You may think that regularly reading the obituary pages of newspapers is a perverse and morbid thing to do. But the truth is that those who write about the dead are really celebrating life and the extraordinary things that ordinary folks have done. In this quirky and engaging documentary, director Vanessa Gould takes us behind-the-scenes to meet those on the obituary beat at The New York Times.
How do these creative writers determine whom to cover? The paper's rule of thumb is if you have made news in your life, your death will also be news. This focus has led to the creation of 1,700 "advances" or drafts of obituaries for famous and important people — movie stars, athletes, entertainers, television celebrities, artists, and more. Obit writers are required to summarize most lives in 800 words although there are many exceptions which far exceed that number. They usually have to put together a piece within a few hours.
This informative and entertaining documentary has the same spunk and verve as was delivered in Page One: Inside The New York Times, a sophisticated look at the premier newspaper as it struggles to survive in the new media milieu of intense competition. Obit editor William McDonald has some cogent things to say about this craft and writers Bruce Weber, William Grimes, Douglas Martin, Paul Vitello, and Margalit Fox explain the delights and drawbacks of their journalistic pursuits. Also making a wry appearance is Jeff Roth, the information junkie who oversees tens of thousands of drawers of photographs and clippings in the newspaper's archives which can be used to spruce up the paper's obituaries.