Movies and films, from comedies to dramas, can help start funeral planning conversations. These articles provide great insights to help get the conversation going!
The Viking Funeral on Film
Some folks think a Viking funeral would be a cool way to send off a loved one. This idealized grand gesture is totally influenced by films churned out by Hollywood studios.
The way the movies portray it, Vikings dispatched their honored dead by laying the body on a boat and setting the vessel on fire with flaming arrows. We’ll trace the history of this notion through film.
The Loved One
The Loved One satirizes the funeral business, including pet funerals, as well as the movie industry and the military-industrial complex. It debuted in 1965, two years after Jessica Mitford’s exposé book The American Way of Death rocked the funeral industry. Despite its black-and-white vintage, The Loved One does show funeral trends that have continued to this day.
Grand Theft Parsons
Remember the influential country rock musician Gram Parsons? He played with Emmylou Harris, The Byrds, The Flying Burrito Brothers, and The International Submarine Band. Parsons died in 1973 in a motel room near Joshua Tree National Monument from a morphine overdose at the age of 26.
The film Grand Theft Parsons (2003) is based on the true story of what happened to Parsons’ body after he died. The movie illustrates certain issues that can be helpful for starting funeral or estate planning conversations.
The Six Wives of Henry Lefay
The Six Wives of Henry Lefay is a comedic cautionary tale for those who don’t make funeral plans, or for those who make plans but get married way too many times. One of the tag lines is: He loves women – Lots of women.
As a funny funeral film, it’s a great tool to start funeral planning conversations. It’s also a great way for estate planning attorneys to help their clients get serious about their wills, trusts and other estate planning issues.
Funeral Films with Great Soundtracks
Timeless music helps make a good movie great. This list of “funeral films” all share a great range of memorable songs – and the death of a character as part of the plot. Films include The Big Chill, Harold and Maude, Elizabethtown, Four Weddings and a Funeral, The Big Lebowski, and others.
For additional funny films, dramas, and television shows that open the door to discussing life, death and funeral planning, visit the Funny Films page on our site.
