After Life (1998)

After death, people have a week to choose only one memory to keep for eternity.

Director:

Hirokazu Koreeda

Writer:

Hirokazu Koreeda

Stars:

Arata Iura, Erika Oda, Susumu Terajima

7 wins & 8 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Arata Iura	...	Takashi Mochizuki, counselor (as Arata)
Erika Oda	...	Shiori Satonaka, trainee counselor
Susumu Terajima	...	Satoru Kawashima, counselor
Takashi Naitô	...	Takuro Sugie, counselor
Kyôko Kagawa	...	Kyoko Watanabe, Ichiro's Wife
Kei Tani	...	Kennosuke Nakamura, boss
Taketoshi Naitô	...	Ichiro Watanabe, who cannot choose his favourite experience
Tôru Yuri	...	Gisuke Shoda, who talks about sex
Yûsuke Iseya	...	Yusuke Iseya, who refuses to choose his experience
Sayaka Yoshino	...	Kana Yoshino, talks about Disneyland
Kazuko Shirakawa	...	Nobuko Amano, who talks about her affair with a married man
Kôtarô Shiga	...	Kenji Yamamoto, who wants to forget his past
Hisako Hara	...	Kiyo Nishimura, old lady who loves cherry blossoms
Sadao Abe	...	Ichiro (as young man)
Natsuo Ishidô	...	Kyoko Watanabe as a young woman

Storyline

A small mid-20th century social-service-style office is a waystation for the souls of the recently deceased, where they are processed before entering their personal heaven - a single happy memory re-experienced for eternity. Every Monday, a new group of recently deceased people check in, and the "social workers" in the lodge explain their situation. Once the newly-dead have identified their happiest memories, workers design and replicate each person's chosen memory, which is staged and filmed. At the end of the week, the recently deceased watch the films of their recreated happiest memories in a screening room. As soon as each person sees his or her own memory, he or she vanishes to whatever state of existence lies beyond and takes only that single memory with them. The story pays most attention to two of the "counselors," Takashi (Arata) and Shiori (Oda). Takashi has been assigned to help an old man, Ichiro (played by Naito Taketoshi), select his memory. Reviewing videotape of ...

---

Plot Keywords:

eternity | memory | movie set | filmmaking | teenage girl | 

---

Taglines:

What is the one memory you would take with you?

---

Genres:

Drama | Fantasy

---

Certificate:

R

Did You Know?

Trivia

Much of the action in After Life is shown as interviews conducted with the recently deceased regarding their lives. Some of these interviews were scripted, but many were done impromptu, with real people (not actors) reminiscing about their own lives.

---

Connections

References Rebecca (1940)

User Reviews

Visually electric

Afterlife is without a doubt one of the greatest Japanese films I've ever seen. Visually it is truly stunning. Kore Eda is known for his own obsession with lighting and his skill for casting shadows and beams of white light are second to none. Combined with an innovative, creative and enjoyable story that takes on a slightly supernatural docu-drama and at the same time is set in a dull, down and out halfway house between Earth(life) and heaven(afterlife). Fascinating scenes take place as the deceased have one week to decide on a single memory from their lifetime that they can keep for all eternity. He also includes elements of documentary with talking head scenes of the deceased talking about their memories. Kore Eda throws around some extremely interesting ideas and themes on life and human emotions for our memories and he genuinely makes you think about what he's said once you've finished watching.

This is a film that not everyone would enjoy due to its slow moving pace, mood orientated lighting and partly improvised script, but it is a creative masterpiece that is definitely worthy of high praise and attention.

Details

Country:

Japan

Language:

Japanese

Release Date:

17 April 1999 (Japan)

Also Known As:

After Life

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$11,791, 16 May 1999

Gross USA:

$801,985

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$801,985

Company Credits

Production Co:

Engine Film, Sputnik Productions, TV Man Union

Technical Specs

Runtime:

119 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1