Osooshiki (The Funeral)
Itami Juzo Terms:
Class Notes
Week 12
Comedy
Osooshiki (The Funeral)
Itami Juzo
Terms:
Tabi: a kind of sock that is like a mitten (it has a “finger” for the "big toe”)
Zori: a kind of sandle
BEFORE THE FILM
This is Itami’s first film. He made it very cheaply using his own house and his wife as the star. It is a kind of “black comedy”. It was extremely popular and allowed him to go on making more films like Marusa no Onna (A Taxing Women) and Tampopo. Itami is one of the more recent directors who has had films released n the US
The film is about conflict between old and new times. What is often thought of as "traditional" Japanese society is often heavily ritualized, and the rituals are often problematical for the younger generation. This film deals with a specific ritual – a funeral – and the problems it generates for the people involved in it.
Japanese, like many cultures in the world has a greater extended family involvement than does the west. This leads to problems in precedence, and protocol. One must be certain that the right order is followed. It can be insulting to break protocol and this can lead to problems.
We will see members of the family doing things which would not be common in the US with the deceased: moving the body, partly dressing the body and so on. In Japanese there is greater family involvement at many points than in the US Family members will sleep over at hospitals and so on.
Rituals are generally rather fixed forms of behavior which are common, but not exclusively restricted to rites of passage (like funerals). It has been said that one ca negotiate all Japanese social situations with about 50 phrases, since most of the situations are relatively ritualized. This is true in the US up to a point. There are a few standard greetings like “Hello”, “Hi”, “How are you” and so on. Many people have argued that in Japan there is far greater formalization. In a sense, it makes things go very smoothly. Everyone knows what to expect and what is going to happen. It does not allow for a great deal of creativity, but remember that “The nail that sticks up is the one that gets knocked down”.
Unfortunately, practices may vary locally and this can lead to complications as we shall see. Try to note the number of small rituals which occur in the film (one might call them “superstitions” if the term weren’t so ethnocentric!).
The younger generation is often puzzled by and unclear as to how certain ritualistic events should happen. How is this resolved in the film? Do there appear to be “new rituals” developing in the film? What are they?
Like most religion (which are generally defined as having a “belief in spiritual beings”), Buddhism is very concerned with the soul (spirit) of the deceased. Hence the necessity of having a Buddhist priest come to the funeral.
What kinds of things are “funny” in the film? Humor is an interesting concept and dealing with it cross culturally can be very hard. How is humor used to focus on the problems involved in the story?
Watch for some of the standard problems we have discussed:
Nature
City vs. country
Old vs new
Family relationships
Formalization of behavior
Conflicts between ninjo and giri
Pay careful attention to Itami’s photography – his positioning of the camera, the length of his shots and so on. Again, what effect does this have on the film?
How is the film structured? What reasons might there be for that?
AFTER THE FILM
Problems caused by generation gap seen comically:
(a) Traditionally dressed actress falls because of inability to negotiate in kimono.
(b)Problems generated by “uncle” who is unhappy about when to place body in the coffin, the proper position of the head on entering the house, the facing of the head to the north etc.
(c) use of the video tape to know what to do – annoyance with long speeches and desire to “be emotional” and use shorter ones.
(d) Why is the son in law supposed to make speech (nearest male relative after brother) married to oldest sister.
Are the “old rituals” meaningful? To whom?
Development of “new rituals”
Are the new rituals meaningful? To whom?
PHOTOGRAPHY!
All kinds of photos have to be taken. People are arranged and told what to do “Get closer to the coffin” “touch his head” “look this way” These appear to be the “new rituals” that have to be carried out.
Itami is known for long shots. Do you notice them in this film?
What odd camera placements are there?
In the coffin, looking up at the mourners. Does this make you wonder what the deceased would feel about all that was going on?
OLD STANDBY’S
Forces of nature – wind, rain, fog,
When do these occur? With what effect?
Relationship between the old and the new
What is the feeling of having a narrator telling about the story. Does the narration end and some time? Who is the narrator? What is the relevance of choosing that person as narrator or of having a narrator at all.?
City versus country
Tokyo vs. the house where the funeral is. Ninjo vs giri
Does this seem minor here? Are there some conflicts?
(a) doesn't want the funeral in the house
(b) doesn't want to make speech
Do these seem more bothersome than really conflicted?
Relationship between family members.
How does the discussion about the mistress between the grandfather and his wife relate to the son in law’s “infidelity?
What kind of relationship is there between adults and children?
What kinds of attitudes do older and younger people have to social obligations (making the speech – is it an honor or a nuisance?)
How is the film structured? What reasons might there be for that?
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