After Life in November

28 September 2007

The idea of a check-in centre for the afterlife is one that has a long cinematic lineage, going back to Powell and Pressburger's A Matter of Life and Death (1946), Alexander Hall's Here Comes Mr. Jordan (1941) and beyond. Few films, though have designed their entire story around the concept, and I'd wager none have done so in such beguiling fashion as Hirokazu Koreeda's marvellous After Life (Wandâfuru Raifu).

The film completely de-glamorises the Hollywood concept of a large scale, awesomely designed place of wonder, instead suggesting a building akin to a run down school manned by sensitive young clerks and technicians in everyday clothes. Their purpose is to interview the recently deceased to discover their happiest memory, the defining moment in their lives, and then recreate it for them and film it. As the subject watches their own film, they pass into the afterlife to enjoy with that single memory for eternity.

Particularly fascinating is the use of non-actors for the interviews, with ordinary Japanese asked to search their own memories for the moment at which they were happiest, something that inevitably prompts any audience to do likewise. A work of simple beauty infused with moments of delightful character humour, After Life is a genuine joy, and we're not quoting the press release here but talking favourite films.

After Life has been announced for its long overdue UK DVD release by Soda Pictures on 26th November at the RRP of £19.99 (this has been delayed from the originally schedule September release). No details on picture, sound or possible extras are available as yet.