Still gathering my thoughts upon my first rewatch of this film, but this is truly one of the most beautiful films ever made; both visually and narratively. The reoccurring imagery of water throughout is a haunting reminder of what’s to come. I was already brought to tears on my first watch, but on my second watch I couldn’t help but notice every bit of foreshadowing that went into the end of this film, and it hurt even more. It touches on the inevitability of death, how quickly one’s life can be ripped from them due to one wrong move. It asks the question; Where do we go when we die? Do we go anywhere at all?
The imagery of Giovanni and Campanella driving straight into the black hole immediately after the scene with what looked to be like heaven, tells me everything I need to know about what this film is trying to say. Campanella’s line about “a real heaven”, him seeing a field that isn’t actually there. To me, this film is about accepting death as it is. We are all made up of parts from the universe, and that is where we’ll go when we die. Some choose to believe in an afterlife for comfort, others don’t. One thing’s for certain and that is that we will all die eventually. That’s why it’s important to make the most with what you have. This film isn’t pro religion, or anti religion it’s simply exploring why people believe what they believe. Night On The Galactic Railroad has so much heart, so much love, and so much pain to give.
Still gathering my thoughts upon my first rewatch of this film, but this is truly one of the most beautiful films ever made; both visually and narratively. The reoccurring imagery of water throughout is a haunting reminder of what’s to come. I was already brought to tears on my first watch, but on my second watch I couldn’t help but notice every bit of foreshadowing that went into the end of this film, and it hurt even more. It touches on the inevitability of death, how quickly one’s life can be ripped from them due to one wrong move. It asks the question; Where do we go when we die? Do we go anywhere at all?
The imagery of Giovanni and Campanella driving straight into the black hole immediately after the scene with what looked to be like heaven, tells me everything I need to know about what this film is trying to say. Campanella’s line about “a real heaven”, him seeing a field that isn’t actually there. To me, this film is about accepting death as it is. We are all made up of parts from the universe, and that is where we’ll go when we die. Some choose to believe in an afterlife for comfort, others don’t. One thing’s for certain and that is that we will all die eventually. That’s why it’s important to make the most with what you have. This film isn’t pro religion, or anti religion it’s simply exploring why people believe what they believe. Night On The Galactic Railroad has so much heart, so much love, and so much pain to give.
