I Only Picked This Because I’m From Oregon
The film “how to die in Oregon” directed by Peter Richardson (as Perter D. Richardson) in 2011, was a first person narrative that examines the stories about the first state to have the legalization if physician-assisted suicide, which Oregon allowed with the passing of Death with Dignity Act in 1994. Richardson spent four years collaborating a touching, tender, and moving story of those who do not wish to kill themselves but to take their lives into their own hands, to gain control and seek a life beyond, at their choice. This compelling film walks through the life of terminally ill Oregonians, their families, doctors, and friends allowing them to explain their story but introduces the theme almost …show more content…
The central story based about a liver cancer patient, Cody Curtis a regally dignified, silver-haired 54-year-old wife and mother of two young-adult children, who is riding a roller-coaster of emotions after being diagnosed with liver cancer and given six months to live. and her family. Her story forms the backbone of the film, around the other stories. Richardson manages to present extremely intimate picture that will allow many people to confront and deal with this immensely difficult issue. The daily scenes, seem as if they are in slow motion as the director follows the patient as she walks with her sister and a close friend. Richardson, leaves these scenes as open as possible, not using cut scenes, to illustrate the raw behavior, of what will eventually happen death. The last conversation, until the end scene is, calmly spoken between the three of them, “Susan (another friend of Cody) said she called dibs on your bottom closet.” I believe the film maker ended on this specific scene to illustrate that they have all accepted it, as if they have understood and respected her choices on being in a better place, a place without pain. Our society, as adaptive as we are, has not yet figured out how to deal with this extremely difficult issue. Films like this are extremely powerful tools for allowing us to begin to have that much-needed …show more content…
He wants the audience to really listen to the stories, not just watch them. These camera angles really prove to be effective when the stories become much more detailed, more enticing to the viewers. It does not distract them from the point that is front of them. Along with the simplicity of the camera angles, the interviews are by far the most impacting effect Richardson uses. That’s where he strays because, you never hear him ask a question, all you hear, are answers. It’s a very interesting stand point he uses, because the entire documentary is just the Oregonians describing who they are, and why they choose this life decision. Many of the clips include old film of the patients and who they used to be before they became ill, other clips, simply show them in their daily lives, what they do on a Sunday after noon, which shows the connection that the Oregonians are human, like the rest of the world. Richardson uses a very impacting yet simply approach on cinematography, which gives the audience a raw understanding of the lives and a real approach towards this
The film “how to die in Oregon” directed by Peter Richardson (as Perter D. Richardson) in 2011, was a first person narrative that examines the stories about the first state to have the legalization if physician-assisted suicide, which Oregon allowed with the passing of Death with Dignity Act in 1994. Richardson spent four years collaborating a touching, tender, and moving story of those who do not wish to kill themselves but to take their lives into their own hands, to gain control and seek a life beyond, at their choice. This compelling film walks through the life of terminally ill Oregonians, their families, doctors, and friends allowing them to explain their story but introduces the theme almost …show more content…
The central story based about a liver cancer patient, Cody Curtis a regally dignified, silver-haired 54-year-old wife and mother of two young-adult children, who is riding a roller-coaster of emotions after being diagnosed with liver cancer and given six months to live. and her family. Her story forms the backbone of the film, around the other stories. Richardson manages to present extremely intimate picture that will allow many people to confront and deal with this immensely difficult issue. The daily scenes, seem as if they are in slow motion as the director follows the patient as she walks with her sister and a close friend. Richardson, leaves these scenes as open as possible, not using cut scenes, to illustrate the raw behavior, of what will eventually happen death. The last conversation, until the end scene is, calmly spoken between the three of them, “Susan (another friend of Cody) said she called dibs on your bottom closet.” I believe the film maker ended on this specific scene to illustrate that they have all accepted it, as if they have understood and respected her choices on being in a better place, a place without pain. Our society, as adaptive as we are, has not yet figured out how to deal with this extremely difficult issue. Films like this are extremely powerful tools for allowing us to begin to have that much-needed …show more content…
He wants the audience to really listen to the stories, not just watch them. These camera angles really prove to be effective when the stories become much more detailed, more enticing to the viewers. It does not distract them from the point that is front of them. Along with the simplicity of the camera angles, the interviews are by far the most impacting effect Richardson uses. That’s where he strays because, you never hear him ask a question, all you hear, are answers. It’s a very interesting stand point he uses, because the entire documentary is just the Oregonians describing who they are, and why they choose this life decision. Many of the clips include old film of the patients and who they used to be before they became ill, other clips, simply show them in their daily lives, what they do on a Sunday after noon, which shows the connection that the Oregonians are human, like the rest of the world. Richardson uses a very impacting yet simply approach on cinematography, which gives the audience a raw understanding of the lives and a real approach towards this