Chelsea Gilbert-Cold Fever

The movie is centered upon a Japanese businessman whose grandfather has told him he has to perform a ritual for his parents who died seven years ago. At first he is unsure and unwilling of such a task because he is not a religious man. But with some time he decides it will be the right thing to do so he goes to Iceland from Japan. After arriving and traveling some on foot, he buys a car from a weird girl who talks about the car as if it was a divine creation. Then he gets a flat tire, making him on the verge of giving up on this seemingly impossible trip. However, he meets a couple who takes him in and then gives him a spare tire. This example is found in the packet The Journey Symbol, where it is stated that spiritual journeys have helpers assist in the pilgrimage. During his trip he meets a variety of symbolic people who prove to be other challengers and assistors to his journey. There is the woman who photographs funerals. She tells him about death, ghosts, and spirits, making him think twice about his nonreligious beliefs. The next day he hears a scream, which starts his broken down car. Hirata would not have been able to continue his journey without gaining some knowledge from the woman. He also meets a crazy American couple that kills a young girl for a hot dog and then leaves the man stranded on a road, taking his car. They serve as a diversion from the quest and possible sin. Lastly, the most significant person he meets is a wise old man (Journey Symbol). He helps Hirata to get to his destination and requires him to cross the bridge by himself, which turns out to be the pivotal part of the movie. The Japanese man can rely on no one but himself and his desire to perform the ritual. He eventually does, all the while, making a memorable journey that lasts a lifetime. Hirata experienced what we have learned as a sacred journey. This is best explained by Lane's four axioms. The first, "sacred place is not chosen, it chooses" is portrayed because the man did not choose where he wanted to have a sacred ritual, but rather he had to go to Iceland. He did not want to go there, however it was the place that they should be honored and remain sacred forever. The second axiom "sacred place is an ordinary place ritually made extraordinary" is seen in effect a few times throughout the movie. It is most importantly seen when he performs the ritual at the river, but also when the man is digging the grave at the funeral procession. This proves that any piece of once-ordinary land can be made extraordinary. Even a simple place like one's backyard or in a park can one day be seen as sacred. The third axiom "sacred place can be tred upon without being entered" is represented by Hirata's travels through Iceland. Although he is walking there for his journey, he never really let himself, nor wanted to let himself, be open to being there until the end. He did not wish to see the beauty or experience the sacredness of where the ritual was performed. And the fourth axiom is about being both local and universal, and is shown by Hirata's newfound knowledge about religion and spirits. He became more in touch with the idea of what religion means after traveling his journey and performing the ritual. This was an interesting movie and a little strange at times, but it showed many examples of what defines sacred place and how it can come about.