After watching this film last night for the umpteenth time I decided to finally write a piece up about Gates of Heaven, which has to be one of the greatest documentaries ever made, a film so full of joy and serendipity it appears to be creating itself as it goes along.
On the surface we are watching the goings on behind a pet cemetery, the story of a family, the rivalry between prior and current owners of the cemetery and clients who wish to have their pets buried there. It should be noted that these people really really loved their pets, and we see interviews with pet owners who treat their animals like they are a part of their families. This love is what gives the film its real meaning; the more they speak about the love of their animals, the more they reveal about themselves: what it means to bury a pet and afford it an afterlife is a symbol for what we all hope for.
Astonishing first work from Errol Morris, a master observer.
On the surface we are watching the goings on behind a pet cemetery, the story of a family, the rivalry between prior and current owners of the cemetery and clients who wish to have their pets buried there. It should be noted that these people really really loved their pets, and we see interviews with pet owners who treat their animals like they are a part of their families. This love is what gives the film its real meaning; the more they speak about the love of their animals, the more they reveal about themselves: what it means to bury a pet and afford it an afterlife is a symbol for what we all hope for.
Astonishing first work from Errol Morris, a master observer.