NARAYAMA-BUSHI-KO
THE BALLAD OF NARAYAMA
![(c)IMAMURA PRODUCTION / TOEI COMPANY, LTD. (c)IMAMURA PRODUCTION / TOEI COMPANY, LTD.](http://jfdb.jp/data/photo/movie/4b/60/32/e2/4bbb6cdc294d66aed5e31bd8be6ce0da_640.jpg)
(c)IMAMURA PRODUCTION / TOEI COMPANY, LTD.
![(c)IMAMURA PRODUCTION / TOEI COMPANY, LTD. (c)IMAMURA PRODUCTION / TOEI COMPANY, LTD.](http://jfdb.jp/data/photo/movie/4b/60/32/e2/4c717fb9b65418bbb2c5da9b743daaab_640.jpg)
(c)IMAMURA PRODUCTION / TOEI COMPANY, LTD.
- Release Date
- April, 29th, 1983
- Running Time
- 131 min
- Genre
- Feature
- Color
- Color
- Screening Format
- -
- Screen Size
- Vista
[ Directed by ]
[ Produced by ]
- TOMODA Jiro ── Producer
- KUSAKABE Goro ── Planning
[ Cast ]
- OGATA Ken ── Tatsuhei
- SAKAMOTO Sumiko ── Orin
- AKI Takejo ── Tama
[ Staff ]
- IMAMURA Shohei ── Screenplay
- FUKAZAWA Shichiro ── Based on a novel by
- TOCHIZAWA Masao ── Cinematography
- IKEBE Shinichiro ── Music
- YOSHINO Nobutaka ── Production Designer
[ Production Company ]
TOEI, Imamura Production
[ Distributor (Japan) ]
TOEI
[ Story ]
The second film adaptation of FUKAZAWA Shichiro's novel of the same title, based on the legend of a small mountain community whose custom it was for aged relatives to be carried to a mountain and left there to die. Unlike KINOSHITA Keisuke's 1958 version, which was shot using sets, Imamura's film was captured entirely on location; it also intersperses its action with scenes of animals copulating and hunting, resulting in a richly realistic narrative more concerned with the raw, gritty ingredients of life than Kinoshita's version, which was instead notable for its staged, stylistic beauty. The film famously beat out OSHIMA Nagisa's Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence (Senjo no meri kurisumasu, 1983), regarded as the favorite to win, to take home the Palme d'Or at the 36th Cannes Film Festival.
Taken from text originally written for National Film Archive of Japan screening program
Rearranged by FUJIWARA Masao
Translated by Adam Sutherland
[ Film Festivals, Awards ]
1983 Cannes Film Festival, Competition, Palme d'Or
[ Contact (International) ]
TOEI COMPANY, LTD.
Attn: International Sales & Acquisitions
tel: +81 3 3535 7621
fax: +81 3 3535 7622
E-mail: international@toei.co.jp
http://www.toei.co.jp