In "Live again, die again" a young woman gets resuscitated out of a long cryogenic sleep. The movie is a blend of mystery thriller and science fiction. Viewed as a mystery thriller, "Live again, die again" finds itself somewhere on the spectrum between hothouse Gothic and grand guignol. Near the end the grand guignol wins out. Most of the plot can be followed without trouble but the ending feels muddled, probably as a result of editing choices.
Some of the elements mentioned in the course of the movie, such as the secret garden designed by the loving husband, are never fully exploited. Another element that remains under-used is the difference between past and present with regard to fashion, culture, technology, environment... More inventive writing might have seen the heroine do battle with a new type of alarm system, a new type of toll booth or a new type of escalator.
The science fiction premise serves mainly as a starting point for a tale about twisted family dynamics growing even more dangerous. Here, the sudden reappearance of a wife and mother arouses strong emotions, not all of them happy.
The family context depicted in "Live again, die again" is far from typical but still, one wonders how one would react to the resurrection of a deceased relative. After the first open-mouthed shock had worn off, what would become the predominant emotion - joy, anger, envy, gratitude ? Or perhaps just a pervasive sense of wrongness and unnaturalness ?
People interested in another exploration of some of the same themes - this time from a comedy angle - can take a look at the French "Hibernatus" with Louis de Funès. In "Hibernatus" a deep-frozen ancestor returns from the dead, with far-reaching consequences for his descendants. (Wrote a small review there too.)
Some of the elements mentioned in the course of the movie, such as the secret garden designed by the loving husband, are never fully exploited. Another element that remains under-used is the difference between past and present with regard to fashion, culture, technology, environment... More inventive writing might have seen the heroine do battle with a new type of alarm system, a new type of toll booth or a new type of escalator.
The science fiction premise serves mainly as a starting point for a tale about twisted family dynamics growing even more dangerous. Here, the sudden reappearance of a wife and mother arouses strong emotions, not all of them happy.
The family context depicted in "Live again, die again" is far from typical but still, one wonders how one would react to the resurrection of a deceased relative. After the first open-mouthed shock had worn off, what would become the predominant emotion - joy, anger, envy, gratitude ? Or perhaps just a pervasive sense of wrongness and unnaturalness ?
People interested in another exploration of some of the same themes - this time from a comedy angle - can take a look at the French "Hibernatus" with Louis de Funès. In "Hibernatus" a deep-frozen ancestor returns from the dead, with far-reaching consequences for his descendants. (Wrote a small review there too.)