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IMDbPro

The Ballad of Narayama

Original title: Narayama bushikô
  • 19581958
  • Not RatedNot Rated
  • 1h 38m
IMDb RATING
7.8/10
3.5K
YOUR RATING
Kinuyo Tanaka in The Ballad of Narayama (1958)
A kabuki theatre-inflected story about a poor village whose people have to be carried to a nearby mountain to die once they get old.
Play trailer2:27
1 Video
99+ Photos
Drama
A kabuki theatre-inflected story about a poor village whose people have to be carried to a nearby mountain to die once they get old.A kabuki theatre-inflected story about a poor village whose people have to be carried to a nearby mountain to die once they get old.A kabuki theatre-inflected story about a poor village whose people have to be carried to a nearby mountain to die once they get old.
IMDb RATING
7.8/10
3.5K
YOUR RATING
    • Keisuke Kinoshita
    • Shichirô Fukazawa(stories)
    • Keisuke Kinoshita
  • Stars
    • Kinuyo Tanaka
    • Teiji Takahashi
    • Yûko Mochizuki
    • Keisuke Kinoshita
    • Shichirô Fukazawa(stories)
    • Keisuke Kinoshita
  • Stars
    • Kinuyo Tanaka
    • Teiji Takahashi
    • Yûko Mochizuki
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 19User reviews
    • 37Critic reviews
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards

    Videos1

    Trailer
    Trailer 2:27
    Watch Trailer

    Photos114

    The Ballad of Narayama (1958)
    The Ballad of Narayama (1958)
    The Ballad of Narayama (1958)
    Yûko Mochizuki and Teiji Takahashi in The Ballad of Narayama (1958)
    Teiji Takahashi in The Ballad of Narayama (1958)
    Kinuyo Tanaka in The Ballad of Narayama (1958)
    Teiji Takahashi in The Ballad of Narayama (1958)
    Teiji Takahashi in The Ballad of Narayama (1958)
    Teiji Takahashi and Kinuyo Tanaka in The Ballad of Narayama (1958)
    Teiji Takahashi and Kinuyo Tanaka in The Ballad of Narayama (1958)
    Teiji Takahashi and Kinuyo Tanaka in The Ballad of Narayama (1958)
    Teiji Takahashi and Kinuyo Tanaka in The Ballad of Narayama (1958)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Kinuyo Tanaka
    Kinuyo Tanaka
    • Orin
    Teiji Takahashi
    Teiji Takahashi
    • Tatsuhei
    Yûko Mochizuki
    Yûko Mochizuki
    • Tamayan
    Danko Ichikawa
    Danko Ichikawa
    • Kesakichi
    Seiji Miyaguchi
    Seiji Miyaguchi
    • Mata-yan
    Keiko Ogasawara
    • Matsu-yan
    Yûnosuke Itô
    Yûnosuke Itô
    • Matayan's son
    Eijirô Tôno
    Eijirô Tôno
    • Messenger
    Ken Mitsuda
    Ken Mitsuda
    • Teruyan
    Katsuyuki Hattori
    • Tatsuhei's son
    • (uncredited)
    Tokuji Kobayashi
    • One of the villagers who teaches Narayama's manners
    • (uncredited)
    Kô Nishimura
    Kô Nishimura
    • One of the villagers who Teaches Narayama's Manners
    • (uncredited)
    Masao Oda
    Masao Oda
    • One of the villagers who teaches Narayama's manners
    • (uncredited)
      • Keisuke Kinoshita
      • Shichirô Fukazawa(stories)
      • Keisuke Kinoshita
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

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    Did you know

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    • Trivia
      This was the final film to be added to Roger Ebert's list of "Great Movies" before his death on April 4, 2013 at the age of 70.
    • Connections
      Featured in Tvennesnack: Varför kan vi inte komma ihåg den här jävla filmen? (2022)

    User reviews19

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    9/10
    Almost a Japanese Kabuki drama
    This movie is less well known as the movie of the same name by Shohei Imamura from 1983. It differs in two respects. In the first place there is a material difference. In this movie the center of gravity is on the different ways that people can handle and accept their own mortality. In the Imamura movie the accent is on the battle between the generations for the scarce food supplies.

    In the second place there is a stylistic difference. This movie is much more artificial, reminding of the traditional Japanese Kabuki drama. In its artificiality of the use of colors it also reminds of "Kwaidan" (1964, Masaki Kobayashi).

    I like the version of Keisuke Kinoshita better then the later one of Shohei Imamura. The reason being, I think, that the stylistic artificiality is better suited for the mythical character of the story.
    helpful•2
    0
    • frankde-jong
    • Dec 4, 2021

    Details

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    • Release date
      • June 19, 1961 (United States)
      • Japan
      • Japanese
    • Also known as
      • Japan
    • Production company
      • Shochiku
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

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    • 1 hour 38 minutes
      • Color
      • Mono

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