A Certain Kind of Death

I love this film. The director's unblinking eye captures something extraordinary and mundane. You see the process of laying to rest the John and Jane Does of Los Angeles. Some parts are extremely graphic, showing the bodies of deceased people (vagrants really) as well as the practical and unsettlingly methodical protocol used to handle and interr the remains. Part of me sees this film as a sweet elegy about death and impermanence. The other part of me sees a film about fascism and genocide because all of the living characters are lower-middle class bureaucrats who exist in a bureaucratic fog. Whether they shuffle papers or crush incinerated bone fragments, there is an alarming detachment masked behind a thin layer of civic obligation. This is not like the docs on CourtTV; this is a thoughtful, well-shot production.

This film, in my opinion, belongs in a genre that, for lack of a better term, I call "Great Film, Horrible Story!"

In terms of the acting, the script, the cinematography, the directing, all of the stuff, which is all academic, that you can go to college & learn, perhaps even earn a degree in, much, if not all, of that stuff in this film, & in others that belong in that genre mentioned above, is awesome! And yet such films are so well made not just because of the academic stuff, that other films seemingly don't care about at all. They are also so well made because they have a purpose that is universal & transcendent across cultures, across time. And it is rather common for said films to be on the rather low budget side of things. Unfortunately, this is the reason that it can be very easy for such a film to be underrated, even virtually unknown. I find that to be so annoying that it creates within me what you might call a "pet peeve"; especially when a film, such as this one, is held in comparison to other films that are, for example & specifically, far more popular and they suck! There are dozens of teenybopper flicks, rom-coms, big budget Hollywood blockbusters that come to mind... That disparity is not what makes this, & other similar films, such a beautiful example of the art form of film-making; but, it does highlight the reality that it would be a great thing if people stopped giving a damn about trash and actually paid attention to films that matter.

There is an unfortunate aspect for a film being a part of this newfound genre. Sometimes, ..in spite of all of the positive qualities that a film has, the film, or some aspect of the film, can be to much for some people - to much violence, to much gore, to much politically incorrect language, etc. And that's the other aspect of this that puts such a film into this newfound genre; what comes off the screen, the story, can be to much for some people. So, let's say that a film is excellent and underrated. As soon as it starts to receive the notoriety that it deserves it is lambasted for being... _'too real'_ ... or some other bullshit excuse. I don't know, maybe that's ironic. I do know that the people that do it are sad & pathetic! Still, if some people can't take the heat, they should stay out of the kitchen. I do believe that it is true that some films should just never be seen by some people.

It reminds me of just how sad & pathetic IMDb is for removing my review of this movie that I posted years ago! Am I the bad guy?! Did I do something wrong¿?

This documentary is unique in its rawness. It follows the deaths of 3 people, and captures the raw facts of how the state processes what remained after they died when no family or friends came to speak for them: their body, their money, their things. Through the process and the work of different state employees, some details of the decedents' lives emerge, showing that these were real human beings with life stories - who died alone. The film is almost like a stoic parent matter-of-factly and plainly illuminating the facts and realities of death to a child who has asked.

A Certain Kind of Death is well worth watching and eye opening. Its' only uncompromising principle being a dedication to sharing the unblinking brute facts and reality of how a state manages the deaths of it's citizens.

For me, the film left a lasting impression, forcing the viewer to ask themselves the obvious question: how do I want my own death to be handled?

One of the better documentaries I've seen, A Certain Kind of Death explores what happens to people whose bodies go unclaimed by relatives. Although it's a grisly subject the film makers were able to make it an interesting and very watchable experience.

Dead bodies in various stages of decomposition are seen, but not played for shock factor. Instead, you learn a little about each person, both what they were before death and what will happen to them afterward. They are followed from the discovery of the body to the final disposition of the remains, and each step in between.

The LA County Coroner's Office figures prominently, and they are shown to be a dedicated and professional group with respect for the dead and their property. I was surprised to find this documentary to be so watchable, it has a good flow and answers most if not all questions.

Disturbing, creepy, sad documentary on how the body and personal effects of those who die without kin are handled by the coroner's office.

The lack of music and narration, combined with carefully coldly composed cinematography all add to the disturbing sense of clinical isolation.

The images of real dead bodies being discovered, cataloged, and eventually reduced to ash can't help but make one ponder mortality, and how alone we all are in the end.

Yet sometimes the air of reserve feels forced, and there's a bit of repetitiveness, despite the short (69 min) running time.

Still, a fascinating, macabre, thought provoking film