I am going to respectfully disagree with the above comments. Even though I am not Japanese and haven't been to Japan, I have studied Japanese culture (though I can't claim to be an "expert") and I believe that for the most part the humor is easy enough to follow. Like when the priest arrives in a Rolls Royce. It follows the same theme of the wealthy minister in many US comedies. And then there's the organization like how many cremation lunches to make at the crematory. And of course things that have nothing to do with culture like when the manager tries to get up to answer the phone and then collapses because he had been kneeling too long and his legs have gone numb. All the while, the rest of the family is trying to keep from laughing and disrupt the prayer service that's currently taking place. But even the cultural satire is easy to follow. Like when the deceased's brother stops the funeral so all the guests can pose while he takes pictures or then Aoki, one of the guests, brings his movie camera to film everything in order to preserve it. All in all, I rank this film with "The Gods Must be Crazy" is that it does a good job in satirizing a culture's transition from traditional to modern without being disrespectful to that culture. While I do not suggest that this film will teach the viewer about Japanese culture, it is still very enlightening on certain Japanese habits.
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patherto23 November 2004I had the good fortune to see 'The Funeral' in a real theater. The ultra-close-ups of the stockinged feet, magnified to 40 feet high, is unforgettable. Sadly, Fox Lorber has released 'The Funeral' on DVD using a scratched, pan-and-scan print. And since this film will never be a big best seller, I guess this is all we'll have. There's the inevitable comparison to 'Tampopo' and 'A Taxing Woman.' For me, 'The Funeral' is the best of the three because its humor is subtle and nuanced (the older brother in the foreground, trying to figure out which way is north, while the action goes on way off in the corner, is a perfect example). I still love 'Tampopo' (although it got the same rough treatment on DVD), but 'The Funeral' leaves me with more to feel, more to think about. I am certainly not Japanese, and I'm sure that much of the film flies by without my comprehending just what's going on. But I get more than enough from 'The Funeral' to make it one of my favorite films.
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mark-62220 August 2000I have never seen a film quite so strange to me as this , but it made a real impression, at times very funny, sometimes sad but always watchable and endearing.
The scene where the kids are looking in on the cremation of the body,was at first unnerving,but also hilarious.
The little details in the script make it worth watching again and again.This was the first Itami film I saw and afterwards I sought out as many as I could get hold of.
The acting was superb, at times I felt as though I was intruding on the family, and felt almost embarrased. -
ebiros22 December 2011This movie was written and directed by director Jyuzo Itami. He came up with the idea from his own experience of attending the funeral of his father in law, and wrote the story in 1 week. The movie was also the directorial debut for Itami.
The story is about the funeral of father in law of Takusuke (Tsutomu Yamazaki) , and his wife Chizuko Amamiya (Nobuko Miyamoto). They were on the location of shooting commercial where Chizuko was starring in when the news of Chizuko's father Shinkichi's demise comes in. Then all the practicalities of funeral arrangement begins. Then unexpectedly Takusuke's lover shows up at the funeral.
The story is what could happen in every day life told with humor and sincerity. Many unexpected things happens in the short time of the funeral that is the core of the drama. There are some sexual depiction as is common to Itami's movies.
The movie that was made on a modest budget of 1.4 million dollars became a hit, and established Itami as a producer, and director.
The movie sets the tone for future Itami's movies of people in compromising positions, and showing humor that goes with it. Interesting plot, and humor makes this movie worth watching. -
Bilwick111 July 2005. . . from the other comment on this movie. When I first saw THE FUNERAL, for the first forty-five minutes or so, I was disappointed. The video cover can lead one to believe it is a rollicking comedy, perhaps a sex farce. Yet the more I got into the movie, and went with its flow, and immersed myself in its world, the more I enjoyed it. There are parts that I find laugh-out-loud funny, but most of the humor is of a gentle kind, and there are parts that I find very touching. Since that first viewing, I have watched the movie several times, and enjoy it more each time I see it. And it is one of those movies that, each time I see, I notice some little detail that brings me pleasure. I have never been able to sit through A TAXING WOMAN, but I enjoyed TAMPOPO; and I like THE FUNERAL even better.
