The Ballad of Narayama (The Criterion Collection) [DVD]

The only reason I am even aware of this film is because I try to stay up to date on Criterion's Blu Ray releases (a nearly impossible task given the state of my wallet), but I did manage to get BALLAD OF NARAYAMA, and I'm very glad I did.Although I am, at best, a casual fan of Japanese cinema, I do also have a passing familiarity with Kabuki theater and bunraku. (My undergraduate degree is in theatre.) NARAYAMA tells a folk tale about a humble village in the Japanese mountains, and the story itself is only moderately interesting. But the style of the telling elevates the story in some almost magical way...the whole becoming greater than the sum of its parts.The story: in the village we come to know, there are really only two things on everyone's mind, food and death. Food is always scarce and hunger is a constant companion, and starvation is a frequent visitor too. Thus, any elderly person who reaches the age of 70 is expected to be taken into the mountains and abandoned there to the god Narayama. (In reality, these elderly are left to freeze to death.) We meet Orin, a 69 year old woman who knows her fate is coming, and is ready to accept it. However, she needs to put a few things in her household in order, mostly marrying off her recently widowed son.The style: the movie revels in nature and the colors and offerings of the outdoors. Rice fields. Trees turning in autumn. Streams and brooks. Paths through fields. Yet ALL of the film is set on elaborate stages, with painted backdrops. The whole film feels more like a really, really elaborate stage play than a film. In Kabuki tradition, we have a narrator who sings commentary from offstage. The lighting is all theatrical and sets literally move in front of us to reveal new scenes. It's startling and beautiful. The sets are fully realized, but we're never to be tricked into thinking we're anywhere but in a theatrical setting. This has the effect of creating the intimacy and immediacy of theater (if you've never been to a GOOD live performance, you're missing out on the difference between how we connect to characters on screen and with real, live folks just steps away from us actually living the experience as we watch it), yet it has enough expansiveness that we don't feel trapped by the confines of a normal sized auditorium. The production design is almost miraculous.Coupled with the singing and the truly amazing music (a shamisen...kind of a 3 string guitar/banjo), the production takes this humble tale and elevates it. We see that love exists in this society (the middle-aged son clearly loves and reveres his mother), but is always secondary to the daily need to simply have enough to eat. Orin accepts her fate, and in fact, is very embarrassed by the fact that at her age she still has all her teeth (this is taken to mean she eats more than she should to still be this healthy) and the entire village taunts her. Her oldest grandson's wife has a baby on the way, and he actually boldly tells his grandmother that it's time for her to go to Narayama. It's a bit shocking, but even more shocking is the treatment the town bestows on one of its citizens when he's discovered to have stolen some food from a neighbor. His entire family is stripped of all they have...and that's only the start. The lovely sets and constant scenes of nature stand in sharp contrast to the brutal lives these people live. But they are not bad people...just imagine if every day you had to worry if you'd have enough food to feed your family. Things would boil down to the basics pretty quick.Orin's humble acceptance (even eagerness) of her role...to sacrifice herself to Narayama for the benefit of her village and family, seems almost like lunacy at times. But in the context of the lives in this village, her willingness is really just her chance to give her family one final, meaningful act of love. It's all remarkably powerful.So why not 5 stars? Well, for all its stark beauty and great music and meaningful themes, this 98 minute movie feels too long. There are a couple of scenes wherein we see ritual enacted that go on for quite some time. I know it's more my fault than the movie's, but I struggled to find the patience for them. And there are moments of violence that are handled clumsily, including one scene at the very end that could have been quite stunning, but instead feels like high school drama class. And while the film has very few closeups (adding to the theatrical feeling...we don't get closeups in live theater), many of the ones we do get show too clearly things like wig lines. I can overlook them, but I can't help noticing them and being momentarily jarred. But I still heartily recommend this film to anyone looking to broaden their perspective on just what film can do, and frankly, to be amazed at the technical achievement of the sets.Sadly, Criterion has not come up with worthwhile bonus material here (hence the lower price). Only a trailer and the usual essay in the booklet (although it is very good). I can't help but feel with a little effort they could have come up with something, either about the director (who was quite prolific) or the making of the film. Surely there is a scholar out there willing to pontificate!

