
Discount Funeral
Season 11 Episode 1104 | 28m 10sVideo has Closed Captions
A haunting scrapbook portrait of small-town America.
Through raw, unfiltered glimpses of dozens of lives in Birmingham, Alabama, Discount Funeral stitches together faces, places, and fleeting moments into a surreal portrait of America. Fragmented yet intimate, the film reveals the beauty, grit, and quiet strangeness embedded in everyday existence.
Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback
Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback
Support for Reel South is made possible by the ETV Endowment of South Carolina, National Endowment for the Arts, and Wyncote Foundation.

Discount Funeral
Season 11 Episode 1104 | 28m 10sVideo has Closed Captions
Through raw, unfiltered glimpses of dozens of lives in Birmingham, Alabama, Discount Funeral stitches together faces, places, and fleeting moments into a surreal portrait of America. Fragmented yet intimate, the film reveals the beauty, grit, and quiet strangeness embedded in everyday existence.
Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback
How to Watch REEL SOUTH
REEL SOUTH is available to stream on pbs.org and the free PBS App, available on iPhone, Apple TV, Android TV, Android smartphones, Amazon Fire TV, Amazon Fire Tablet, Roku, Samsung Smart TV, LG TV, and Vizio.
Providing Support for PBS.org
Learn Moreabout PBS online sponsorship(soft tense music) (soft tense music) (rain splashing) (device rattling) (fire blazing) (ominous circus music) (ominous circus music continues) (ominous circus music continues) (water splashing) (ominous circus music continues) (indistinct chatting) (birds chirping) (lighter clicking) (fire igniting) (fire swooshing) (tense music) - [Radio] That's the thing isn't it?
I'm starting to thinking today will be the last day.
I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I am sorry.
So, more game, Montanas.
Okay, this is getting hot.
(indistinct cheering) (indistinct radio chatter) (claw machine whirring) - [Child] No.
(music grows ominous) (dog barking) - About to get started on your warmups.
First game up is on your blue and white paper.
All these games are four outside corners or a straight line bingo.
First number's on the monitor.
O-68.
Thank you for the tip.
(balls rumbling) O-66.
You got one down?
I'll stop at first possible.
O-67.
O-75.
- Bingo!
Watch it back there.
- [Caller] 187.
No.
Her card flipped.
75184.
(crickets buzzing) (ominous music) (ominous music continues) (cars driving) (speaking in foreign language) (discordant rap music) (ominous music) (driver grunting aggressively) (guitars warming up) (crowd cheers) (wrestlers thud) (people applauding) (people clapping rhythmically) (wrestlers thud) (crowd cheering) - [Crowd] One, two, no!
(balloons squeaking) (balloon pops) - [Pink Shirt] Oh!
(balloons squeaking) (car engine roaring) (indistinct chatting) (car engine roaring) (cars rumbling) (car engines roaring) (tires squeal) (quad bike engine revving) - [Onlooker] Ah shit, my bad.
- [Racer] You good, you good, thank you.
(car engine revving) (car rumbling) (ominous music) (car engine revving) (soda cans click) (people chattering) - [Official] Get set, go.
(people cheering) (people cheering and clapping) (distant pop music) (can sprays) (can sprays) (can sprays) (can sprays) (pins rattling) (people chattering and laughing) (people chattering) (crickets chirping) (indistinct conversation) - You going hunting?
- No.
- That should be your show.
- Okay.
- Thank you for seeing me.
Thank you for supporting me, I really appreciate ya.
- Give me a chef.
- I gave you all the snappers in there.
- You did?
- Yeah.
- [Shopkeeper] Good Lord I'm tired.
What you got baby?
(people chattering) - You got no tip jar?
- What is that?
- [Shopkeeper] Tip jar.
- [Customer] A tip jar.
- I ain't go no damn tip jar.
- Yeah, we got a tip jar.
I got a tip jar.
- You wanna tip me?
You owe me a Ben.
- I know, I know.
- You owe me a Ben.
- I know what you want.
(shopkeepers laughing) - Thank you for wanting to tip.
- [Customer] I love you man.
- [Shopkeeper] Love you too, have a good day brother.
(people chattering continues) - [Customer] Do you think it's a bad idea to duct tape this?
(fireworks popping) (people chattering) (ominous music) (hydraulics hissing) (tires scraping) (skate wheels humming) - [Child] Met my boyfriend at the candy shop.
He bought me aspirin.
He bought me cake.
He brought me home with a tummy ache.
Mama, Mama, I feel sick.
Call the doctor.
Quick, quick, quick, Doctor, Doctor, will I die?
Close your eyes and count to five.
One, two, three, four, five.
I'm alive!
Six, seven, eight, nine, 10.
I'm dead again.
(relaxing music) (relaxing music continues) (water running) (wheels clicking) (static hissing) (train whistling) (person whistling) (whistling continues) (whistling continues) (relaxing music) (bird wings flapping) (birdseed scatters) (birds flocking) (wings flapping) (cicadas chirping) (tap shoes clicking) (tap shoe clicking continues) (sliders screaming) (roller coaster rattling) - [Announcer] Alright, we'll now give him all the time he needs to prepare.
This is not the type of dive that you want to rush into.
Once he gives us the signal, then we will count him in.
(lighter clicking) Alright, there it is.
That's the thumbs up.
So let's all count him in, from five, four, three, two, one.
Fire!
Woo-hoo, look at those flames.
I can feel the heat just from here.
- [Audience] Jump in already!
Give it up, he wants to hear you.
And there he goes, head first into the water.
What an incredible stunt.
Always impressive.
The swim to the edge is almost as impressive as the dive in all that gear.
It is quite heavy when fully soaked.
Now let's give it up for the hottest guy in Alabama, our Fire Diver Clark.
(audience cheering) And once for a big round of applause for the entire crew of the "All American High Dive Show."
All right, thank you ladies, ladies and gentlemen, that's our show, thank you for attending.
We hope you had fun and please enjoy the rest of your day here at the park.
- [Staff Member] Thank you guys.
(audience chattering) Thank you guys.
Wow, did you feel it?
All right.
(electronic buzzing) (audience chattering) - Mom, that was scary.
(buzzing stops) - Mack!
(soft music) - [Announcer] Funding for "Reel South" is brought to you by ETV Endowment of South Carolina, National Endowment for the Arts, and Wyncote Foundation.
(gentle music)
Dancing Through Birmingham, Alabama
Video has Closed Captions
Clip: S11 Ep1104 | 1m 33s | Scenes of dancers rehearsing and joyfully performing in Birmingham, Alabama. (1m 33s)
Providing Support for PBS.org
Learn Moreabout PBS online sponsorshipSupport for PBS provided by:
Support for Reel South is made possible by the ETV Endowment of South Carolina, National Endowment for the Arts, and Wyncote Foundation.
















