Okay, who has read/seen Everything is Illuminated?

[Fireweed247]

I kept reading on DU about how great the movie is, so I rented it but am not totally confused about the Grandpa and the ending...can someone help illuminate the movie for me?

[Donnachaidh]

1. loved the movie -- but it only provides part of the story

The book goes into the history of the town that was wiped off the earth by the Nazis. Grandpa was one of the villagers, who escaped death by a firing squad. He slipped away, and became a Russian citizen, totally blocking out his Jewish heritage.

The woman they find is a former friend of his, and his memories come back to him, including that day he was in the firing line.

[mahina]

2. The grampa was Jewish.

The young man who climbs out of the pile of bodies and was rescued by the girl was the grampa.
The old lady that they visit in the sunflower fields was the sister of the girl who rescued him.
One of my favorite movies of all time...

[question everything]

6. Not only did he climb from the pile of bodies

but the first thing he did was ripped the yellow star patch off his clothes, obviously vowing to live a life of a Christian for the rest of his life.

I thought that the old lady who showed them her collections and took them to that field was the one who rescued him, as she was there... collecting. And, of course, recognized him as soon as they entered her house.

Yes, a very touching movie.

[alfredo]

3. Here's the young cab driver from the movie.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SkkIwO_X4i4

[Champion Jack]

4. There was a dog named Sammy Davis jr. jr.

[camera obscura]

5. Not sure about the movie but make sure you read the book. It makes me bawl every time.

[question everything]

7. Another thing about the ending

many of the people who were at the terminal were the same that he met in his trip - as different characters.

[Donnachaidh]

9. that was an allegorical sequence

That fits in with the story.

[Arugula Latte]

8. Aaargh -- I read that book, and I truly struggled to get through it.

I don't know, it irritated me to no end. I had to frequently resist the urge to chuck it across the room.