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.
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Title: The Ballad of Narayama (1983)
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9 wins & 8 nominations.
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Cast
| Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
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Ken Ogata | ... | Tatsuhei |
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Sumiko Sakamoto | ... | Orin |
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Tonpei Hidari | ... | Risuke |
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Aki Takejô | ... | Tamayan |
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Shôichi Ozawa | ... | Katsuzô |
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Fujio Tokita | ... | Jinsaku |
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Sanshô Shinsui | ... | Zeniya no Tadayan |
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Seiji Kurasaki | ... | Kesakichi |
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Junko Takada | ... | Matsuyan |
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Mitsuko Baishô | ... | Oei |
| Taiji Tonoyama | ... | Teruyan | |
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Casey Takamine | ... | Arayashiki (as Kêshi Takamine) |
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Nenji Kobayashi | ... | Tsune |
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Nijiko Kiyokawa | ... | Okane |
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Akio Yokoyama | ... | Amaya |
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Plot Summary
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Storyline
In a small village in a valley everyone who reaches the age of 70 must leave the village and go to a certain mountain top to die. If anyone should refuse he or she would disgrace their family. Old Orin is 69. This winter it is her turn to go to the mountain. But first she must make sure that her eldest son Tatsuhei finds a wife. Written by Mattias Thuresson
Taglines:
Only time could change the cruelty of tradition ... only their Love could survive it ... See more »Genres:
DramaParents Guide:
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Details
Country:
JapanLanguage:
JapaneseRelease Date:
29 April 1983 (Japan) See more »Also Known As:
The Ballad of Narayama See more »Company Credits
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Runtime:
Sound Mix:
MonoColor:
ColorAspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1
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Performed by Sumiko Sakamoto
Courtesy of Radio City Records
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Did You Know?
Trivia
"Narayama" translates literally into English as "oak mountain". See more »Soundtracks
Oya wo nemurasu komori utaPerformed by Sumiko Sakamoto
Courtesy of Radio City Records
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This is a film about a culture that has evolved to deal with food scarcity. The people of the village have taken their choices to the extreme. Food is so hard to get (and keep) that the very old and very young must leave. Babiy boys are left to die in the snow, baby girls are raised only to be sold, and the old are brought to the mountain to die. The only thing there is plenty of is sex, for all but one man called Stinker by his peers.
The villagers are intent to secure life for themselves and their family and will do anything necessary. In the middle of this all lives an old lady, almost 70 (the dying age) but healthy and strong. She does not want to burden the family, so she gives up her place in order for the young ones to live.
Imamura registers all this without judgment. This is a lesson to most people, filmmakers in particular. See, feel, but don't judge right away. See, feel, think, and then try to understand.