The Ballad of Narayama

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Raphael G Honest about who humans are when times and conditions are harshest. Rated 4/5 Stars •  Rated 4 out of 5 stars 09/23/23 Full Review s r 1001 movies to see before you die. A bizarre movie that my family couldn't get through with all the odd sex, and I agree this distracted from the plot despite the themes. The setting was beautiful and the primitive peasant culture seemed legit. However, I don't plan on seeing it again. It was on Internet Archive. Rated 1.5/5 Stars •  Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review William L Sex and potatoes - it's all you need living as a peasant on a Japanese mountain. Shōhei Imamura's film is quiet and brutal, made unsettling by both a rigorous dedication to tradition and a disinterest in the preservation of life - if something is determined not to be useful (particularly 'an extra mouth to feed') it is quickly removed, the resources reallocated. Both of these factors contribute to the practice of 'ubasute', in which elders of a certain age exile themselves to a mountain to die rather than impose upon their village and families. Sakamoto's Orin is approaching the age where ubasute becomes mandatory, but finds that she has much to settle before leaving, particularly regarding her poorly adjusted, somewhat outcast middle-aged son, Ogata's Tatsuhei. The film largely revolves around their relationship, the practices of the village under brutal conditions, and the late coming-of-age of Tatsuhei; it is a film of eating and mating, and the line between base animal instinct and humanity. There were some parallels to Aleksandr Sokurov's Mother and Son, most notably in the actual journey to the mountain undertaken by Tatsuhei and Orin, in which Orin is required to stay mute. There is the same quiet power, the mother-son bond, and an intense familial love; there is just a lot more context this time around. The Palme d'Or is the weirdest award. Many people consider it to be among the most prestigious cinematic prizes, perhaps the single greatest honor that is subject to global competition. Yet, so many of the recipients are so ridiculously niche, and end up being confined to dusty shelves in film school. While not a perfect film in every respect, The Ballad of Narayama has power instead of distinctiveness alone, to the point where the later scenes may sneak up on you with their impact. (3.5/5) Rated 3.5/5 Stars •  Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 12/01/21 Full Review Audience Member Harsh, brutal, but at the same time, very much filled with life - even if it does raise the question of whether life is even worth living. In-your-face symbolism aside, I do wonder at the end of the day what the point was, even though I did enjoy the film. Rated 3.5/5 Stars •  Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 02/10/23 Full Review Audience Member In a rural Japanese village every person that turn 70 has to climb a nearby mountain to die. We follow a woman and her last days with her family. Cool music, some fresh wind effects. I like the animals put to screen, often added to scenes for a scene fadeout or something. It takes some time for the trye plot to happen. 90 minutes in the journey starts. The rest is filled with intrigues, murders, fights and lovemaking. The importantness of staying alive and at the same time capture wifes to mate with is strong, the combination of them is hard - there is not much food around. When the mountain hike starts it's pretty beautiful and a long climax. Not sure if it was worth the long wait, though. At times it's hard to follow, with many characters and names you never really catch or get a grip of. Silly characters, some still likeable. 7 out of 10 animals. Rated 3.5/5 Stars •  Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 01/17/23 Full Review Audience Member A septuagenarian matriarch must be sacrificed to the mountain god as is tradition. But first, she must teach her widower son's new wife how to fish, get her second son laid, & kill her grandson's pregnant girlfriend for stealing food. Life is definitely hard in this strange film full of death & sex & family dynamics. Think Woody Allen with Zen. Rated 4/5 Stars •  Rated 4 out of 5 stars 02/15/23 Full Review Read all reviews

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