The Lady and the Reaper...

[Fuchur]

This is an animation I recently found... I really love the style of it!

YouTube: The Lady and the Reaper

 

See you

*Fuchur*

[Vertexspline]

Fuchur,

 

Have to agree with you ---that style sets the mood so well . Really nice animation indeed.

[TheSpleen]

well done and fast renders too I bet

[Rodney]

This film seems very familiar to me and yet very different as well.

I think I've seen it before but what I perceive as differences makes me wonder if there aren't two versions of the film out there.

 

The film was certainly well executed (pun intended).

 

I tend to read too much into everything and this'll be no different.

I find I have a reservation about the ending as I'm not entirely sure of the message they've communicated.

I probably have this same general reservation concerning all on screen depictions of people killing themselves.

It is a strange thing to laugh when anyone commits suicide and this makes me wonder about the decision making process of the creative minds that devised, crafted and perfected this penultimate gag at the end of the film. I'm not judging the films merits so much as exploring them. While I'm sure entertainment was the primary motivation, perhaps they wanted to be a bit controversial or to spur discussion of such things?

[Fuchur]

This film seems very familiar to me and yet very different as well.

I think I've seen it before but what I perceive as differences makes me wonder if there aren't two versions of the film out there.

 

The film was certainly well executed (pun intended).

 

I tend to read too much into everything and this'll be no different.

I find I have a reservation about the ending as I'm not entirely sure of the message they've communicated.

I probably have this same general reservation concerning all on screen depictions of people killing themselves.

It is a strange thing to laugh when anyone commits suicide and this makes me wonder about the decision making process of the creative minds that devised, crafted and perfected this penultimate gag at the end of the film. I'm not judging the films merits so much as exploring them. While I'm sure entertainment was the primary motivation, perhaps they wanted to be a bit controversial or to spur discussion of such things?

 

It is quite understandable... she loved her husband so much, that she was ready to following him but the doctor didn't let her go... yes it has a controversial touch but first of: It is animation. It has to be funny and it is not like someone really killed him/herself. I cant see why she should not be allowed to kill herself, since she is obvisiouly awake and it is her wish to...

 

Dont see a problem in that... in general I thought you liked the freedom of choice-stuff? (Healthcare -> no, because people should do it by theirselves if they think they need it, etc.)

What is the difference here?

 

See you

*Fuchur*

[Rodney]

in general I thought you liked the freedom of choice-stuff?

 

Heck no! Freedom of choice will only get us deeper into the mess we are in.

Once again, I'm not trying to pass judgement but just trying to better understand the film.

 

For the sake of discussion there is another film we could contrast/compliment with 'TLatR' in the form of Keith Lango's short film 'Evelyn': http://www.keithlango.com/movies/evelyn.mpg. (It was made a very long time ago so it's considerably more rough around the edges)

 

'Evelyn' approaches the theme of the death of a loved one from a very different perspective.

They are very different films. For instance, it would be very difficult to classify 'Evelyn' as entertaining given it's serious treatment.

 

In 'The Lady and the Reaper' the focus is primarily on the relationship (struggle) between Life (represented by the Doctor and nurses) and Death (represented by the reaper) with the Lady simply caught up in the game). It's hard to say whether knowing more about the relationship with the lady's husband would endear her more to us and make us care one way or the other about her fate. As it is we just have to take it on faith that the primary motivator for the Lady to seek her own permanent death is to rejoin her husband. After all, we did see his picture.

 

In 'Evelyn' there is a similar theme of life and death but the film's conflict is more internal and personal. It's almost too emotional deep and definitely not played for gags. It's about forgiveness and dealing with the loss of a loved one and coming to grips with life's missed opportunities. I don't think I would be wrong to say that 'Evelyn' treats the reality of death respectfully while 'The Lady and the Reaper' plays it for gags.

 

These are very different films and I'm certainly not suggesting one is somehow better than the other.

I can't say I prefer either.

 

but first of: It is animation. It has to be funny and it is not like someone really killed him/herself.

 

Well THAT film had to be funny. It had to treated as funny for us to suspend belief enough to accept a cartoony grim reaper that slices people to death.

Maybe there will be a sequel.

[fae_alba]

If I were to take a serious perspective of the film and it's perhaps intended message, it would be one of the medical community feeling that everyone, regardless of the illness must be kept alive for as long as possible at all costs, the wishes of the patient be damned. The fact of the Dr. not willing to allow the old lady to simply die in peace and dignity so as not to sully his reputation speaks to that.

 

However, I simply took the movie at face value, and enjoyed it. I felt it was a well told story. My only thought would be that the closing scene would have been better if it showed the old lady reunited with her departed hubby.

[Rodney]

I simply took the movie at face value, and enjoyed it.

 

I did too (as I always try to do in a first viewing).

Then (assuming there is something worth exploring) I simply begin to look deeper. It usually takes me a conscious effort to view a film with a technical view.

As a for instance... I have yet to go back and view this film with a focus on the design and style that went into it and that is a major point of Fuchur's initial posting, that he really loved the style of the film. At this point I'm not particularly sure if he means the visual style, the stylistic approach (or both). It is in the context of beginning to ask questions about the style that I began to ask questions about the filmmakers' approach. This is the stage at which one almost has to ask questions about the story.

 

Perhaps it would have been wiser of me to respond in my first post here thusly:

 

I really love the style of it!

 

What did you love about the style Fuchur?

 

I might have then added:

Stylisticly (graphically speaking) I particularly like the design of both the Lady and the Reaper.

I'm not sure if this is because they are simply good designs or that the Lady reminds me of a character from Mulan (the grandmother) and the Reaper reminds me of designs I've seen in a variety of locations, (primarily) in comic books. It'd be fun to see a behind-the-scenes look into the design of the movie.

 

Maybe the sequel could focus on the hubby coming back to life (Death loses him or he's been waiting too long for his wife to come so he escapes back to the living world) and then wondering where his wife has gone.