Some examples of the first, although the shedding may either come as they enter an afterlife or recall/fantasize while dying:

Disney’s animated short about the life of Johnny Appleseed from MELODY TIME

Jeanette MacDonald and Nelson Eddy in MAYTIME

I seem to recall such an association at the end of DREAMCHILD (about the elderly Alice Liddell reflecting on her past friendship with Lewis Carroll)

GOODBYE, MR CHIPS?

Possibly Welles’ THE IMMORTAL STORY

Films about reincarnation and/or the Dalai Lama?—KUNDUN, LITTLE BUDDHA, etc.

Another that’s been a while—John Huston’s THE LIFE AND TIMES OF JUDGE ROY BEAN

the Robin Williams mess, WHAT DREAMS MAY COME

These are at least somewhat ambiguous but aim in a similar direction:

Fellini’s 8 ½

Bergman’s WILD STRAWBERRIES

Of course, there are many versions of the opposite (young-looking people who age immediately on or after dying—various Dracula and vampire films, versions of THE MUMMY, THE PICTURE OF DORIAN GRAY, LOST HORIZON, SHE, etc.), and there are twists on the subject in PRELUDE TO A KISS; arguably, DAMN YANKEES; DOWN TO EARTH (remake of HEAVEN CAN WAIT which was a remake of HERE COMES MR. JORDAN);

Don Larsson

"Only connect" --E.M. Forster
Donald F. Larsson
English Dept., AH 230
Minnesota State University
Mankato, MN  56001


        -----Original Message-----
        From: Heather Addison [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
        Sent: Sat 9/13/2003 1:01 PM
        To: [log in to unmask]
        Cc:
        Subject: young again films



        Hello:

        I am trying to compile a list of films in which elderly/older characters
        shed their age when they die.  The two examples I have thus far are THE
        GHOST AND MRS. MUIR (1947) and TITANIC (1997).

        I'm also interested in any films that present decades of a character's
        life but suggest that young adulthood is the richest/best period of the
        human life cyle.

        If anyone can suggest some titles in these areas (particularly the
        first), I'd really appreciate it.

        Thanks,
        Heather A.

        Heather Addison, Ph.D.
        Assistant Professor
        Department of Communication
        Western Michigan University
        1903 W. Michigan Avenue
        Kalamazoo, MI  49008-5138
        Office Phone:  (269) 387-2901
        Fax:  (269) 387-3990

        ----
        Online resources for film/TV studies may be found at ScreenSite
        http://www.ScreenSite.org


----
For past messages, visit the Screen-L Archives:
http://bama.ua.edu/archives/screen-l.html