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The Ballad of Narayama

Original title: Narayama bushikô
  • 19831983
  • Not RatedNot Rated
  • 2h 10m
IMDb RATING
7.8/10
8.5K
YOUR RATING
The Ballad of Narayama (1983)
In a poor 19th century rural Japanese village, everyone who reaches the age of 70 has to climb a nearby mountain to die. An old woman is getting close to the cut-off age, and we follow her last days with her family.
Play trailer2:58
1 Video
34 Photos
Drama
In a poor 19th century rural Japanese village, everyone who reaches the age of 70 has to climb a nearby mountain to die. An elderly woman is reaching close to her cut-off age during her last... Read allIn a poor 19th century rural Japanese village, everyone who reaches the age of 70 has to climb a nearby mountain to die. An elderly woman is reaching close to her cut-off age during her last days with her family.In a poor 19th century rural Japanese village, everyone who reaches the age of 70 has to climb a nearby mountain to die. An elderly woman is reaching close to her cut-off age during her last days with her family.
IMDb RATING
7.8/10
8.5K
YOUR RATING
    • Shôhei Imamura
    • Shôhei Imamura(screenplay)
    • Shichirô Fukazawa(novel)
  • Stars
    • Ken Ogata
    • Sumiko Sakamoto
    • Tonpei Hidari
    • Shôhei Imamura
    • Shôhei Imamura(screenplay)
    • Shichirô Fukazawa(novel)
  • Stars
    • Ken Ogata
    • Sumiko Sakamoto
    • Tonpei Hidari
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 34User reviews
    • 55Critic reviews
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards

    Videos1

    Trailer
    Trailer 2:58
    Watch Trailer

    Photos34

    The Ballad of Narayama (1983)
    The Ballad of Narayama (1983)
    The Ballad of Narayama (1983)
    Ken Ogata and Sumiko Sakamoto in The Ballad of Narayama (1983)
    Ken Ogata and Sumiko Sakamoto in The Ballad of Narayama (1983)
    Sumiko Sakamoto in The Ballad of Narayama (1983)
    Ken Ogata and Sumiko Sakamoto in The Ballad of Narayama (1983)
    Ken Ogata and Sumiko Sakamoto in The Ballad of Narayama (1983)
    Ken Ogata and Sumiko Sakamoto in The Ballad of Narayama (1983)
    The Ballad of Narayama (1983)
    The Ballad of Narayama (1983)
    The Ballad of Narayama (1983)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Ken Ogata
    Ken Ogata
    • Tatsuhei
    Sumiko Sakamoto
    • Orin
    Tonpei Hidari
    • Risuke
    Aki Takejô
    • Tamayan
    Shôichi Ozawa
    • Katsuzô
    Fujio Tokita
    Fujio Tokita
    • Jinsaku
    Sanshô Shinsui
    • Zeniya no Tadayan
    Seiji Kurasaki
    • Kesakichi
    Junko Takada
    • Matsuyan
    Mitsuko Baishô
    • Oei
    Taiji Tonoyama
    Taiji Tonoyama
    • Teruyan
    Casey Takamine
    • Arayashiki
    • (as Kêshi Takamine)
    Nenji Kobayashi
    • Tsune
    Nijiko Kiyokawa
    • Okane
    Akio Yokoyama
    • Amaya
    Kaoru Shimamori
    • Tomekichi
    Yukie Shimura
    • Amaya no Nyôbô
    Masami Okamoto
    • Amaya no Chônan
      • Shôhei Imamura
      • Shôhei Imamura(screenplay)
      • Shichirô Fukazawa(novel)
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Sumiko Sakamoto had her four front teeth extracted so she could better portray the scene where Orin smashes out her front teeth to convince her family that she is old enough to go.
    • Quotes

      Jinsaku: Mom, aren't you dead yet?

      Okane: Not just yet. I ate some white rice and got better.

    • Connections
      Featured in Tvennesnack: Varför kan vi inte komma ihåg den här jävla filmen? (2022)
    • Soundtracks
      Risuke no uta
      Written by Hitoshi Machida

    User reviews34

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    10/10
    Above the normally expected motion picture role
    When a person visits cinema to see a movie, he/she usually expects to see filmed version of some story, whatever the film story shall be. So, let's go and see the Narajama story! Well, Legend of Narajama to me was much more than that. It's expressiveness is above the term "story", "film" etc. It is one o the most incredible things I have seen in my life (beside Rodin's Kiss in his Paris museum, and Trier's Dancer in the dark and few more exceptional works of ... let's use the word "art"). Shockingly naturalizing presentation of way of living in rural part of Japan, simpleness of characters' acceptance of facts of life (giving life for others' survival), nativeness of roles are probably main attributes.

    I've seen it in the year 1984/85, fortunate me, for until tonight's IMDb's Narajama appearance to me this movie has been totally gone.

    Highly recommended!
    helpful•12
    4
    • vivera
    • Dec 16, 2006

    FAQ2

    • Is there more than one version?
    • Is this the only film transcription of the book "The Men of Tohoku"?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • April 29, 1983 (Japan)
      • Japan
      • Japanese
    • Also known as
    • Filming locations
      • Maki Village, Otari, Nagano, Japan
    • Production company
      • Toei Company
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • 2 hours 10 minutes
      • Color
      • Mono

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