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The Ballad of Narayama

1958Movie1 h 38 min

Drama
83
GreatGoodWatch score
IMDb7.8Rotten Tomatoes86%88%

A deeply moving, melancholic drama movie about history and family, with standout world-building.

Good for friends night · teens · drop-in friendly

Skip it if you need an uplifting mood · you want fast pacing

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Not for laughs or warmth.

Movies with

Story

With my mother on my back, now is the time to say goodbye to this world.

In a remote village where food is scarce, elders who reach the age of 70 are carried by their children to the top of a nearby mountain to die in solitude. Orin, a vibrant 69-year-old grandmother, has accepted her fate — but struggles to prepare the rest of her family for the ritual.

Feels like

  • Japanese Arthouse
  • Historical Drama
  • Social Commentary
  • Family Sacrifice
  • Kabuki Style
  • Bleak Tradition
  • Pathos and Melancholy
  • Spiritual Acceptance
  • Visually Striking

Cast

10 of 10

Crew

Directed by
Keisuke Kinoshita
Written by
Keisuke Kinoshita, Shichirō Fukazawa
Produced by
Masaharu Kokaji, Ryuzo Otani
Music by
Kineya Rokuzaemon XIV, Matsunosuke Nozawa

Everyone

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Facts

June 1, 1958 · 1 h 38 min · Suicide Themes

Released
June 1, 1958
Runtime
1 h 38 min
Content
Suicide Themes
Genres
Drama
Original language
Japanese
Made in
Japan
Available in
8 countries

Tropes

Don't Look Back, Elder Abuse, Deliberately Monochrome +9

  • Don't Look Back
  • Elder Abuse
  • Deliberately Monochrome
  • Ballad of X
  • I Was Quite a Looker
  • Gory Discretion Shot
  • Face Death with Dignity
  • Narrator
  • Snow Means Death
  • Kids Are Cruel
  • Ominous Fog
  • Happily Arranged Marriage

12 of 22 tropes. From TV Tropes.

Q&A

6 questions, like "Where can I stream The Ballad of Narayama?"

Questions about The Ballad of Narayama

Quick answers from GoodWatch data.

Where can I stream The Ballad of Narayama?

Criterion

In the United States, The Ballad of Narayama streams on Criterion. You can rent or buy it from Apple TV Store and Fandango At Home. It also streams in 4 other countries.

Is The Ballad of Narayama worth watching?

83
GreatGoodWatch score

Yes, it's widely acclaimed, with a GoodWatch score of 83 (IMDb 7.8 and Rotten Tomatoes 86%).

Will I feel good after watching The Ballad of Narayama?

BleakHopeful

Probably not: the title analysis rates it 8 of 10 for bleakness and 8 for melancholy, against 3 for hopefulness.

Is The Ballad of Narayama plot-driven or character-driven?

CharactersPlot

Mostly character-driven: it leans on pathos (9 of 10) and character depth (8 of 10) more than on its plot.

Is The Ballad of Narayama in English?

Japanese

No, it was made in Japanese.

What tropes does The Ballad of Narayama use?

Don't Look BackElder AbuseDeliberately MonochromeBallad of XI Was Quite a LookerGory Discretion ShotFace Death with DignityNarratorSnow Means DeathKids Are CruelOminous FogHappily Arranged Marriageand 10 more

TV Tropes lists 22 tropes for it, including Don't Look Back, Elder Abuse, and Deliberately Monochrome.