shut too hard with a stone, only for the undertaker's assistant to wallop the nails home without a hint of delicacy. Yonezo Maeda's cinematography is also employed well, as the family peer down on Shokichi's body in the coffin. Indeed, the reason they are there is treated as an amusement to be gawped at.
But Itami does make us all remember why we're here, with Shokichi's widow Kikue (Kin Sugai) delivering a moving eulogy (to Wabisuke's relief) to remind everybody of the importance of each other. Laughable, chaotic and flawed, it's as human a film you're likely to see.
Politic1983.home.blog.
His universal themes and satire of bubble-era Japanese life have mainstream appeal, but are combined with an attention to detail and themes more commonly found in arthouse cinema. As his debut, "The Funeral" is a brilliant balance of these elements, in a film that is simultaneously witty, detailed, informative and outrageous but, most importantly, human.
Actor Wabisuke (Tsutomu Yamazaki) and his wife Chizuko (Nobuko Miyamoto) are filming a commercial together when they learn of Chizuko's father Shokichi's (Hideji Otaki) death at the family home in Izu. Their reaction is fairly devoid of emotion, until discussions turn to the funeral arrangements. Having never had to plan one before, the couple are sent on a never-ending journey of administrative tasks and decisions regarding the minutiae of the three-day ceremony. It all seems rather daunting, though luckily there is a fairly standard set of rules to follow and learn by rote.
Under the supervision of the undertaker Ebihara (Nekohachi Edoya) and their manager Satomi (Ichiro Zaitsu), they take a step-by-step approach to the arrangements, but life continually gets in the way of their studying: Children run around fighting; Wabisuke's mistress arrives and causes a scene; and endless expenses have to be paid. Rather than mourn their loss, the family mourn the burden of tasks put upon them.
Much like his old friend and brother-in-law Kenzaburo Oe, Itami put a lot of his own life into his work. Not only is his wife Miyamoto cast in a lead role, the struggles are based on having to arrange his own father-in-law's funeral a year earlier. Filmed in his own house also, this is based on personal experience, and why it is very relatable, even cross-culturally (though some points will stick more than others).
Each aspect of the funeral arrangement is looked at in a linear narrative, as if following an instruction manual; a fact humorously included, as the couple watch a funeral etiquette video, with the actors only happy to be given lines to recite for every eventuality. Death, therefore, has been made more about keeping up appearances than expressing inner emotions.
But this is what makes its themes so truthful and universal, at least to the Japanese. With Japanese religion sometimes described as 'funeral religion', the arrangements after one's death are as much a part of family life as any. A montage of home movie footage shows the family carrying on as normal as they work around the shopping list of plans.
And shopping is certainly what has to be done. Catering, sake, funeral beads all have to be bought and paid for, as well as the extensive fees for the priest's appearance. Reflecting the endless money in Japan at the time, the priest (Ozu regular Ryu Chishu) arrives in a Rolls Royce, with death having made him a tidy living. Itami clearly found a lot to be amused by as a society of rituals and structure was placed in a booming economy where everything has a price - more money than you can even hold on to.
These are elements which would feature in his subsequent films, and "The Funeral" is a directorial debut from an established actor who certainly knew his way around cinema. The comedy on display is subtle and holds a host of truths, as the children are told not to hammer the coffin shut too hard with a stone, only for the undertaker's assistant to wallop the nails home without a hint of delicacy. Yonezo Maeda's cinematography is also employed well, as the family peer down on Shokichi's body in the coffin. Indeed, the reason they are there is treated as an amusement to be gawped at.
But Itami does make us all remember why we're here, with Shokichi's widow Kikue (Kin Sugai) delivering a moving eulogy (to Wabisuke's relief) to remind everybody of the importance of each other. Laughable, chaotic and flawed, it's as human a film you're likely to see.
Politic1983.home.blog.