Antonius Block -a Knight who recently returns from fighting the Crusades- finds his native Sweden ravaged by the Plague. Block challenges Death to a game of chess, hoping to forestall the inevitable. He manages to reunite with his wife, before Death checkmates Block.
Movies have long held great power in helping us deal with death. Bergman's dramatic range helps us to see Death from an existential perspective.
I am constantly surprised at how many children's movies deal with Death. Matricide is central to both Bambi and Finding Nemo, patricide is key to The Lion King. For my money, Pixar's Up, showed us all why it won the Oscar for the Best Animated Feature Film.
The movie Up reminds us that Death destroys our closest relationships and that all of us must be ready to respond when Death calls.
These movies remind us of something that we would rather forget: Death is inevitable. Even when embrace the escapism of children's movies, we are still confronted with the reality of our own mortality.
Did a movie that dealt with death have a profound influence on you? I want to what movie and why. Discuss in the comment section below.
3 comments:
I remember watching Where the Red Fern Grows with a babysitter as a child. My little sister left the room unnoticed until the end of the movie and we found her sobbing in her bedroom. I think that was the first time I was introduced to death, and it was a heart-breaker.
It was 'Charlotte's Web.' I enjoyed the friendship between the spider and the pig and was so saddened when Charlotte died. Tough lesson for a little(r) guy!
As a kid, Disney's Old Yeller was foundational to my understanding of the circle of life. The dogs owner sits his children down to explain why shooting there family dog with rabies was necessary & part of life. After the shooting & lots of tears the movie ends on a very high note, underscoring the full circle of life.
My 2cents
g.
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