Japan Blossay

Death In Japanese Film

The Japanese people believe in mujou, the transience and mutability of life, which explains that death is unavoidable. They see death as a part of life. Because of this, they hold a deep respect for the deceased. This respect is shown in their treatment of the dying and their performance of funeral rights. Japanese films which contain death and funeral scenes help people outside of Japan to better understand their treatment of the dead. I will be analyzing four death-related scenes from three different Japanese films: both the wife’s funeral and Watanabe’s funeral from Ikiru, the final scene from Sandakan 8, and the boar god’s death from Mononoke Hime.

The wife’s funeral is a flashback scene that occurs when Watanabe looks into the altar he has set up for his deceased wife. The scene is only about thirty seconds long, but it helps to build on the relationship between the son, Mitsuo, and Watanabe. The scene shows how devastated Watanabe is by his wife’s death, and it also shows how young the son was when he lost his mother. The scene is silent until the flashback, where a quiet brass instrument plays in the background. The instrument is slow and deliberate, and reminds me of the American song “Taps.” The dirge lends to the morose atmosphere of the scene. The melancholy of the scene is also seen in the outfits of the characters, who are all wearing black formalwear for the funeral. Many films use rain to depict the sadness of a funeral scene, and Ikiru is no exception to this rule. The rain also eliminates any light inside the car, so the characters’ faces are in shadow.

The shot of the boy Mitsuo’s face is very revelatory. The close-up of his face at slightly below eye-level allows viewers to see where he is gazing. The boy’s intense stare is focused off-screen, but viewers can still conclude that he’s watching the car. There is no light in the shot, which actually emphasizes the white of his eyes, and his stare.

Similarly, the shot of Watanabe holding his son after he talks about his mother has little light. The eyes of Watanabe are emphasized this time, instead of those of Mitsuo. The similarities between the two shots emphasize the similarities between the father and son. They both stare off-screen in the direction of the hearse. They are also both dressed alike, in black suits with black hats. Even their expressions are similar; the trademark stare of Watanabe is mimicked in his son’s eyes. The camera angle and distance is the same in each shot so viewers can clearly see the similarities between the two characters.

The scene ends in the present, with Watanabe kneeling in front of the altar for his wife. The altar is in the corner of the room, stored next to some binders and books that presumably contain information on Watanabe’s work. Near the ceiling are his certificates of achievement. Even though his love for his wife is evident, viewers can also see that Watanabe’s work follows him into his personal life. However, in this shot, he is almost burying his face in the altar to stare at the picture of his wife. Viewers can infer that his wife is the only escape he has from work, especially because his relationship with his son is so broken. The only light is from the ceiling lamp, so Watanabe and the altar are lit, but the shadows are also visible. The scene is silent, with no music or ambient noise. The distance of the shot and placing Watanabe in the corner, coupled with the dim lighting and the lack of noise, emphasize how alone Watanabe the character is.

 The atmosphere in the funeral scene for Watanabe is still solemn, but it is not depicted the same way as the wife’s funeral. The room is brightly lit, and the light is focused on the large, overbearing altar for Watanabe. The altar covers an entire wall, which is very different from the small altar Watanabe cherishes in his own home. The people are all dressed in black, but they are not silent and are speaking about business up until the women arrive. There is no music, which leaves an empty feeling, much like when Watanabe is alone in his room. The silence is pierced by the arrival of the village women, who sob loudly as they bow to the altar. The camera cuts from each woman’s face to those of the businessmen to emphasize the contrast between their emotions and to show the businessmen’s discomfort. The characters are each quietly respectful, but they also do not show sadness in their expressions. The people are there more out of obligation, than desire, which is why the deputy mayor is so quick to escape after the village women leave.

In this shot we see all of the businessmen before the women enter the room. They are talking about nothing in particular, and definitely not the deceased Watanabe. They are each wearing a dark-colored suit, which is usual for Japanese men of the time. The women and the son are wearing more traditional costumes.

This shot is of the women from the village. They are bowed over in front of Watanabe’s altar. While viewers cannot see their faces, they are clearly sobbing audibly. The characters watching the women are expressionless, but their discomfort becomes obvious as the scene progresses. The flower arrangement in the upper left corner of the scene is huge, and shows the gaudiness of the funeral.

The altar is huge and ornate. The women and the funeral attendees seem small in comparison, because they, like Watanabe, are only small parts of a bigger corporation. The funeral is staged more than it should be. Watanabe is depicted as a relatively simple man throughout the film, so the opulence of the funeral is jarring against his character. The over-done funeral shows the distance between the father and the son. Mitsuo’s broken relationship with his father is reflected in his inability to properly remember Watanabe. The cookie-cutter funeral is broken up by the village women, who know Watanabe more than his own family.

The final scene in Sanadakan 8 shows the reporter, Keiko, finding the tombstones of the karayuki-san in the forest. The sun shines through the tree leaves as Keiko looks skyward to determine which direction the graves are facing. The graves are simple obelisks with the names of the women carved into them. Keiko shows respect for each karayuki-san by pouring water over the stone and lighting incense for the women before praying for them. This is a typical Japanese act when visiting graves. The water is used to cleanse the grave along with the incense. The music of the scene is relatively quiet until Keiko discovers the direction the stones are facing. Then, the music swells and culminates in a minor forte, showing the sadness of the discovery. The camera cuts to Keiko’s distressed face and she states that the graves are facing away from Japan. Keiko whispers the statement, to show a mixture of wonder and sadness. The scene is referencing a statement made by the obaa-san, where she claimed that the karayuki-san must never return to Japan. The stones turned from Japan represent the women turning their backs on the country.

The boar god’s death in Mononoke Hime shows the respect the Japanese have for the gods, and also the respect they have towards the dying. The shaman bows multiple times before the dying god, and mentions a burial mound. The villagers kneel behind the shaman to show their respect for the god as well, because they know they need to respect the dying god. The music right before the boar god falls is fast and loud, showing the intensity of the scene leading up to the death. However, after the god begins to die, the music cuts out and the only sounds are the speech and the god’s breathing. The lack of music is to bring the focus of the audience to the death of the god and its breathing. The shot then cuts back and forth between the boar and the shaman as each speaks to focus the viewers on each character, rather than the event.

The shaman bows before the boar god and recites a ritual statement about the god’s death. The darkness around the god is a result of the curse, but it also shows the darkness of the god’s death. The shaman’s costume from the back is very colorful and has two yellow C’s. The C’s are also on the front of her costume, and she wears earrings and a necklace to establish her position. San, the wolf girl who is seen later in the film, wears similar jewelry. None of the villagers wear shoes, which emphasizes their connection with nature. After the boar god dies, more grass around it dies as well, and the smoke from the corpse floats through the air.

Each film addresses death differently, but they also contain similar elements. The general idea of respect towards the dead is in each film, along with deliberately holding a funeral. Even though each film is very different, they depict Japanese culture accurately.