Saying Goodbye

This short work consists of 15 video clips that Chicago-based psychiatrist and educator Dr. Geraldine Fox compiled of her elderly father, Si, over an eight-year period, as his health was steadily deteriorating and his emotional state slid into deepening depression. At one point, Si glumly confesses, “I've not really accomplished much in my lifetime.” Observing his 97th birthday at a restaurant, Si comments that he will “hopefully not have many more” such celebrations. Fox's mother is also present—if only in body; she suffered from dementia, which further isolated Si. “It ain't no fun getting old,” he remarks, while grimly viewing his surroundings at a nursing care facility as “a new life and the gateway to infinity.” Fox bills this production as a “personal documentary of attachment and loss at end of life,” but her filmmaking skills are somewhat lacking. The sound is often substandard—a low hiss permeates the soundtrack at some points, while an exterior sequence is ruined by audible gushes of wind around the camera. While Si's plight is heartbreaking, Fox's filming of his anguish feels insensitive—despite the family connection—and the viewer is left feeling both uncomfortable and helpless while listening to Si's barely concealed sorrow and his frank talk about wishing to die. DVD extras include an instructor's manual with discussion tips on topics such as quality of life, stages of grief, and advance directives. Optional. Aud: C, P. (P. Hall)