The Ballad of Narayama (1983)

"From two-time Palme d'Or-winning director Shohei IMAMURA comes a powerful and unforgettable human drama with exquisite cinematography. A milestone in Japanese Cinema, this film will question your fundamental view of humanity, and offers a glimpse into a timeless world where survival overrules compassion, and the decisions of who shall live and die are born of starving necessity and animal instinct.

In a small village in a remote valley, everyone who reaches the age of 70 is banished to the top of Mt. Narayama to die, so as not to be a burden on the village and bring disgrace upon their family. Old Orin is 69, and despite being in good health, in the coming winter it will be her turn to leave. But first, there are a few things that need doing.

DVD Features:

Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
Presented in Anamorphic Widescreen
Japanese with English Subtitles

Bonus Material Includes: Image Gallery
Program Notes
Original Theatrical Trailers
"

Life and Death

There are some classic images in Japanese film, scenes that stick with you long after the film is over. Takakura Ken, tattooed and brandishing his sword, about to take vengeance for his master. A hill with five mounds, each with a sword sticking from the top. This scene of Ogata Ken carrying his mother on his back, climbing up the mountain where he will leave her to die, has got to be among them. It is a powerful and moving image.

"The Ballad of Narayama" ("Narayama Bushiko") is a re-make of the 1958 film of the same name, which is in turn an adaptation of two books by Fukuzawa Shichiro, "The Ballad of Narayama" and "The Men of Tohoku", which were in turn based on an old folk legend called "The Mountain where Old People were Abandoned" from the 11th Century book Konjaku Monogatari. This is not true history, and there is no evidence that such a tradition ever existed outside of folktales. Life in the mountains was undeniably harsh, but not to the extent that human beings were abandoned like so much garbage.

A film does not have to be historically accurate, however, to have impact. Under the skilled hand of director Imamura Shohei, the story becomes an allegory for the physicality of human life, for the ephemeral nature of being alive. Characters reduced to their most primal aspects of survival do little more than gather food, have sex when they can, making new people to repeat the cycle, then grow old and become a burden with the younger generation silently hoping they would die off and clear some room. I was struck by how little human society has changed over the years, and by how much of my life I spend doing those very same things, just following my instincts and obeying my biological imperative.

"The Ballad of Narayama" is all about the biological imperative, and the conflict involved when animals are allowed to think and feel. Ogata Ken (Vengeance Is Mine) plays Tatsuhei, a strong and gruff man who is the leader of his family. He is a violent and primal character, but even this is mostly bluster. Inside, he is torn up over the ritual of carrying his beloved mother up the mountain to her death. But she will not be shamed, and demands that her son complete his task with dignity. All of the needs of survival and the pressures of survival drive him towards this, but he lacks the strength of will to stand against it.

While a brilliant film, it is not without its faults. Imamura intercuts the film with images of animals procreating, birthing and dieing, but sometimes the metaphor is too heavy handed. We get it, OK? Tone it down a little. Also, during the most dramatic part of the film, the climb up the mountain, the music is a synthesized bass line that does not suit the mood at all. For such a powerful and primal scene, electronic music was not the best choice.

These are minor faults though, and completely overshadowed by the rest of the film. An amazing movie by an amazing director.
September 25, 2008

A new meaning to "going up to the mountain"...

Definitely got my attention since I'm 69, and if I were living in the poor little village, I'd have to be packing my final bags. Except that I wouldn't be allowed any bags..it would be just me and the snow up there all alone to wait for the end. BUT I'll enjoy life while I can right now and that includes watching this beautiful film...the cinamatography is terrific, the actors are super, the footnotes include education on Japanese folkways and language...all in all a film to remember and recommend. June 21, 2008

What is the meaning of life...or death?

Quite a few Asian films - Korean, Japanese, Chinese - explore the meaning of old age and specifically the cycle of life. This is one of the great themes of this film. The essential fact of this movie is that, through custom (and religion), the parents who reach age 70 are to leave the society and meet their end on the top of the Mountain Narayama. In a sense, it is both frightening and sacred. The cycle of life continues with the younger generation.

Everyone who sees this provocative movie will talk about its striking visual beauty. But more importantly, it strikes a nerve - how should society allocate its scarce resources. Ironically, the fact that the old are left to die by exposure is not necessarily a statement that the elders are not valued by the society. The old are valued...but they need to recognize their function in letting the young take their place. The act of death, therefore, becomes a sacred rite. This is very vividly presented in the last frames.

This is a thinking person's film. It also depicts in visual form a very primitive society, letting us have a picture of what the world must have looked like 10,000 years ago.
Highly recommended. April 25, 2008

The Starkness And Beauty Of Mortality

There is no film quite like this one. It concerns a small village in 18th-19th century northern Japan, where life is indeed a difficult struggle. The necessities of life are so limited and hard to come by (and therefore precious)that, when the grandmother (Orin) of the family reaches age 70, she must, in the tradition of the village, be taken up to the mountaintop to die. Although she is in perfect health, she accepts her fate more readily than does her family (or than other 70 year-olds). She knows that, by dying, she is making room for the next person to be born into the village. She accepts the cycle of birth and death.
The film is one of the most beautifully photographed films that I've seen. Its colours are rich and communicative (the camera shots of winter make one feel cold, the greens of spring make one feel reborn).
Life is precious because it is impermanent. Orin accepts this, so both her life and death are full. Her serenity as she simply sits (in prayer) on the mountain, in the snow, awaiting death is enviable.
Watch this film. Its depiction of the starkness and beauty of life is graphic, hard, humorous, and profound, all at the same time.
I'm happy that it is now being released on DVD. April 25, 2008

FINALLY! I HAVE WAITED FOR 20 YEARS FOR THIS MOVIE TO COME TO DVD

I have collected thousands of movies of all genre, and perhaps 2-300 are Japanese films. I have whined and nagged Amazon to list a DVD edition of THE BALLAD OF NARAYAMA. It is simply the best movie I have ever seen.

I'm pre-ordering it, praying that the print is worthy of
this masterpiece. If it is, I'm ordering more for friends.

If you go see my other reviews, you'll see I don't rave; rather, most- often, I am sharply critical. But here there is not one filmic aspect - direction, photography, concept, execution, characters, suspense, acting, poignancy, adventure, humor, pathos and on and on that isn't superb..

My collecting days are complete. Sell short your Amazon stock; No movies are necessary after this ultimate cinematic high. Sorry, Amazon. Nirvana! April 16, 2008

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