The Ballad of Narayama
“Only Time Could Change the Cruelty of Tradition… Only Their Love Could Survive It…”
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 they 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.
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Cast
28 people
Ken Ogata
Tatsuhei
Known for
Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters
Vengeance Is Mine
Sumiko Sakamoto
Orin
Known for
The Pornographers
Warm Water Under a Red Bridge
Tonpei Hidari
Risuke
Also in
Monkey
Sex Comedy, Quick on the Trigger
Aki Takejo
Tamayan
Also in
Ie Naki Ko
Watashi no Aozora
Shoichi Ozawa
Katsuzô
Known for
The Pornographers
The Insect Woman
Fujio Tokita
Jinsaku
Known for
Castle in the Sky
The Eel
Sanshō Shinsui
Zeniya Tadayan
Known for
The Eel
Seiji Kurasaki
Kesakichi
Also in
Kids Return
The Eel
Junko Takada
Matsuyan
No other roles listed
Mitsuko Baisho
Oei
Known for
Dreams
Hanzawa Naoki
Taiji Tonoyama
Teruyan
Known for
Onibaba
In the Realm of the Senses
Ben Hiura
Yakimatsu
Known for
Your Lie in April
Crazy Samurai Musashi
Shōhei Imamura Director · Shichirō Fukazawa Author Shinichiro Ikebe Composer
United States release June 22, 1984 · Produced in Japan · Original title 楢山節考
Production
Toei Company
Production
Japan
Produced in
Languages
Original title
楢山節考
Original language
Japanese
Spoken on screen
Japanese
Release dates
Hong Kong SAR China · April 29, 1983
Theatrical
Japan · April 29, 1983
Theatrical
United States · June 22, 1984
Premiere · San Francisco
Australia
February 6, 2019 · Physical · DVD
Czechia
January 26, 2012 · Premiere · Eiga-Sai Film Festival
France
May 7, 1983 · Premiere · Cannes Film Festival
September 28, 1983 · Theatrical
May 31, 1997 · TV · France 2 (Ciné club)
March 25, 2003 · Physical · DVD
July 11, 2018 · Theatrical · Rerelease
January 17, 2020 · Physical · Blu-Ray
April 14, 2021 · Physical · DVD & Blu-Ray (Re-Release)
Germany
May 19, 2004 · TV · ARTE (Cannes 2004)
Netherlands
November 1, 1983 · Theatrical
November 2, 2004 · Physical · DVD
Portugal
October 26, 1984 · Theatrical
South Korea
October 30, 1999 · Theatrical
Spain
July 9, 1984 · Theatrical
Thailand
September 23, 2026 · Premiere · Bangkok International Film Festival
United Kingdom
June 11, 2007 · Physical · DVD
October 24, 2011 · Physical · DVD & Blu-ray
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Some details come from TheTVDB.