And you may ask yourself:

For what purpose might a celestial entity, specifically a reaper of souls, take an interest in the audio-visual medium of film?

Allow me to retort.

As the personification of the collective fears of all humanity, I have been inflicted with many names. Death, the Grim Reaper, the Ferryman, and so on; my origins are as myriad as my titles. The Greeks labeled me a psychopomp, charged to guide the souls of the dead. While I may listen and observe, my domain isn’t the corporeal; I exist between the ticks of a clock, the eternities between falling grains of sand.

A wise individual once wrote, “You lived what anybody gets… You got a lifetime. No more. No less.” I agree; life should never be taken for granted, and as a mythological creation of the imagination, I am by definition devoid of it. Why anyone would purposely give up such a gift is beyond me, but I am intrigued by the notion nonetheless.

To be specific, it isn’t a lifetime squandered or spent that captures my attention; mortal dreams and desires do, however, places I cannot see into. I can look upon the written word, but lacking experience to call my own, I consider my imagination an undependable resource. All forms of mortal art and music suggest story and emotion, and while theatre is close to my existential heart, it wasn’t until the creation of motion pictures that all of these mediums converged for me in a meaningful way.

I became obsessed.

A collaborative and cooperative medium, your “filmmaking” harnessed the musings of a writer to guide the direction of actors in an imaginary world by pushing the boundaries of creativity to suspend disbelief. The colors and sights; the activity and musical swells; the triumphs and loss; all of it transported me. The need for mortals to tell their stories equaled my need to receive them, their documentaries of desire.

Most interesting to me were the ones about monsters, creatures once or almost human serving as metaphors or giving form to fears… things such as myself. As of the year 2017, a repository called the Internet Movie Database once listed 462 films, televisions shows, and other audio-visual stories that included “Death” as a character — flattering, to say the least. Whether the portrayal was whimsical, metaphorical, or not-to-be-trifled-with, their interpretations reveal as much about the times as they do of their creators.

While my purview excludes judgment of one’s soul — not my department — I have no such restriction with regards to your films. I prefer complexity and character but can be lured into spectacle… and I absolutely seek to be entertained.

Thou shalt not bore me.

I also confess an interest in observing reactions, the way mortals watch and are affected.

When the theater darkens and your consciousness becomes consumed by the silver screen, be wary of those moments when the plot turns, when you shift in your seat as a reminder you’re still safe in the cinema… glancing around while inwardly embarrassed you might have been noticed.

And perhaps you were noticed — by me, smiling unseen in the darkness next to you. Rest assured your immortal soul wasn’t in any immediate jeopardy.

I was just enjoying the show.

💀 #grmdrpr

From the aforementioned wise individual: