The Ballad of Narayama (Blu-ray) Directed by Keisuke Kinoshita Studio: Criterion Year: 1958 Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1 1080p AVC codec Running Time: 98 minutes Rating: NR Audio: PCM 1.0 Japanese Subtitles: English
Region: A MSRP: $ 29.95
Release Date: February 5, 2013
Review Date: February 4, 2013
The Film
3.5/5 In a remote village in 19th century Japan, tradition demands that those who reach their seventieth year must be carried to Narayama, the mountain home of their gods, and left there to die, hopefully blessed by their deities. Orin (Kinuyo Tanaka) is in her final year in the home she shares with her widowed son Tatsihei (Teiji Takahashi), but she doesn’t feel she can leave until she secures a new wife for her son, pulls out her teeth so as not to offend the gods who expect someone of that age to be toothless, and makes sure she has taught the new wife Tama (Yuko Mochizuki) all the tricks she knows for procuring food and making a happy home. Tatsihei can’t bear to think of a life without his mother and tries to persuade her to defy tradition, but Tatsihei’s son Kesakichi (Danko Ichikawa) can’t wait for his grandmother to leave so that his wife Matsu (Keiko Ogasawara) who has a very healthy appetite can have more to eat. Apart from the final shot of the movie which brings the story to modern day Japan, the entire film was shot on elaborate indoor soundstages with dozens of sets representing the village, the surrounding fields, and ultimately the mountainous region of Narayama where the final scenes take place (by far the most awe-inspiring moments in the movie with the fog-shrouded rocky hills holding the skeletal remains of those long dead and flocks of ravenous crows ready for fresh meat). Director Keisuke Kinoshita doesn’t really let us forget we’re watching a theater piece either as segues between scenes are sometimes accomplished by backdrops dropping away to reveal other sets behind them or set pieces being pulled off to the sides to reveal a new locale. These stylized theatrical tricks help root the melodramatic story in an almost fantasyland domain so that we can accept some of the ghastly imagery on tap: the protracted and rather gruesome moment when Orin knocks out her teeth and then pridefully parades her newly toothless mouth for the entire village to see, for example. The director (who also wrote the script) also includes a counterpoint to Orin’s situation: the story of Mata (Seiji Miyaguchi) who refuses who go to Narayama despite having already turned seventy and the concerted often cruel efforts of his angry son (Yunosuke Ito) to force him to do his duty. Despite the sometimes irksome sung narration and twanging accompaniment, the film does work its spell rather well, and one is moved by the symbolically upbeat end that Orin achieves. Performances are pitched pretty high, but in terms of more modern movie acting, Teiji Takahashi’s performance as the loving son torn between adoration of his mother and the expectations of duty is the most understated and impressive of the leads. Kinuyo Tanaka certainly earns her top billing as Orin in a role that requires her to be both wise and witch-like. As father and son who are at odds about the Narayama tradition, Seiji Miyaguchi and Yunosuke Ito give exaggerated film performances but are likely acting with stage techniques that would be more aligned to Kabuki presentations.
Video Quality
3.5/5 The film is presented in its 2.35:1 theatrical aspect ratio and is presented in 1080p using the AVC codec. Sharpness is generally good, but there are scenes that are softer and less distinct than others. Colors are deeply saturated (reds and greens look especially lush) but are never guilty of blooming. Black levels are only mediocre. The white subtitles are always easy to read, and the sung lyric translations are in italics. The film has been divided into 15 chapters.
Audio Quality
3.5/5 The PCM 1.0 (1.1 Mbps) sound mix is very reminiscent of its era with dialogue, sound effects, and music occupying the single track. While the music doesn’t ever quite reach levels of distortion, there is some hiss present that grows louder later in the movie during some of the quieter scenes.
Special Features
2/5 The disc offers a theatrical trailer (which runs 3 ½ minutes) and a teaser trailer (which runs 2 ¼ minutes). Both are in 1080p. The enclosed 22-page booklet contains cast and crew lists, some glorious color stills from the movie, and film historian Philip Kemp’s analytical piece on Keisuke Kinoshita's career and this film in particular. The Criterion Blu-rays include a maneuvering tool called “Timeline” which can be pulled up from the menu or by pushing the red button on the remote. It shows you your progress on the disc and the title of the chapter you’re now in. Additionally, two other buttons on the remote can place or remove bookmarks if you decide to stop viewing before reaching the end of the film or want to mark specific places for later reference.
In Conclusion
3.5/5 (not an average) An unusual stage-bound treatment of a Japanese folktale, Keisuke Kinoshita’s The Ballad of Narayama isn’t for everyone but might make an impression on those willing to give it a chance. Bonus features are thin on the ground for this Criterion release, but the cinematically adventurous might want to give it at least a rental. Matt Hough Charlotte, NC
