The Ballad of Narayama [Criterion Collection] [Blu-ray]

Director: Keisuke Kinoshita Keisuke Kinoshita

Overview

Adapted from a novel by Shichiro Fukazawa, The Ballad of Narayama is built around an ancient Japanese custom. Centuries ago, it was customary for the younger citizens of a remote Japanese mountain village to shepherd all those over the age of seventy to the snowy crags of Mt. Narayama. There the elders would be left to die from exposure and starvation--a fate they were expected to meet with stoic resignation. As the film observes, this custom was not universally accepted even in ancient times: Some of the old folks put up a physical struggle against their exile, others accept the inevitable under verbal protest, and some of the younger relatives question whether they have the right to go along with this questionable "cleansing" process. Heartbreakingly brilliant, The Ballad of Narayama was remade in 1983; the latter version won the Grand Prize at the Cannes Film Festival.

Product Details

Release Date:	02/05/2013
UPC:	0715515102513
Original Release:	1958
Rating:	NR
Source:	Criterion Collection
Region Code:	A
Presentation:	[Wide Screen]
Sound:	[monaural]
Language:	English
Time:	1:38:00
Sales rank:	11,075

Special Features

New 2K Digital Master From The 2011 Restoration, With Uncompressed Monaural Soundtrack Trailer And Teaser

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

Kinuyo Tanaka	Orin
Teiji Takahashi	Tatsuhei
Yuko Mochizuki	Tama-Yan
Seiji Miyaguchi	Mata-Yan
Yunosuke Ito	Mata-Yan's son
Danko Ichikawa	Kesakichi
Keiko Ogasawara	Mutsu-Yan
T¿no Eijir¿	Actor
Ken Mitsuda	Teru-Yan
Ito Yunosuke	Actor
M. Nozawa	Composer
Tameharu Endo	Composer

Technical Credits

Keisuke Kinoshita

Keisuke Kinoshita	Director,Screenwriter
Ryuzo Ohtani	Producer