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Trailer

The Ballad of Narayama

1983Movie2 h 10 min

Drama
87
ExcellentGoodWatch score
IMDb7.8Rotten Tomatoes94%88%

A deeply moving, relentlessly bleak drama movie about family and society, with standout direction and performances.

Good for friends night · thought-provoking · adults

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

Where to watch

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Not for warmth, laughs or comfort.

Movies with

Story

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.

Feels like

  • Japanese Social Commentary
  • Bleak Fatalism
  • Intergenerational Drama
  • Sacrifice and Duty
  • Mountain Village Life
  • Slow-Paced
  • Visceral Realism
  • Powerful Performances
  • Deeply Unsettling

Cast

20 of 20

Crew

Directed by
Shōhei Imamura
Written by
Shōhei Imamura, Shichirō Fukazawa
Produced by
Jirô Tomoda
Music by
Shinichiro Ikebe

Everyone

Pick a department, or search for a name or a job (“editor”, “stunt”).

Facts

April 29, 1983 · 2 h 10 min · Disturbing Imagery

Released
April 29, 1983
Runtime
2 h 10 min
Content
Disturbing Imagery
Genres
Drama
Original language
Japanese
Made in
Japan
Available in
31 countries

Tropes

I Was Quite a Looker, Stink Snub, Get a Hold of Yourself, Man! +9

  • I Was Quite a Looker
  • Stink Snub
  • Get a Hold of Yourself, Man!
  • Cold Equation
  • Jerkass
  • Agony of the Feet
  • Disney Villain Death
  • Captain Obvious
  • Bestiality Is Depraved
  • Kids Are Cruel
  • Lyrical Dissonance
  • Sleeps with Everyone but You

12 of 32 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?

KanopyARROW

In the United States, The Ballad of Narayama streams on ARROW, and it is free with ads on Kanopy. You can rent or buy it from Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, and YouTube. It also streams in 29 other countries.

Is The Ballad of Narayama worth watching?

87
ExcellentGoodWatch score

Yes, it's widely acclaimed, with a GoodWatch score of 87 (IMDb 7.8 and Rotten Tomatoes 94%). Critics rate it higher (94 out of 100) than audiences (83).

Will I feel good after watching The Ballad of Narayama?

BleakHopeful

Probably not: the title analysis rates it 9 of 10 for bleakness and 8 for melancholy, against 1 for hopefulness.

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

CharactersPlot

Mostly character-driven: it leans on character depth (9 of 10) and pathos (9 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?

I Was Quite a LookerStink SnubGet a Hold of Yourself, Man!Cold EquationJerkassAgony of the FeetDisney Villain DeathCaptain ObviousBestiality Is DepravedKids Are CruelLyrical DissonanceSleeps with Everyone but Youand 20 more

TV Tropes lists 32 tropes for it, including I Was Quite a Looker, Stink Snub, and Get a Hold of Yourself, Man!.