Tuesday, November 05, 2019
The Ballad of Narayama
- Commentary: I have seen two of the three filmed versions of this story. The other one I've seen is covered here. Frankly, I wouldn't mind owning both, but the price of the second remains prohibitive. Of the three versions that have been made of this movie, though, this version is my preferred version. It's hard to explain why, considering that the second version referred to above is the more movie-like. This version, aside from telling the story well and totally involving me, is also an experiment in presentation for the filmmaker. For me, it is more jolting than enjoyably somber. The second is more enjoyably somber than jolting. I guess I prefer being jolted, when it comes to this movie.
You'll notice I'm not labeling this movie a "tragedy". That's because, all things considered, it's not. It's a meditation on death, yes, but not tragic death, just death. One of Roger Ebert's Great Movies.
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Kinuyo Tanaka Orin Teiji Takahashi Tatsuhei Yūko Mochizuki Tamayan Danko Ichikawa Kesakichi Keiko Ogasawara Matsu-yan Seiji Miyaguchi Matayan Yūnosuke Itō Matayan's Son Ken Mitsuda Teruyan
For the Wikipedia write-up on this film, click here.
Release Date: 1958
Directed by Keisuke Kinoshita.
Labels: §2, aging, Criterion1, drama3, haunting1, historical1, period1, psychological1, spiritual1
