The death of a loved one often brings about a sea of conflicting emotions as you try to fumble your way through the grief. The core pain you feel from the things left unsaid or the moments you will never get to experience is often diluted by the realities of the world. Not only must you manage your own emotions, one often finds themselves calibrating to meet the needs of others, not to mention the ticking clock that begins to make final arrangements for the departed and all of the financial burden associated with it. In 1984, actor Juzo Itami made a late-career shift to filmmaking at the age of 50 with his directorial debut The Funeral. This equal-parts poignant and darkly comedic feature finds Itami blending the respect traditionally paid towards the departed with a satiric bite that excoriates the absurdities that develop in parallel to the momentous event. The delicate tonal tightrope is navigated with the precision of a much more seasoned filmmaker, ultimately delivering one of the great commentaries on death and its aftermath.
Itami draws inspiration from his own life as he offers up this story; at the beginning of the film, family patriarch Shokichi Amamiya (Hideji Otaki) has just returned from a full medical check-up before dropping dead of a heart attack. The moments just before this finds Amamiya indulging in the rare occasion of monetary excess with a dinner consisting of his favorite dishes as he discusses his desire for corporeal longevity with his wife, Kikue (Kin Sugai). Some of his more outrageous, ribald statements juxtaposed with his tragic departure softens the audience to the fact that is far from a “traditional” Japanese film. The decorum on display by the “old masters” is subverted to something more relatable to a modern audience, something that recognizes the spectrum of the human experience.
This death is the catalyst for a whirlwind weekend of familial convergence. At the forefront of this affair is Itami stand-in Wabisuke Inoue (Tsutomu Yamazaki) and his wife Chizuko Amamiya (Nobuko Miyamoto – Itami’s wife), two television performers going through life putting on a face for the public. Chizuko learns about the death of her father on set, giving us the first taste of the distance between what you feel and how you act, especially in Japanese culture. Emotions are very reserved in front of her coworkers, and the nonstop rollercoaster of activity to lay her father to rest scarcely leaves time for any genuine emotion to spring forth.
The film does a tremendous job of feeling universal in its themes, but it is the distinctly Japanese flourishes that give the film its identity. Itami gives you permission to laugh at some of the perceived cultural oddities that transpire such as the recurring act of the family watching instructional videos on funeral etiquette and how to respond to condolences, or nurses hurriedly bowing and apologizing as the deceased leaves the hospital. Humor likewise underscores the inanity of the “business” side of death, such as the brokering to secure a suitable headstone, or the purchasing of a Buddhist name to help “protect” your loved one in the next life. The prime example of this is the Buddhist priest (a cameo from Ozu-regular Chishu Ryu), who conducts the funeral ceremony. No one is exactly sure what is the right amount to pay this man, but one thing that is for sure is that it better be enough to not bring shame to the family. The fact that this priest also covets a flashy modern table only adds to the overall absurdity.
For all the humorous situations that arise, the film does not skimp when it comes to earnest emotions. The emotional reservoir never truly breaks open on an exterior level, but the simple act of observing this family as they buzz around trying to cater to every new development garners your empathy. The deceased Amamiya’s brother, Shokichi (Hideji Otaki), lumbers around and questions how the ceremony is being planned throughout the film, often in labored, hilarious intonations. Yet, when it comes time for him to deliver some parting words about his brother, he rises to the occasion and makes you temporarily forget about his more obnoxious qualities. Likewise, the meek widow, Kikue, delivers a heartfelt goodbye to her husband that gives her the rare chance to cease being a passive figure in this machinery of putting a loved one to rest.
For as much as Itami is keen to bring humor to the realities of death, he is completely aware of the tonal necessities of the feature. The more broad-leaning humor would not radiate so freely without the emotional investment you pay from getting to know and care about these characters. The Funeral captures the uncertainty that one feels when processing grief. You have the vacated space in your heart from the loss, but you also want to celebrate their life and accentuate the positives. The experience of losing someone cannot be summed up by one event or one emotion, which is why the film feels perfectly attuned to the experience. The nuance of the execution elevates this work of art to something truly memorable, one of the purest examinations of death committed to screen.
