The Ballad of Narayama Movie Review 1983

Director Imamura's subtle and vastly moving story takes place a vague century ago. In compliance with village law designed to control population among the poverty-stricken peasants, a healthy 70-year-old woman must submit to solitary starvation atop a nearby mountain. We follow her as she sets into motion the final influence she will have in the lives of her children and grandchildren, a situation described with detachment and without imposing a tragic perspective. In Japanese with English subtitles.

Distribution

Kino International, 333 W. 39th St., Ste. 503, New York, NY 10018, Phone: (212)629-6880, Toll-free: 800-562-3330, Fax: (212)714-0871, Email: contact@kino.com, URL: http://www.kino.com

Available on VHS
Running time 129 minutes.
Originally from Japanese.

Cast and Crew

Genres

Historical Drama, Parenthood, Growing Older, Japan, 4 Bones

Screenplay

Shohei Imamura

Cast

Ken Ogata, Sumiko Sakamota, Takejo Aki, Tonpei Hidari, Shoichi Ozawa

Cinematography

Maseo Tochizawa

Director

Shohei Imamura

Music

Shinichiro Ikebe

Producer

Toei, Shochiku Company

Awards

Cannes 1983: Film.