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Obit.

  • 20162016
  • 1h 33m
IMDb RATING
7.3/10
742
YOUR RATING
Obit. (2016)
Trailer for Obit
Play trailer1:37
1 Video
12 Photos
  • Documentary
Writers and editors from the New York Times discuss their unique approach to writing the obituaries of public figures.Writers and editors from the New York Times discuss their unique approach to writing the obituaries of public figures.Writers and editors from the New York Times discuss their unique approach to writing the obituaries of public figures.
IMDb RATING
7.3/10
742
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Vanessa Gould(attached)
  • Stars
    • Bruce Weber
    • William McDonald
    • Margalit Fox
Top credits
  • Director
    • Vanessa Gould(attached)
  • Stars
    • Bruce Weber
    • William McDonald
    • Margalit Fox
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 10User reviews
    • 27Critic reviews
    • 72Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 3 nominations

    Videos1

    Obit
    Trailer 1:37
    Obit

    Photos12

    Vanessa Gould at an event for Obit. (2016)
    Dean Baquet at an event for Obit. (2016)
    Obit. (2016)
    Jack Kadden and Bruce Weber in Obit. (2016)
    Jeff Roth in Obit. (2016)
    Peter Keepnews and William McDonald in Obit. (2016)
    Jeff Roth in Obit. (2016)
    Bruce Weber in Obit. (2016)
    Jack Kadden and Bruce Weber in Obit. (2016)
    Obit. (2016)
    Obit. (2016)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Bruce Weber
    Bruce Weber
    • Self - Obituary Writer for New York Timesas Self - Obituary Writer for New York Times
    William McDonald
    • Selfas Self
    Margalit Fox
    • Selfas Self
    William Grimes
    William Grimes
    • Selfas Self
    Jack Kadden
    • Selfas Self
    Douglas Martin
    • Selfas Self
    Jeff Roth
    • Selfas Self
    Daniel Slotnik
    • Selfas Self
    Paul Vitello
    • Selfas Self
    Peter Keepnews
    • Selfas Self
    Dolores Morrison
    • Selfas Self
    Jon Pareles
    • Selfas Self
    Earl Wilson
    • Selfas Self
    • Director
      • Vanessa Gould(attached)
    • All cast & crew
    • See more cast details at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Soundtracks
      (We're Gonna) Rock Around The Clock
      Written by James E. Myers & Max Freedman

      Performed by Bill Haley and the Comets

      Published by Myers Music, Inc.

      Published by Sony/ATV Tunes LLC (ASCAP) and Measureless Publishing (ASCAP)

      Courtesy og Geffen Records, under license from Universal Music Enterprises

    User reviews10

    Review
    Top review
    10/10
    Obituaries have next to nothing to do with death, and absolutely everything to do with life
    OBIT. (2016)

    I found this documentary about the obit writers at the New York Times fascinating, uplifting, full of life, and beautifully shot down to subtle details such as the fact that Margalit Fox's georgeous tapestry scarf matches the aqua blue of the antiquish tyewriter in the left rear of her shots. The chaotic disarray of the news clip room, the morgue, managed by curator, Jeff Roth, (in cuffed short shirtsleeves and narrow tie), who has worked there since 1993, sings with bulging, sliding files of yellowed history. As a professional organizer, my instincts might otherwise have been to "have a go" at bringing array to this laudable photo and article repository, (which seems by all tokens to be long past any point of return), yet I was captivated by the messy poetry in this story, very well told by Vanessa Gould.

    "It's the job nobody thinks they want, a kind of Siberia," obit writer Margalit Fox says, "but it's the best beat in journalism because you're paid to tell peoples' stories. Obituaries have next to nothing to do with death, and absolutely everything to do with life."

    The unique tasks of an obit writer, as well as the delight in encapsulating and honoring someone's life, are well presented in this film. Writer William Grimes explains, "A fortunate death for me is one that occurs and you hear about it at 9:00 a.m. and you have all day to put something together. The unfortunate death for me is the one that occurs and you hear about it when you're getting ready to leave... You walk out the door, and an editor comes over to you and says, 'Not so fast.'"

    Among many riveting through-lines in the film was Bruce Weber's coverage of the death of William P. Wilson, the man who insisted on a single pole podium and applied Kennedy's light makeup before the Nixon Kennedy debate. Just days after the election, Kennedy himself acknowledged, "It was the TV more than anything else that turned the tide." The film offers up minute aspects of how Weber wrote this story, while also weaving in historic information of many other notable lives in order to illustrate how this obit team works to do justice to them at their time of death.

    The obit mistake and the pre-written obits are discussed with flourish and wit, but retain humanity and reverence to life. Even the cubicles in each interview served, to me, (someone who has never worked in such a workspace), as a character in the film as the lilting music by composer Joel Goodman punctuated each Annie Hall-esque narrative observation. The NYT's obit crew are wry, grounded, quick-on-the uptake, talented journalists, the perfect team, compelling and compelled, to get this job done. Director of photography, Ben Wolf, did a spectacular job including a dazzling array of newsreels and vintage photo clips.

    This film is unsentimental, yet moving; weighty, but inspiriting. I give it ten stars and highly recommend this movie. If you hate it, don't kill me.
    helpful•2
    0
    • Sasha_Lauren
    • Jun 19, 2019

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • May 12, 2017 (Spain)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Official site
      • Official site
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Некролог
    • Filming locations
      • New York City, New York, USA
    • Production companies
      • Green Fuse Films
      • Imperfect Films
      • Mystic Artists Films Productions
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $315,049
    • Gross worldwide
      • $315,049
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 33 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.78 : 1 / (high definition)

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