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crossbow01063 July 2008Told by Wabisuke Inoue (Tsutomo Yamazaki), this is a story about his father in law's sudden death from a heart attack and the ensuing arrangements for the wake and funeral, culminating with the actual rituals themselves. This film runs the gamut of emotions, and that is where its brilliance is. At times you laugh at the sometimes zany characters, but then there are moments so touching you find yourself, if not in tears, at least becoming part of the moving experience. For anyone who has ever been involved in the planning of a wake/funeral, here it is: The quibbling over the cost, the obnoxious relatives (one guy, Aoki, brought his video camera), the squabbling between the principal characters on "what he would have wanted", the people who are drinking and enjoying themselves too much to leave etc. But, when you feel there is a point where this is all absurd, there is a moment where someone really feels the loss. That, to me, is what makes the film so great. It has a smile on its face, but sometimes pain in the heart. Enjoyable and moving, its a real gem.
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The film observes a family over a three day period as they prepare a traditional Japanese funeral. I enjoyed the film* but having little knowledge of Japanese culture, I suspect that much of the subtle humour or commentary passed me by. As the film is billed as a 'comedy', I kept expecting it to veer off into the absurd, but that never happened. There are some unexpected moments (notably the affair in the woods or the viewing at the crematorium) but generally the story just moves along at a languid pace to the final, poignant speech by the widow. Similar to "Tampopo" (1985), the film is very sensual at times, with numerous scenes of food and eating, along with some quite 'tactile' scenes such as people's toes curling as they try to stay comfortable during the speeches. *an English-dubbed version on TCM
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As we all know, the three most significant events for most people and that give the greatest insight into their cultures are births, weddings, and funerals. Ososhiki tells the story of how a family conducts and behaves at the funeral of one of their relatives. The director does a great job of presenting the ridiculous, absurd, and selfish behaviors they exhibit as well as beautiful, emotional, and loving behavior.
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daustin6 January 1999If you are interested in Japanese culture, specifically relating to modern death rites, this movie is very interesting. However in terms of plot and humor, it's deadly. Not even in the same league as Itami's Tampopo and Minbo entertainment-wise.
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dbongiorni22 August 2002This is a brilliant movie with nuanced performances. I laughed, I cried, I rented it again! From the same folks who brought us Tampopo and A Taxing Woman, this family story is dramatic and touching. The older woman who plays the dead man's wife is truly moving in her performance as the much-ill treated wife.
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net_orders16 June 2018THE FUNERAL / DEATH, JAPANESE STYLE / SUDDEN VISIT CEREMONY (Lit) (OSOUSHIKI). Viewed on Streaming. The sudden, unexpected death (due to a heart attack and subsequent inadequate hospital treatment) of a retired brothel owner (he "sampled the merchandise" while his wife "did all the cleaning") sets the stage for Director Juzo Itami's (who also wrote the screen play and is a co-producer) collection of scenes/skits tied to a traditional three-day Buddhist funeral involving a reunion of family members plus an attendant assortment of friends, neighbors, mistresses, service providers, strangers, and a neko (cat). Itami's subtle and wry humor often focuses on the details such as step-by-step learning proper funeral etiquette (complete with an instructional video) and a technical brief on the art of cremation, but the Director also throws in a woodland sexual romp, the arrival of a Buddhist priest (played by the venerable character actor Chishu Ryu) in a Rolls-Royce stretch limo, a dragon hearse (a must see!), endless food planning sessions, the challenge of outdoor cash-donation management in windy weather, and a mindless, meandering final eulogy by the widow who goes on and on about being mistreated at the hospital. Itami seems to be implying that family reunions for any reason are not really a good idea! (sou desune.) This is a film often over burdened with a plethora of detail as well as an over abundance of anecdotes and episodes, and, as a result, can become slow and just plain boring. The cast is way too large, and the viewer will need a score card to keep track of who is whom (there is even a line or two about not knowing everyone in a crowd scene!). Nobuko Miyamoto (the Director's wife) looks great (without being plastered with makeup) and is a would-be star. However, she ends up being marginalized and lost in a tidal wave of performers who are also pretty good actors. Lighting continuity is uneven with exterior night scenes under lit to the extent of turning players into shadows! At the end, the bereaved family is relieved. Perhaps the viewer will be also? WILLIAM FLANIGAN, PhD. Details: streaming/ restoration (FilmStruck) = 4 stars; direction = 3 stars; performances = 3 stars; cinematography (semi-wide screen, color) = 3 stars; production values = 3 stars; score = 3 stars; subtitles = 3 stars; lighting = 2/3 stars.
