The Ballad of Narayama (1983)
Narayama bushikô (original title)Reference View | Change View
- Not Rated
- 2h 10min
- Drama, Mystery
- 29 Apr 1983 (Japan)
- Movie
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.
Director:
Writers:
Stars:
Awards:
- 9 wins & 9 nominations.
- See more »
Photos and Videos
Complete, Cast awaiting verification
| 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
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| 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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Kaoru Shimamori | ... |
Tomekichi
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Yukie Shimura | ... |
Amaya no Nyôbô
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Masami Okamoto | ... |
Amaya no Chônan
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Hideo Hasegawa |
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Ben Hiura | ... |
Yakimatsu
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Kenji Murase |
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Kosei Sato |
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| Norihei Miki | ... |
Shioya
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Kansai Eto | ... |
Kin'yan
(as Kan Etô)
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Ryûtarô Tatsumi | ... |
Zeniya no Matayan
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Satoko Iwasaki |
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Sayaka Nakamaru |
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Azumi Tanba |
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Directed by
| Shôhei Imamura | ||
Written by
| Shôhei Imamura | ... | (screenplay) (as Shohei Imamura) |
| Shichirô Fukazawa | ... | (novel) |
Produced by
| Gorô Kusakabe | ... | producer |
| Jirô Tomoda | ... | producer |
Music by
| Shinichirô Ikebe | ||
Cinematography by
| Hiroshi Kanazawa | ||
| Shigeru Komatsubara | ||
| Masao Tochizawa | ||
Editing by
| Toshihiko Kojima | ||
| Fusako Matsumoto | ||
| Hajime Okayasu | ||
| Yoshiko Onodera | ||
| Masahito Watanabe | ||
Editorial Department
| Kazuko Okayasu | ... | negative cutter |
Production Design by
| Gorô Kusakabe | ||
Art Direction by
| Hisao Inagaki | ||
| Tadataka Yoshino | ||
Set Decoration by
| Senki Nakamura | ... | (stage setting manager) |
| Mitsuto Washizawa | ... | (stage setting producer) |
Costume Design by
| Kyoto Isho | ||
Makeup Department
| Seiko Igawa | ... | makeup artist |
| Zenichirô Ishikawa | ... | wigs |
| Takeshi Matsuo | ... | key hair stylist |
| Yôichi Mitsuoka | ... | key hair stylist |
| Tomoe Ookawa | ... | hair stylist |
Production Management
| Kimiyoshi Adachi | ... | production manager |
| Kanji Aoi | ... | production manager |
| Sôji Fukushima | ... | production manager |
| Hisashi Iino | ... | assistant production manager |
| Shinji Komiya | ... | unit production manager |
| Ikuko Murase | ... | assistant unit manager |
| Nobutsugu Tsubomi | ... | production manager |
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
| Shunsaku Ikehata | ... | assistant director |
| Nobuaki Murooka | ... | assistant director |
| Kunio Takeshige | ... | assistant director |
| Takashi Tsukinoki | ... | assistant director |
Art Department
| Noriyuki Sugimori | ... | modeling |
Sound Department
| Kenichi Benitani | ... | sound |
| Toshio Nakano | ... | assistant sound |
| Tatsuo Tsukamoto | ... | assistant sound |
Special Effects by
| Yoshio Kojima | ... | special effects |
Camera and Electrical Department
| Kenji Ishikuro | ... | still photographer |
| Yasuo Iwaki | ... | gaffer / lighting technician |
| Tadahiro Kimura | ... | gaffer |
| Yûjirô Miura | ... | gaffer |
| Masayuki Okao | ... | gaffer |
Script and Continuity Department
| Midori Kuwabara | ... | script supervisor |
Additional Crew
| Yasuhiko Chiga | ... | dentistry |
| Yoshiyaka Hayakawa | ... | garden designer |
| Naomi Honjô | ... | cooking supervisor |
| Katsuyuki Katô | ... | unit publicist |
| Shinji Komiya | ... | production controller |
| Tsuguo Kuroda | ... | livestock glass |
| Toshiyuki Mogi | ... | publicist |
| Yoshiko Morita | ... | cooking supervisor |
| Ryôhei Nakagawa | ... | caterer |
| Hideo Suzuki | ... | title designer |
| Uichiro Takeda | ... | hawk trainer |
| Hiroshi Tanaka | ... | dentistry |
| Teruyuki Tanaka | ... | garden designer |
| Tsuneyoshi Yamada | ... | publicist |
| Yasuo Yamamoto | ... | publicist |
Production Companies
Distributors
- Toei Company (1983) (Japan) (theatrical)
- Gaumont (1983) (France) (theatrical) (co-distribution)
- Gerick Distribution (1983) (France) (theatrical)
- Cannon Film Distributors Ltd. (1984) (United Kingdom) (theatrical) (subtitled)
- Kino International (1984) (United States) (theatrical) (subtitled)
- Taurus Cinematografica (1984) (Italy) (theatrical)
- AGS Vidéo (1984) (Canada) (VHS) (Dubbed)
- Vision Per Fredlund A/S (1987) (Norway) (theatrical)
- Kino Video (1989) (Greece) (VHS)
- trigon-film (2005) (Switzerland) (theatrical) (subtitled)
- trigon-film (2007) (Switzerland) (DVD)
- Umbrella Entertainment (2009) (Australia) (video) (VOD) (subtitled)
- Divisa Home Video (2010) (Spain) (DVD)
- Ritka Video (2010) (Czechia) (DVD)
- Umbrella Entertainment (2010) (Australia) (DVD) (subtitled)
- Umbrella Entertainment (2010) (Australia) (tv) (subtitled)
- Eureka Entertainment (2011) (United Kingdom) (DVD)
- Kam & Ronson Enterprise Co (2012) (Hong Kong) (DVD)
- La Rabbia (2018) (France) (theatrical) (re-release) (digitally restored version)
- New Star (2024) (Greece) (theatrical) (re-release)
- Cinemagia (Brazil) (DVD)
- Sato Home Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)
Special Effects
Other Companies
- Cannes Film Festival (festival)
- Denki Kagaku kôgyô (post-production)
- Locarno International Film Festival (festival)
- Maruzen katsura (wigs)
- Nikkatsu Studio (sound post-production)
- Okamoto Gisho (wigs)
- Sanwa Cine Equipment Rental Co. (camera equipment provided by)
- Toronto International Film Festival (festival)
Storyline
| Plot Summary |
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 |
| Plot Keywords | |
| Taglines | Only time could change the cruelty of tradition ... only their Love could survive it ... See more » |
| Genres | |
| Parents Guide | View content advisory » |
| Certification |
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Did You Know?
| 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. See more » |
| Movie Connections | Featured in Cannes On Fandor: Two-Time Palme D'Or Winning Directors (2017). See more » |
| Soundtracks | Risuke no uta See more » |
| Quotes |
Risuke:
Hey Tsune! You guys tossed the dead baby in my paddy! Tsune: Sure did. I figured that in Stinker's paddy, the stench would make it rot quicker... so I went out of my way to do you a favor. Be grateful. Risuke: Who needs fertilizer like that? That was your brother, wasn't it? Tsune: Wasn't my fault. Risuke: You thought it'd be a girl, but you got a boy. Serves you right! Tsune: You moron! You were almost thrown away yourself. Risuke: You too. Same goes for all the yakkos in the village! Tsune: Man you stink! If the next one's a boy, I'll go to your stinking paddy... and toss it there... Risuke: I don't want... fertilizer like that... See more » |