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Searching the Japanese word 納棺 in Google Images would surely produce images pertaining to the said ritual; searching its English counterpart, however, would mostly provide images of the film being reviewed. True, encoffinment might be a vague term for some. Even my Microsoft Word does not accept the term.
In Yōjirō Takita’s Academy Award-winning film Departures, we are introduced to the said ritual thru Daigo Kobayashi, a talented cello player forced to move to the countryside with his wife after the orchestra he plays for gets dissolved. Desperate for a job, he reads the local newspaper and finds an ad pertaining to "departures". Thinking it is an ad for a travel agency, he answers it only to find that the job, in fact, involves encoffinment.
Daigo learns about the job.
It is interesting to think how death is a grave subject matter in Japan yet the country has created some of the most violent films ever (Battle Royale, Suicide Club, Audition). Daigo, surprised and unsure, accepts the job without his wife’s knowledge and, with the help of his boss Sasaki, learns the art of preparing the dead for the afterlife.
And encoffinment is something to behold. The first scene of the film immediately thrusts its audience to the ceremony performed by Daigo himself. Director Takita does not fail to highlight the scene by showing the ritual’s vital intricacies, from the act of cleaning the body to the act of placing it inside the coffin. Daigo, played by Masahiro Motoki, makes it look so effortless, having studied not only the cello but also encoffinment to prepare for the role.
Trying his hand at encoffinment.
If any magic exists within the film it can be found in moments of silences. Scenes of preparing the bodies are treated with minimal, at times none, dialogue. The story, though somewhat simplistic if dissected, revolves around these silences, which are handled with great care not only by Director Takita but also by the cast. The actors and actresses play their roles with ease, with each of their characters having something to contribute to the story. Motoki is able to show the personal plights of his character without having to resort to tears or hysterics, while Yamazaki, who plays Boss Sasaki, does not actually have too many lines in the film, yet the effectiveness of his performance lies in the aura he exudes in his scenes. Even the supporting cast plays remarkably well, especially the extras in the quiet funerals.
When the silence is gone, however, we find ourselves in the hands of composer Joe Hisaishi, a composer for most of Hayao Miyazaki’s animated films. Each music present in the film, though not at all scarce, fits the scenes perfectly. It is a rare feat for musical scoring to be as memorable as the film itself, like the case of “We Can’t Do Anything” from The Classic and “My Brother” from Taegukgi. In Departures, there is big chance that the piece “Memory” will remain in your head for quite some time.
One of the most striking juxtapositions in the film involves a flying flock of geese merged with a transparent image of a coffin being cremated. Once Departures ends with its interesting closing credits, one is led to think how in death, everything is passed on to the other side except memories, which are ceaselessly created even in life’s dullest moments.
Relaxing after a stressful day at work.
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Literature major, voracious reader,
videogamer, net addict, film fan, frustrated teatrophile.
Blogger.
http://slapdashjelly.blogspot.com/
Literature major, voracious reader,
videogamer, net addict, film fan, frustrated teatrophile.
Blogger.
http://slapdashjelly.blogspot.com/