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tangoviudo13 July 2005Juzo Itami, actor and son of director Mansaku Itami, created a wry, sometimes hilarious and ultimately bittersweet comedy for his first try as a director. He made it under the auspices of Japan's Art Theater Guild, which had also been responsible for Shinoda's "Double Suicide" and other avant-garde films.
Itami's always gentle observations of a Japanese family's various reactions to the death of their patriarch (the death scene alone is beautifully done), as viewed and commented on by the dead old man himself is humanely humorous.
Itami's satiric style got a great deal broader after "The Funeral" - peaking with "A Taxing Woman." But the style he adopted became tedious in the '90s - culminating with a jibe at the Yakuza that provoked them to attack Itami with razors. Some people can't take a joke it seems. -
caspian197812 January 2005A wonderful Japanese (black) comedy that deals with the serious, yet funny situation of a funeral. Many black comedies will be more funny than serious, after all, the movie is making fun at a serious issue. Still, The Funeral jumps back between characters that creates a balanced story that is serious, yet funny. Many comedies will not include moments of culture. Here, the movie makes several moments of the story very real as the story showcases the culture of a certain people and their customs. Director Juzo Itami was considered one of Japan's interesting film makers. Since his suicide in the 1990's, very few film makers have come close to capturing his style of movie making. Similar to Passed Away and Marvin's Room, The Funeral is a touching movie with moments of pure delight.
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A look at how Japanese deal with death, with a humourous twist. It is much darker and less light heartedly funny as Itami's other efforts, like Tampopo or A Taxing Woman. The movie still takes a somewhat irreverent look at the whole funeral process in Japan. I would recomend this movie if you like his other ones.
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rpod22 May 2007Entertaining and enjoyable are words that best describe the mechanisms set in motion reflected by the film's ability to hold a viewer's interest and curiosity. Funny and erotic at times the film creates a surreal atmosphere that offers surprises so that you end up watching because you're not certain what will happen next or, at times, the direction in which the film intends to take you. That the film was originally produced in black and white goes some way towards enhancing its surreal impact. While the acting is convincing, the people easy to relate and the background always worthy of note. This is a film that needs to be viewed several times in order to properly digest the complexities of its composition and successful depiction of aspects relating to death.
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People often perceive the Japanese as inscruitable and mysterious, as their rituals and religion seem to bear little relation to western ways of thinking. That alone should be a recommendation for everyone to see this heartfelt film as it lets the viewer enter a world that we all inhabit.
As a result of the death of the father we are left to witness the grief and all the attendant emotions of the immediate family and friends of the deceased. British director Mike Leigh has been over similar ground, exposing raw emotion under trying circumstances but Juzo Itumi eschews cynicism and personal demons to portray a family who like any other, have their flaws, but are essentially good and normal people. The whole film is understated in its approach and it would be a hard-hearted person indeed who would not be touched in some way.
The film ends simply and beautifully as we all hope to some day. -
This is a brilliant film. Surely Juzo Itami's best. Cinematically complex and sophisticated. Emotionally poignant. I'll always remember the swinging log scene, contextualizing an adulterous affair. Also, the tracking shot of the soles of the kneeling family's feet, as they grow impatient with a sermon. You find out a little about each character, looking at the bottoms of their feet. So much is communicated with so little. It could be that I am missing some of the comedy, because I am not familiar with Japanese culture. But, in lieu of comedy, I found a poignant reflection on family dynamics, when estranged family members are reunited by a death. Poetic like Tarkovsky. Funny like Itami. This movie remains among my ten most favorite films.