This is the more beautiful of two adaptations of the same story. Director Keisuke Kinoshita used traditional Japanese Kabuki theater as visual inspiration for a stunning story of generational tension in a small village (the other adaptation of this story is the far more realistic and brutal  The Ballad of Narayama  ).The plot involves three generations of a household: the aged Orin who is the matriarch of the household, her son Tatsuhei, and his son--a completely self-absorbed teenager--Kesakichi. The village tradition dictates that elderly parents are carried into the mountains and left there to die, so that the younger generations have a better chance to survive.However this family problematizes tradition because Orin is in great health, as evidenced by her full set of teeth. Orin is eager to carry out the tradition, counting down the days until her trip to Narayama. But her son, Tatsuhei, is deeply attached to his mother and does not want her to die. Her Grandson, Kesakichi, is wretched and taunts Orin, regularly demanding that she make the trip to her grave. Kesakichi's comically bovine wife, Matsu, is excited for Orin's death because there will be more food for them once Granny's out of the way.The story and color is beautiful and tragic. The highly stylized sets contribute to the sense of watching a stage production. Even with these layers to remove the viewer from the tragic events unfolding, this viewer was completely caught in the story.As usual, the Criterion Collection edition comes with nice extras:---New 4K digital master from the 2011 restoration, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack on the Blu-ray edition---Trailer and teaser---New English subtitle translation---PLUS: A booklet featuring an essay by critic Philip Kemp

The other reviewers covered this masterpiece of film art. In context of film as art and that art preceeds society, I believe it is poignant to write that in January 2013 the new Japanese Finance Minister Taro Aso said the elderly should be allowed to "hurry up and die" to save money on health care. Being generous of context, it was probably meant not to keep them alive against their will. Remember the end of Solyent Green with Edgar G Robinson and that beautiful music Peer Gynt Suite No.1? What was your feeling when you saw this portion of the film? Our current society and culture values practical and utilitarian constructs. How soon before we catchup to our future?One last thought from the film is duty. Duty, the web of interconnectedness and karma, to ourselves, to family, to our society. Does the protagonist reveal her one inperfection being driven by what other people think rather than accepting duty for its own sake?

The movie is presented in the form of a play, with sets transitioning cleverly before your eyes and a score playing almost entirely constantly. Instead of using cutscenes, walls and buildings move, the sky changes color, and things are brought in and out of focus -- this was all obviously thought out extremely carefully. The characters are easy to identify with, and the sets are quirky and cute. The singing can get a little old at times, but it sort of helps bring in the dreary effect...fitting for a movie about abandonment.I bought this as a blind buy during a sale and couldn't be happier.BluRay PQ is great, there are some scenes that are really soft but that is the exception. I watched this on my 60" HDTV and there was phenomenal detail throughout the film.Audio track isn't anything too ambitious, but sounded okay on my system. No pops, hisses, etc., as with basically all Criterion releases.

Though not what I expected, Ballad of Narayama easily places itself as a Japanese contemporary classic with its unbeatable tone, style, and very original story. I don't want to spoil anything, but this one would be a worthy addition to anyone's Criterion Collection

The product a late, but I should've expected that considering what's happening globally. Very thankful it arrived, and the person it was given to was very happy with the item. Very pleased with the item. Thank you.

I have loved this movie for many years having seen it several times on late night TV in the 1980's shortly after it came out. The transfer is excellent.

Reçu rapidement mais pas la version du film que j'avais vu au cinéma :-(

坂本スミ子・緒形拳主演の「楢山節考」は以前観たことがあり、今回観た作品の方が古いのでこちらが原作に近いと思います。ただ残念なのは音声の強弱が激しく聞き取れない部分が結構ありました。ストーリーは全国にあった姥捨ての風習ですが。私が住む近辺の遠野市にも同じような風習が残っております。現地に行ってみると今でも畑作の行っている高原のような場所で、映画に出てくるような山奥で険峻なイメージではありません。私の想像ですが、昔は貧困の中で老齢になると食い扶持を減らすため姥捨ての慣習があったのでしょうが、映画のような山奥に置き去りにして確実に死に至させる惨いものではなく、おそらく老齢同士の共同生活で生計を立て、元気なうちは田畑の仕事をして、病床に伏した状況になれば極楽浄土に導くという穏やかなイメージではないのかと思っています。

母が中学生の時観たらしく購入しました。映画は白黒のイメージでしたがカラーになっています。母が内容が一部違うと言っていますがよく分かりませ。