Beyond And Back is a 1978 documentary film on the subject of near-death experiences released by Sunn Classic Pictures. This is one of the first films to tackle this topic and ask the question of “is there life after death”.
The feature film is narrated by Brad Crandall and claims to use authentic accounts of what researchers are now calling near-death experiences (NDEs). Generally, patients who experience a near-death experience are clinically “dead” (lose some or all vital signs), but are subsequently resuscitated using modern medical techniques or procedures, such as CPR. Some people who have had near-death experiences have described their experiences so vividly, which in turn has sparked the interest of some in the medical community to study the phenomenon. For example, Ernest Hemingway was badly wounded by an exploding shell during a battle as a young soldier in World War I. He claims to have felt his spirit leave his body, fly around for a while and then come back again. The famous writer later wrote this real experience into the novel “A Farewell to Arms”.
Many others said they walked through a long dark tunnel and saw a bright light at the other end, which they knew was a divine presence. They talked about looking back on their lives and knowing they had a second chance to go back to their old lives. This feature sheds further light on a study the manufacturer claims was conducted by scientists involving terminally ill patients. The dying were said to be placed in a special bed with delicate scales attached to it. Doctors determined that in each case a few ounces were lost at the exact time of death. Doctors are said to have wondered if it might be the spirit leaving the body.
