Wakeful Nights AnimEigo // Unrated // $24.98 // April 1, 2008
Review by Thomas Spurlin | posted April 29, 2008 E - M A I L
this review to a friend Graphical Version Wakeful Nights, a
goofy Japanese screwball comedy from director Masahiku Tsugawa,
makes light of celebrating death. In all honesty, do we really
want a bunch of people standing around shrouded in black
clothing as they solemnly sob over our deaths? There's ways of
remembering and feeling ardent about a close individual's death
without all the bleakness; Tsugawa's film, quite humorously,
shows some of the more loony ways to celebrate a loved one's
death through song, dance, and storytelling - all done with
unabashed vulgarity and quirky character interactions.  The
Film:  It all starts, first and foremost, with a most honorable
honey pot. Just think about that, for a moment.  Wakeful Nights,
based on a story by Ramo Nakajima, tells the story of a
masterful rakugo storyteller's death, following a bizarre
miscommunication of his final wishes while on