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fuyuno22 January 2004If you are Japanese, this would be the funniest movie you had ever seen. But like so much of the best Japanese humor, it simply doesn't translate to the Western culture. "How much do you pay the monk?" That dialog was so funny, everyone was talking about it for months. Judging from the responses here however, I suppose most foreigners don't get it. Could be a good litmus test if you want to see how proficient you are in your knowledge of Japanese culture.
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lee_eisenberg11 April 2024I first learned of Juzo Itami when he committed suicide in 1997. However, it's only now that I've gotten around to seeing one of his movies. His directorial debut "Osôshiki" ("The Funeral" in English) depicts a family's gathering after a father-in-law's passing. As it turns out, this gathering will reveal a lot about the family.
The movie often gets called a comedy, but it's not a comedy as we usually understand the term. The movie could definitely qualify as a black comedy, with unpleasant things taking place over the course of saying goodbye to the relative. It's not a sad movie, but definitely not slapstick. Whatever the case, it's a fine piece of work. I'll be eager to see the rest of Itami's movies. I wonder what he would've done had he lived longer. -
Jeremy_Urquhart28 January 2023The first hour or so of The Funeral is pretty well perfect, or at least close to it. There are some truly striking scenes, and the way it captures the emotion - and mundanity - of a death in the family is extraordinarily well done, because you really do feel it.
That it also does this while having a unique sense of humour that makes it surprisingly funny in parts just makes it even better. It's the dramedy genre at its best, and I love when films like this successfully walk the line between quietly funny and heavy (The Farewell's a recent example of a film with a similar tone, and an impeccable balancing of emotions).
But at just after the halfway mark of The Funeral, things take a strange turn plot-wise, and I don't know if the film ever fully recovered from it. There are still good scenes later in the second half, but the film as a whole was on such a hot streak, and I'm at a loss why it temporarily went to the place it did.
Ah well. It's still very good. Much of the film is excellent. Probably a hot take, but I liked it more than Tampopo. -
fatcat-734504 October 2023This sort of movie isn't going to be everyone's cup of tea, but I found it to be subtle but very worthy.
Mired in stark realism, the characters are forced to conduct a funeral for an old man who died unexpectedly. At the center of everything is the man's daughter and her husband, who have been asked to take care of the whole business.
No one is a saint. They want to show their respect for the man's life, but it seems that very few of them knew him well at all and they're just going through the necessary motions. When this or that person does show regret at his having left, it even seems out of place.
A powerful undercurrent of humour runs throughout the film. Much of it has to do with how no one really knows what to do. At one point the main couple is watching a mass-produced VHS video about what should be said and done during the funeral process.
But perhaps the best part of the movie is how the director captures poignant natural human foibles for comical effect. They try their best to make the funeral a formal and respectful event, but people trip, children are boisterous, some people are not very respectful of the deceased at all, and people get tired or bored. They're mostly nice people, but of course no one loves to be there for such events, and the director captures this light natural tension in a skillful way.
Honourable Mentions: Tokyo Story (1953). The leisurely quiet realism of The Funeral really reminded me of Tokyo Story. But Tokyo story might be called a bit dull at points and had a really meaningful ending. Funeral is more about the subtle humor among the backdrop of strong realism. -
politic19834 September 2022The 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. -
ozma613 June 2002After watching the director's 'Tampopo,' I was excited to see his earlier, well-renowned film (and besides, Tsutomu Yamazaki has been a favorite of mine since Akira Kurosawa's 'High and Low'). Sadly, I was disappointed at the lack of humor that was frequent in 'Tampopo' as well as the storyline which never proceeded to get absorbing. When looking for a Juzo Itami movie, do yourself a favor, rent 'Tampopo.' It's cuter, holds together better, and is altogether a better movie than 'The Funeral.'
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Ricky-7022 January 2001You cannot say that this is a comedy but if you think about the Human Comedy. the Funeral is honestly very slow for an american-European eye even if Itami is the Japanese Wilder. His movies are very direct and versus the japanese idea of a normal society with normal people. The cadaver of the family's grandfather is the first step of a fracture between the family members... every shot is a dose of poison biting the apparent Tradition during the rite.