“The Funeral,” March 10, 2014 (1984), DVD. This 1984 work was Juzo Itami’s first film as a director and writer He is better known for his comedies “Tampopo” and “A Taxing Woman”. I enjoyed the former and found the latter boring. Narrated by the son-in-law, the film follows the funeral of a curmudgeonly older man in Japan’s highly materialistic culture As per tradition, mourning – – including the wake – – takes place in the home For younger family members this is their first real funeral They have to learn the rituals on the fly. Which way does the coffin face?. The priest arrives in. a Rolls Royce How much should they spend and what are their obligations? Display matters They watch videos to learn what to say and how to act The narrator’s mistress shows up and almost blows the whole thing up Despite these comic elements, the film displays real poignancy – – especially through the widow – – and is never saccharine A lighter touch, but nonetheless this might be usefully paired with “Departures.”