Video Quality
The Funeral comes to Blu-Ray courtesy of a high definition digital restoration undertaken by Itami Productions for this stunning new Blu-Ray disc in its original 1.33:1. The film grain present is beautifully natural and consistent while allowing fine details to shine through in the ornate production design. Facial features are detailed with fine lines detectable alongside natural skin tones. Colors are vibrant without being unnatural for the environment, such as the lush trees surrounding the home. The aesthetic of the movie affords several opportunities for colors to pop off the screen in contrast with the intended dour mood of the proceedings. Black levels are deep and inky without any noticeable blocking or compression artifacts. Subtle details stand out with greater clarity than ever before, especially in clothing or elements of the production design. Exploring every room of this house or every dish on the table with this new transfer almost makes it feel like a whole new film. This is by far the best the film has looked on home entertainment.
Audio Quality
The Blu-Ray disc comes with a DTS-HD 1.0 Master Audio track in the original Japanese that perfectly captures the reserved soundscape of the film. Dialogue comes through perfectly clear without getting clipped by any parallel sounds. The lovely score is used well to conjure specific emotions during the story, and this track handles it elegantly throughout the duration of the film. There is never a moment where it threatens to overwhelm competing sounds, and it maintains a good balance so that dialogue comes through clearly. The environmental sounds are rendered well alongside everything else, even during more kinetic moments like the sandwich handoff between cars during the pouring rain. There does not seem to be any noticeable instances of age-related wear and tear. The Criterion Collection has given this film a perfectly preserved audio presentation that will not disappoint in the slightest. Optional English subtitles are provided.
Special Features
The Criterion Blu-Ray of The Funeral includes a bound booklet featuring the new essay “At A Loss” by author Pico Iyer in which he discusses the career of Juzo Itami, the themes and cultural relevance of the picture and much more. This booklet also includes excerpts from “The Funeral Diary” written by Juzo Itami which documents Itami’s thoughts from the first day of shooting to the first public screening. Finally, we have the excerpt “Everything About Him Can Be Found In The Funeral” by actor Tsutomu Yamazaki which pays remembrance to Itami. These provide a great amount of context and insight into the film that is so worthwhile. The on-disc special features are as follows:
- Nobuko Miyamoto: A new 26-minute interview with actor Nobuko Miyamoto filmed in 2022 in which she discusses how her father’s funeral inspired her husband Juzo Itami to make this film, her blurry memories between the real funeral and the movie funeral, how she met Itami, the evolution of her husband becoming a director, what this role meant for her acting career, her recollection of the production, the distinct tone of the film, the working relationship she had with her husband and more.
- Manpei Ikeuchi: A new 16-minute interview with actor Manpei Ikeuchi, son of Juzo Itami & Nobuko Miyamoto, in which he recalls his youth performance in the funeral, working under the direction of his father, filming in the house that he grew up in, the humor that was injected into the somber moments, memories of shooting at a studio, the museum dedicated to his father and more.
- Creative Marriages – Juzo Itami & Nobuko Miyamoto: A 10-minute installment of Creative Marriages from the Criterion Channel from 2018 hosted by film critic Michael Sragow in which he talks about the fruitful collaboration of Itami and Miyamoto, what each creative brought to Japanese movie-making, their history leading up to their initial meeting, how they drew from their lives for their art, their legacy and more.
- Ichiroku Tart Commercials: A six-minute collection of commercials that Itami directed for Ichiroku Tart, a company headed by the man who offered funding for many of Itami’s films. These commercials play at the Itami Juzo Museum In Matsuyama, Japan.
- Trailer: A collection of trailers totaling four minutes.
Final Thoughts
The Funeral is a terrific encapsulation of the wide gamut of emotions that come with the loss of a loved one. While every single moment is explored with respect, there is a keen sense of the undercurrent of absurdity that accompanies such chaotic periods of time. Juzo Itami delivers a spectacular debut as a feature filmmaker, deftly getting to an emotional truth that few filmmakers are ever lucky enough to achieve. The Criterion Collection has released a Blu-Ray featuring an A+ audio/visual presentation and a pleasing selection of special features. If you are a fan of Japanese cinema or cultural satire, this release is not to be missed. Highly Recommended
The Criterion Collection edition of The Funeral will be available to purchase on Blu-Ray and DVD on May 17, 2022.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: The Criterion Collection has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.